《Rebirth: He refused to Divorce Again》


 Chapter 1 - 01 Life

    Chapter 1: Chapter 01 Life


    (Note: Consuming Guide: Fiction set in an unspecified era, please do not relate it to any real-world setting.)


    *****


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood on the cliff.


    The sky in September seemed exceptionally clear.


    The sun was radiant and bright.


    Even such sunshine couldn¡¯t penetrate the gloom that filled Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    She couldn¡¯t go on living.


    The only thing that had kept her going was her younger brother, the lone family member still in prison.


    She had to wait for him to get out.


    But on this day last month, her brother died of a heart attack.


    Her parents had passed away one after the other eight years before, and her younger sister had committed suicide soon after.


    After she took care of her brother¡¯s funeral and settled other affairs, there was no one and nothing left in this world for her to cling to.


    The mountain wind fiercely blew her white hair, yet she was only twenty-nine.


    Her throat had been scorched by hot coals to rawness; she didn¡¯t even have the right to question the heavens.


    She gritted her teeth, her deeply sunken eye sockets long dry of tears.


    Her lifeless eyes watched a wispy cloud in the sky silently shift its shape.


    It was as if she saw a seventeen-year-old young girl, shyly saying to a handsome young man beside her, ¡°Grandpa, I want to marry him.¡±


    She got her wish.


    She thought she would live happily ever after from that moment on.


    But it was the beginning of her nightmare.


    Back then, she didn¡¯t know that Qin Yize was the designated heir to the first family of the Imperial Capital, the Qin Family, didn¡¯t know he was a prodigious young talent with a doctorate in medicine, and didn¡¯t know how many noble ladies from high society were infatuated with him.


    She was even more unaware that his childhood sweetheart secretly harbored feelings for him.


    By the time she found out, she had been sold into the mountains by human traffickers, and from then on, fate was exceptionally cruel to her.


    She dared not recall, for each memory pained her to the core.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took one more look at the blue sky and the wispy cloud, whimpered a few times in her throat, closed her eyes, and leapt with all her might, like a butterfly with broken wings, gracefully falling into the deep pool below the cliff.


    When the horrifying sensation of suffocation hit, a smile unexpectedly appeared on her lips.


    From now on, she wouldn¡¯t be in pain.


    As she sank into darkness, she thought, if there were a next life, she would stay far away from Qin Yize¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re just too kind-hearted; she was seeking death herself, why save her?¡± That was a girl¡¯s crisp voice.


    ¡°After all, it¡¯s a life, she¡¯s also your sister-in-law, and, sigh, during the festive season¡­¡±


    An old person sighed when speaking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head hurt terribly, and she strained to open her eyes, but after much effort, she failed to do so.


    Who was talking?


    Could it be that she didn¡¯t die and got rescued?


    ¡°She made my mom faint from anger, and you¡¯re still giving her water?¡± The girl¡¯s voice flared up again.


    ¡°Xiao Yu, can you check if your mom is feeling better?¡±


    Then there was the sound of shuffling, and suddenly there was a moist sensation at her mouth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao trembled her lips and, with all her might, suddenly opened her eyes.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re awake?¡± The old person exclaimed with joy.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at the old lady before her, who held a porcelain bowl and spoon in her hands, her expression kind and smiling; suddenly her heart pounded like thunder.


    All the blood in her body seemed to freeze at once.


    Wasn¡¯t this Qin Yize¡¯s Grandma?


    But wasn¡¯t she dead?


    Eight years ago, on the day her brother stabbed Qin Yize¡¯s sister, she suddenly died from a cerebral thrombosis.


    So, was this a meeting in the underworld?


    ¡°Grand¡­ Grand¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao, with trembling lips, began to speak, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    But suddenly stiffened up, she abruptly reached for her own throat.


    She had been mute for eight years; now that she was dead, could she speak?


    At that moment, the door was pushed open.


    A girl with a ponytail stormed in, pointing at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°My mom got so upset because of you that she¡¯s shaking and can¡¯t get out of bed, you owe my mom!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened in terror.


    This was Qin Yize¡¯s sister, Qin Xiaoyu, she¡­


    Realizing something, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly sat up, frantically looking around.


    On the wall opposite, adorned with a delicate patterned wallpaper, hung a picture frame with a large photo inside¡ªof a sweet-smiling young girl and a handsome young man with a hidden aloof coldness.


    It was her wedding photo with Qin Yize; her mind exploded for a moment, and there was a blank.


    She bit her lip hard, forcing her gaze away from the image.


    On the east wall stood a row of ancient redwood furniture.


    Adorned with large red ¡°happiness¡± characters.


    She abruptly turned her head; the brilliant sunlight stabbed into her eyes undefended.


    Gu Qiaoqiao winced and closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, she saw a young man standing in the doorway.


    He had clearly just returned from outside.


    His hands, with their distinct knuckles, were draped over a dark blue wool coat; his looks were exceedingly fine, with eyebrows like distant hills and eyes like autumn waters in a deep pool, but his expression was as indifferent as mountain snow.


    Wearing a simple white shirt, the pristine collar seemed to carry a touch of coldness.


    Accentuating his tall, upright figure. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand suddenly clutched at the clothes over her heart, her breath catching as if choked.


    Qin Yize!


    The man she had loved for four years and hated for eight.


    Eight years earlier, after parting in the mountains, she had never seen him again.


    This man, who carried the dreams of her youth, this man with the indifferent gaze void of warmth, was now quietly watching her.


    His handsome face betrayed no emotion.


    Grandma Qin gave Qin Xiaoyu a look, ¡°Go, take Grandma to see your mother; it¡¯s almost time to prepare the New Year¡¯s meal¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu stomped her foot in hatred.


    ¡°Xiao Yu, take Grandma out,¡± Qin Yize spoke, his voice like the strings of a fine instrument, melodious and pleasing, yet carrying a tremor-inducing chill.


    Nothing frightened Qin Xiaoyu more than her own older brother.


    She darted a resentful glance at the pale-faced Gu Qiaoqiao on the bed before pushing Grandma Qin out of her big brother¡¯s bedroom.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had yet to come to grips.


    Her body was shaking, her hands trembling, and so she clenched them into fists tightly.


    Fingertips pressed into her palm; a sharp pain shot through her, making her bite her lip.


    Qin Yize hung up his coat and hat leisurely on the wardrobe rack and then walked slowly to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedside.


    His tall figure loomed by the bed, looking down at Gu Qiaoqiao with an oppressive air.


    At that moment, his lips formed a chilling straight line.


    After a pause, he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Do you really not want to live?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart clenched, her pale lips trembling silently.


    She hastily lowered her head.


    She didn¡¯t dare meet Qin Yize¡¯s gaze, for his piercing eyes seemed to see through everything, leaving her nowhere to hide.


    And making her feel utterly disheveled.


    That¡¯s how it was in her memory.

 Chapter 2 - 02 The Sunshine is Very Bright

    Chapter 2: Chapter 02 The Sunshine is Very Bright


    ¡°Today is New Year¡¯s Eve, and all Grandma looks forward to is a family reunion. Have you ever thought, if you died, could Grandma¡¯s body withstand it?¡±


    A voice devoid of warmth rose above her head.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up abruptly as if possessed.


    Such words, faintly familiar.


    Memories from long ago flooded in like a tide.


    Her heart thudded.


    Reminding her, this was not a dream.


    She, it seemed, had returned to the past!


    Eleven years ago, she and Qin Yize had just gotten married. That day was New Year¡¯s Eve morning, when Qin Yize went out to meet with classmates, and she wanted to follow, but was refused.


    Bai Yun, who lived next door and was her only friend in the Qin Family, advised her that to deal with Qin Yize, she had to ¡°cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang herself.¡±


    Otherwise, his high school classmates would spirit him away, and he would never want her again.


    At that time, her mind was filled with nothing but Qin Yize, because since marrying him, he had been indifferent and distant towards her. She loved him, loved him madly, loved him persistently.


    She would try anything if there was the slightest chance.


    So, when Qin Yize was about to leave, out of love and to show her commitment to that love, she hurled herself against the cold wall.


    She fainted right then and there.


    Naturally, Qin Yize indeed did not leave.


    Because Mrs. Qin, out of extreme agitation, also collapsed to the ground.


    What was supposed to be a festive New Year¡¯s Eve ended with both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the hospital.


    Fortunately, the issues were not serious, so after much turmoil, they returned home.


    But by then, it was already afternoon.


    The Qin family were both hungry and exhausted, and had to endure the finger-pointing from neighbors. Since then, a label of shame was attached to her face.


    But this was just the beginning.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her hands and lowered her eyes.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao remain silent, Qin Yize ran out of patience.


    He gave a cursory glance at the young girl on the bed and turned to leave.


    His tall figure, straight as a pine, soon disappeared into the bedroom.


    Gu Qiaoqiao zoned out for a moment, then suddenly turned over and got out of bed.


    Standing on the pearwood flooring, even with socks on, the coldness of the moment rapidly reached her feet.


    She hesitated no longer.


    Swiftly, she walked to the window.


    The windows of the Qin Family¡¯s house were large, spacious and bright, but slightly old-fashioned; the frames were carved with patterns, and they had a bolt at the bottom.


    She bit her lip, trembling as she unlocked the bolt and flung the windows open.


    A piercing chill instantly struck her face and body. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sun was bright.


    And splendid.


    Because of the sudden cold air, her lips trembled, and her teeth chattered.


    She was still alive, this was real.


    Though it wasn¡¯t time for the New Year¡¯s meal yet, children were setting off firecrackers outside.


    In the yard, the tall crabapple tree still stood firm.


    This was the old residence of the Qin Family in the Imperial Capital.


    One of the ancestral homes of the Qin Family, it was quite large.


    With the wing rooms and garden included, it covered more than eight hundred square meters.


    Later, because too many things happened and it became unbearable to stay, they sold it and moved to another neighborhood.


    Since it was an apartment complex, naturally, they no longer had this quaint and elegant old yard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly closed the window and looked at the calendar on the desk.


    February 8, 1986, New Year¡¯s Eve!


    Then glancing at the wall clock, exactly 14:00 in the afternoon.


    She went to the mirror in front of the large wardrobe, and her body suddenly stiffened.


    The mirror reflected a girl with a ghastly pale face and trembling lips.


    Her dark hair was somewhat disheveled, and as she opened her mouth, she let out two ¡°ah¡­ ah¡­¡± sounds, her voice a bit hoarse, but she could still speak.


    She was wearing a red sweater, and, incredibly, green pants below.


    It was an odd look.


    But her eyes were astonishingly bright.


    The bruise on her forehead was now very obvious.


    Gu Qiaoqiao parted her hair, took the scissors, and cut herself bangs that hung down askew, perfectly covering the injury on her forehead.


    The other side revealed her arched and delicate brows, making her eyes appear even more lustrous.


    The memories of her past life were engraved in her heart.


    She knew that in one more hour, Bai Yun from next door would come.


    At first, she gently comforted Mother Qin, then went to her room and praised herself for doing well; at that time, she naively believed it.


    She was completely obedient to Bai Yun¡¯s every word.


    Because Qin Yize really didn¡¯t manage to come.


    He even spoke to her.


    Keep in mind, although they had been married for six months, he left on their wedding day and hadn¡¯t sent a letter or made a phone call since then.


    Moreover, on the night of his return, not only did he not touch her, but he barely even spared her a glance, let alone spoke to her.


    Of course, she was apprehensive¡ªother than Grandma Qin speaking to her, the rest of the Qin Family treated her like a stranger. Thus, Bai Yun became her main source of support.


    Then, Bai Yun incited her to kneel on the ground on the first day of the New Year¡¯s while the Qin Family was hosting Old Grand Master of the Qin Family, cry about Qin Yize¡¯s indifference and neglect, question if Qin Yize had a woman outside, and ask Old Grand Master Qin to decide for her¡­


    And she did just that.


    It was the one time in her life she considered herself most brave.


    But she forgot that she was dealing with the Qin Family.


    Claiming Qin Yize had a woman outside, she not only lacked evidence, but she also turned herself into a joke for Second Uncle of the Qin Family and his relatives to witness.


    Moreover, she forgot that day was New Year¡¯s Day; she cried so pitifully, she committed a great taboo.


    Thus, that day became a nightmare for the Qin Family and the beginning of her own nightmare.


    She had almost driven Old Grand Master Qin to the hospital with anger.


    He pointed at Qin Xuan¡¯s nose and scolded: ¡°Family misfortune.¡±


    And she, like a stray dog, could only hide in her bedroom and weep pathetically.


    She was really foolish.


    How could she be so foolish?


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her hand tightly, her fingernails digging into her palm, causing a piercing pain before she slowly let go.


    Being foolish once was enough.


    Her tears streamed down her cheeks.


    At the same time, a surge of ecstasy welled up within her.


    Right now, she and her parents as well as her twin siblings were all alive and well!


    She hadn¡¯t been sold off to the mountains, subjected to so much inhumane torment.


    Her father hadn¡¯t lost his job because of her, and her sister hadn¡¯t taken out high-interest loans after her father¡¯s death and her mother¡¯s illness, leading to her suicide in despair.


    Her brother hadn¡¯t gone to settle scores with the Qin Family for her sake, accidentally injuring Qin Xiaoyu in the process.


    Her brother hadn¡¯t gone to prison, and the college-going Qin Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t had his right kidney removed because of the stabbing¡­


    Grandma Qin hadn¡¯t passed away because of this incident.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit down hard on her lip,


    Heaven had shown her mercy, allowing her to start over again.


    She was endlessly grateful.


    The tragedies of her past life, now, in the future, would not happen again.


    She and Qin Yize were just a mistake.


    Although she was reborn after their marriage, she was satisfied.


    She could get a divorce.


    From then on, she would stay far from the Qin Family, far from Qin Yize.


    A separation best for both, wishing each other peace and happiness!

 Chapter 3 - 03: Everyone Regrets, This Feeling is Great!

    Chapter 3: Chapter 03: Everyone Regrets, This Feeling is Great!


    In her previous life, the tragedy, though the indifference of the Qin family bore undeniable responsibility, her own foolishness and stubbornness were equally nauseating.


    Both parties had paid a painful price.


    Gu Qiaoqiao no longer hesitated, she opened the wardrobe and found a pair of black pants.


    She took off the garish green pants, as red paired with green was truly unattractive.


    Bai Yun, that girl who spoke so softly, insisted that she looked good in such attire.


    Her eyebrows were naturally beautiful, arching like willow leaves without needing deliberate grooming.


    Her forehead was also very smooth and fair.


    Yet, Bai Yun insisted she looked good with bangs cut straight across.


    So, she obediently got them cut.


    Then she looked foolish and sullen.


    And somewhat oppressed.


    A cold smile spread across Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips.


    This life, she would never be so foolish again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t waste any more time.


    Although a divorce was inevitable, she decided to leave the Qin family with dignity.


    At the moment, Mrs. Qin, Shen Manru, lay in bed, unable to calm her rage.


    The grandmother sat in a wheelchair.


    None of the male members of the Qin family, including Qin Xiaoyu, knew how to cook.


    Yet today was New Year¡¯s Eve, in the hearts and eyes of the Chinese people, the most important day of the year.


    A cold stove on this day boded ill for the year.


    She knew that in her previous life, Bai Yun had become the angel and savior of the Qin family.


    She had showed off her skill by preparing a New Year¡¯s Eve dinner that looked impressive.


    While she herself had been relegated to the bedroom to ¡°recover.¡±


    When it was time to eat, Bai Yun summoned her.


    The outcome was predictable.


    It was the most unbearable and anxious New Year¡¯s dinner she ever had¡ªunforgettable for a lifetime!


    It also increased her resentment, which ensured she carried out her plan against Bai Yun the next day without compromise.


    After that, the Qin family took a complete dislike to her.


    After the twelfth day of the first month, a reluctant Qin Yize took her to a medical research center in Border City.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao thought she had left the wolf¡¯s den, only to find herself entering the tiger¡¯s lair.


    Unable to bear revisiting the memories, Gu Qiaoqiao wiped away her tears and took a deep breath.


    The nearly ten years of hardship in her previous life had fortified her resolve remarkably.


    Otherwise, she would not have been able to save up for an apartment in the Imperial Capital to provide a home for her younger brother.


    But then her brother died.


    And she lost all her hopes¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced once more at the elegant young girl in the mirror, took a deep breath, and turned to walk toward the bedroom door.


    She wanted to get the New Year¡¯s meal ready before Bai Yun arrived.


    After all, she still owed the Qin family from her past life.


    With slightly trembling hands, she steeled herself and pushed the door open.


    The moment she opened it, she instinctively closed her eyes.


    Fearing that this was just a scene from a dream.


    Like in a movie, when the door opens, there¡¯s nothing¡­


    Just for a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao resolutely opened her eyes.


    Brilliant sunlight was casting from the window, and the tall figure standing in front of the living room window was enveloped in a faint glow.


    It seemed surreal, and yet, it was incredibly real.


    It was Qin Yize!


    His hands were in his pockets, and due to his self-discipline, even at home, his posture remained as erect as a pine.


    The living room of the Qin family was large.


    It was also elegant and luxurious.


    The wooden furniture and sofas, under the sunlight, emitted a deep gloss.


    The styles were ancient; however, all were made from huali wood and red sandalwood, simple yet precious.


    The Qin Family was a typical major clan of scholars and elegance.


    The wall carried paintings personally crafted by Qin Xuan, and on the Duobao Pavilion on the west wall, there were some attractive porcelains and antiques displayed.


    In fact, that Duobao Pavilion was very sturdy.


    But in her previous life, on the tenth day of the first lunar month, she accidentally knocked over several Song Dynasty porcelain vases.


    They shattered instantaneously on the ground.


    Mr. Qin¡¯s face had turned ashen at that moment.


    Thinking back, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips twisted into a mocking sneer.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Bai Yun holding her, how could she have fallen, how could she have bumped into the shelves of the Duobao Pavilion?


    Gu Qiaoqiao cast a complex look at the figure still facing away from her, then turned and walked towards the kitchen.


    Shen Manru¡¯s bedroom door was half-open.


    There was no sound inside.


    Shen Manru and Qin Xuan were both professors at a certain university in the Imperial Capital; even if they resented Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯ they would remain dignified and had never maliciously slandered her in her absence.


    Only with faint sighs and limitless regrets.


    They all regret it¡ªwhat a wonderful feeling!


    A smile curled upwards on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips as she stood in the kitchen, surveying the food materials.


    It was now 1986, an era of sweeping reform across the country, and life in the Imperial Capital was naturally better.


    The Qin family was well-off.


    The preparations for the New Year¡¯s goods were also sufficient.


    Qin Yize had left the Imperial Capital for over half a year; no one knew where he had gone, nor dared to ask. However, they knew he had a twenty-day holiday.


    He would leave again on the fourteenth day of the first month.


    Therefore, Shen Manru had prepared an especially abundant range of New Year¡¯s goods this year.


    Some memories were quite blurry.


    But she could still recall, for this New Year¡¯s dinner, how Shen Manru had excitedly discussed the menu with her mother-in-law.


    It was just unexpected that today¡¯s events would happen.


    In her previous life, to provide a home for her brother when he was released from prison a few years later, she had taken on many jobs.


    Except for selling herself, she did whatever she could.


    Washing dishes in a restaurant, working as a nanny, working in a five-star hotel¡­


    Cooking was naturally a breeze for her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao washed her hands, tied on her apron, and was just about to reach for the vegetables when she heard an indifferent voice like snow behind her, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Her body stiffened, her hand gripped tighter, then she turned around, glanced at the young man standing by the door as serene and slender as a jade painting, then averted her gaze, calmly saying, ¡°Today, I¡¯m cooking.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize frowned slightly; he hadn¡¯t misheard, had he?


    This Gu Qiaoqiao was going to cook?


    According to his sister, the only thing she could do was wash dishes, and even that she did not do well.


    Was this an attempt to cause even more chaos at home, perhaps to ruin all the food materials?


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes were as deep as the ocean, unmoving and silent.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao knew she couldn¡¯t dawdle any longer.


    She needed to finish these preparations before Bai Yun arrived, otherwise, she truly wouldn¡¯t have the energy to deal with her.


    Qin Yize was a man of few words.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t expect to hear much from him; as if she hadn¡¯t seen him at all, she swiftly began sorting the ingredients.


    The meats and fish had been processed in advance, requiring just retrieval from the refrigerator.


    The fresh vegetables were all placed on the balcony.


    In a moment, she had decided what dishes to make for the day.


    After washing the vegetables, she placed them in a dish basin.


    Lotus roots sliced, cucumbers shredded, and garlic sprouts cut into segments.


    When she became busy, she really forgot that there was someone behind her.


    Qin Yize stood at the kitchen doorway, feeling that something was slightly odd.


    His piercing gaze flickered with a shadow, his innate sharp intuition immediately picking out the difference.


    This woman, her gaze towards him wasn¡¯t as intensely irritating as before.


    It was somewhat calm, slightly complex.


    What trick was she playing this time¡­

 Chapter 4 - 04 You, a country bumpkin!

    Chapter 4: Chapter 04 You, a country bumpkin!


    He gained fame as a young man, devoted himself to medical studies, and then returned from the world¡¯s top academic institutions with a medical doctorate at the mere age of 20. However, his heart was wholly invested in his medical research, so he was extremely indifferent to matters of affection.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather forced a marriage upon him by calling in a favor, he thought, ¡°Well, if I¡¯m to marry, then so be it. Everyone must marry eventually. With a wife, perhaps those women will back off.¡±


    But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that the woman he married would be the real trouble.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression was unreadable as he cast a fleeting glance at the busy figure before turning to leave.


    After he had gone, Gu Qiaoqiao let out a big sigh of relief.


    The gaze that followed her had been inquisitive, and she could feel it.


    She¡¯d get used to it.


    This rebirth given to her by the Heavenly God wasn¡¯t meant for her to repeat the mistakes of her past life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao picked up the washed radish. It was a beauty-heart radish.


    Her hands felt a bit itchy.


    She had a talent for carving.


    Perhaps it was the carving skills inherited in her blood from her grandfather, she had a particular gift for it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stretched out her hand, which at that moment, was fair and delicate, her nails gleaming with a rounded, light pink luster. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She flexed her fingers a few times but then gave up the idea.


    Right now, cooking was more important.


    Suddenly, a noise came from the door followed by an angry shout, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, what are you doing?¡±


    It was Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s voice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned but still turned around, smiling slightly, ¡°Grandma¡­¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, what are you¡­¡± Grandma Qin eyed Gu Qiaoqiao suspiciously in the kitchen, her hand still holding a fruit knife. It seemed she had realized something, and the old lady¡¯s face changed drastically as she began to breathe rapidly, ¡°Qiaoqiao, put down the knife quickly.¡±


    ¡°You wicked woman, what else do you want to do? Will you ever stop? You¡¯re really too annoying,¡± Qin Xiaoyu glared at Gu Qiaoqiao with hatred.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her lips upward, ¡°Auntie Qin is unwell, so I¡¯m cooking today.¡±


    ¡°My mom is unwell because of you,¡± Qin Xiaoyu shot daggers at Gu Qiaoqiao with her eyes, spewing anger, ¡°You country bumpkin, what do you know about cooking? Get out of here now, and don¡¯t ruin the groceries my mom bought.¡±


    Country bumpkin?


    Heh, a familiar term indeed.


    In her previous life, Qin Xiaoyu thought Gu Qiaoqiao hailed from a small place and looked down upon her entirely. She also believed Gu Qiaoqiao was unworthy of her elder brother, so she often ridiculed her with cold sarcasm.


    Qin Xiaoyu was the Qin family¡¯s youngest daughter, not very old, just sixteen this year. And since some of her remarks were what the rest of the family wished to express, they let her be.


    In her past life, Gu Qiaoqiao did not understand and, finding Qin Xiaoyu cute, attempted to draw close to her. She reached out to take her hand but was met with a slap, repulsion written all over her face as she said, ¡°Stay away from me. Don¡¯t pass your lice on to me.¡±


    At that time, Gu Qiaoqiao, not quick-witted with words and aware of the Qin family¡¯s disdainful looks, felt exceedingly embarrassed and wished she could vanish into thin air.


    Fortunately, Grandma Qin, while also doting on her granddaughter, took her hand and said with a kind smile, ¡°Such a clean and neat young girl, Xiao Yu, don¡¯t talk nonsense¡­¡±


    But from then on, Gu Qiaoqiao truly dared not approach her.


    She made Gu Qiaoqiao feel, lowly as dust!


    Perhaps her complexion was too somber, not like usual; she wasn¡¯t bowing her head to cry or running into a room and refusing to come out.


    The afternoon sun filtered through the kitchen windows, casting several strands across her face, which only seemed to make her eyes resemble the boundless deep sea all the more¡ªlooking at them was chilling to the heart.


    Qin Xiaoyu felt somewhat scared, unconsciously gripping the handles of her wheelchair tighter, but then she suddenly thought how ridiculous it was to be afraid of a country bumpkin, a hillbilly like her.


    Yet Grandma Qin saw the dishes in the kitchen, neatly arranged, plate by plate, looking like the backkitchen of a grand hotel.


    ¡°Xiao Yu¡­¡± Grandma Qin grabbed Qin Xiaoyu, who was about to charge into the kitchen, and on this precious New Year¡¯s occasion when they had finally found some peace, she didn¡¯t want any more trouble. She scolded softly, saying, ¡°You can¡¯t cook; you don¡¯t even know how to wash vegetables. What are you going in there for?¡±


    ¡°But she can? She can¡¯t even wash dishes properly,¡± Qin Xiaoyu complained bitterly.


    Not only was this woman ugly but also petty and uneducated, meek and compliant, yet she had married her brother, who was like a Heavenly God in her eyes, making Qin Xiaoyu feel utterly insulted.


    Gu Qiaoqiao collected her thoughts and looked at the sixteen-year-old girl in front of her. She herself actually disliked her very much¡ªfor being so critical on the back of her young age. In her past life, she had been far from an excellent person, and her first time in the big city had left her feeling inferior; this girl only added insult to injury!


    The hand that Gu Qiaoqiao held the knife with tightened, and her cool gaze shifted away from that young face.


    In her previous life, she was stabbed by her own brother, forced to have her right kidney removed, and it seemed like she lay in bed for several years, naturally missing out on college.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sighed inwardly; one wrong marriage had ruined two families. There was no denying that in her last life, the heavens had played a joke on her.


    Fortunately, everything had started over.


    She spoke softly, ¡°Grandma, I often watched my mom cook, and though I¡¯ve never really done it myself, I do know the basics. Let me give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you try,¡± said Grandma Qin. She knew what this child could be capable of just by looking at the arranged dishes and basket.


    It was getting late, and if they didn¡¯t start cooking now, they might not celebrate the New Year at all.


    Even though Grandma Qin was educated, it didn¡¯t mean she valued the New Year¡¯s Eve¡ªthe most important day of the year¡ªany less.


    ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu stamped her feet, unwilling to let it go.


    ¡°Enough, stop it. Push Grandma to the living room; I have to talk to your brother,¡± Grandma Qin said. She usually spoiled her granddaughter, but not today.


    ¡°Grandma, just a moment,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao called out to her, clutching the fruit knife in her hand. ¡°Give me one minute.¡±


    After speaking, Gu Qiaoqiao picked up a radish. With a crisp chop, she cut it in half and flexed her fingers, then started peeling it with swift strokes.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, what are you¡­¡± Grandma Qin watched, astonished.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry, it will be ready in no time.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao peeled the radish into a spinning top shape. Her small hand moved like a magician¡¯s, spinning around the bottom, the left hand holding the radish while the right hand¡¯s knife whirled rapidly over it.


    It was so fast it dazzled the onlookers.


    Even Qin Xiaoyu was gaping in surprise.


    After a minute, a blooming rose appeared in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s palm.


    Its petals quivered as if they had just been picked.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at it with satisfaction.


    She had just noticed that her fingers were even more nimble than in her previous life.


    She turned and picked up a long bamboo skewer, then stuck the radish rose onto it and extended her hand to present it to the already dumbfounded Grandma Qin, smiling with her eyes curving, ¡°Grandma, here¡¯s a rose for you. I wish you long life, and may you grow younger and younger.¡±


    ¡°For me?¡± Grandma Qin asked in surprise.


    She had not expected this child to possess such a skill.

 Chapter 5 - 05: The Noble Son

    Chapter 5: Chapter 05: The Noble Son


    Immediately, she thought of Qiaoqiao¡¯s deceased grandfather, and then she realized. Her spouse had mentioned that he was very skilled with his hands, capable of sculpting anything.


    ¡°Yes, this is for you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    Grandma Qin happily took it and looked it over from all angles. The more she looked, the more she liked it, truly captivated, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful, Qiaoqiao, your hands are like those of a magician, truly so skillful.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled sweetly.


    ¡°Like it, love it.¡± Grandma Qin picked up the radish flower and even pretended to smell it, extremely happy, ¡°Qiaoqiao, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank for what, it¡¯s just a little trinket,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said.


    Seeing her smile, Grandma Qin remembered something and quickly spoke, ¡°Qiaoqiao, when you first came here, you used to smile like this all the time, but then you always had a stern face, and this fringe too, keeping it so thick and heavy. I told you about it a few times, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Look how pretty you look today¡­¡±


    Having said that, she even tilted her head to take a better look.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, then she curved the corners of her mouth, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll start cooking now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Xiao Yu and I will go out and set the table first.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu took another look at the flower in grandma¡¯s hand, really beautiful, seemingly even prettier than real flowers.


    This woman?


    She even has this skill?


    She snorted, reminded of Sister Bai Yun¡¯s words, and then snorted again, pushing Grandma towards the living room.


    However, her gaze never left the flower in grandma¡¯s hand, she also really wanted to have a look at it.


    That was when Gu Qiaoqiao really started to get busy.


    It was New Year¡¯s Eve, and naturally, there had to be fish, Shen Manru had bought a big carp, so they were going to make braised carp.


    Using yam to stew ribs, so grandma could eat more.


    A vegetable and julienned cold dish, a large ham platter, chicken stewed with mushrooms, braised pork, and then a minced pork with eggplant¡ªgrandma could eat this too, it was not only nutritious but also good for calcium¡­


    Fried several kinds of greens, vegetarian meatballs, dry pot green pepper lotus slices.


    And large prawns, better steamed.


    By then, Gu Qiaoqiao had already begun stewing the dishes on the gas stove.


    Shen Manru, although she was the Qin Family¡¯s housewife, was at the end of the day a university professor and quite busy with work, so honestly, her culinary skills were average.


    The year was 1986 in the Imperial Capital, even though it was at the forefront of the era, it was incomparable to more than a decade later.


    Especially since it was Gu Qiaoqiao who was personally cooking.


    When the delicious aroma started wafting from the kitchen, Qin Xuan, who had been sulking in his study, came out with a book in hand. Although such a big incident had occurred at home, as the father-in-law he could not say much.


    Having seen that both individuals had no issues, he had hidden in his study to brood.


    This New Year¡¯s Eve was definitely upsetting for his dear mother.


    Only when the scent of the dishes came from the kitchen did he know that his wife had gotten up, and he hurriedly came out.


    He was also worried about whether his wife¡¯s health could withstand it.


    When he saw the figure in the kitchen, he was stupefied.


    It was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    At that moment, she was skillfully stir-frying the vegetables, and then a dish of vibrant and tender scrambled eggs with garlic shoots came off the stove.


    The fragrance followed.


    Thus, Shen Manru also came out, standing at the kitchen doorway, watching the busy Gu Qiaoqiao, with an equally incredulous look.


    The calmest in the entire Qin family was Qin Yize.


    He merely glanced at the radish flower that grandma showed off as if it was a treasured possession, then continued to read his book.


    Her expression was calm, without a trace of fluctuation.


    Surprised as they were, the children were already setting off firecrackers outside.


    The atmosphere of New Year¡¯s Eve was growing stronger.


    Even with numerous displeasures, they couldn¡¯t show it at this time.


    So, both of them glanced at their son, who appeared nonchalant, then exchanged a look silently and sighed slightly. Shen Manru called to Qin Xiaoyu, ¡°Xiao Yu, come here, set the bowls and chopsticks.¡±


    Xiao Yu knew how to do this task.


    Seeing her mother getting up from the bed also made her happy, and she ran over bouncing, holding Shen Manru¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Yes, much better.¡± Shen Manru made a face towards the kitchen, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? When I wheeled Grandma out here, she was already in the kitchen.¡± Qin Xiaoyu frowned, ¡°She even carved a radish flower for Grandma¡­¡±


    ¡°A radish flower?¡±


    ¡°Mom, wait, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Qin Xiaoyu, being only sixteen, naturally showed her youthful spirit and quickly approached Grandma Qin.


    At this moment, Grandma Qin was chattily talking with her eldest grandson.


    Qin Yize, with the book set aside on the tea table, listened to his grandmother attentively, bowing his head and occasionally nodding or uttering a hum.


    This behavior had become customary.


    Grandma Qin didn¡¯t mind at all.


    Playing with the radish flower in her hand, she suddenly sighed, ¡°In my life, this is the first time someone has given me flowers.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes flickered, intensely gazing at it.


    In the sunlight, the radish flower, carved to translucence, had petals thin as cicada wings, so lifelike it seemed one could smell the fragrance, a veritable marvel of craftsmanship.


    Carved by Gu Qiaoqiao?


    After searching through the scant information about her, the corners of Qin Yize¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, give me the radish flower, my mom wants to see it.¡± Qin Xiaoyu stood beside Grandma Qin, sounding slightly urgent.


    Grandma Qin glanced at the little girl who had been eagerly looking at it, constantly wanting to touch it but too shy to do so, so she pretended not to notice.


    She wondered how long the little girl could hold out.


    Seeing the eagerness in Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes, she didn¡¯t tease her further and graciously handed it over, instructing, ¡°Look but don¡¯t touch, and bring it back to me once you have shown her.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re so stingy.¡± Qin Xiaoyu, holding the radish flower, doubted anyone¡¯s ability to carve such delicate petals unless seen with her own eyes. She certainly wouldn¡¯t believe that the wicked woman could carve like this.


    Just as Qin Xiaoyu was about to show the radish flower to her mother, the door of the Qin Family¡¯s home was pushed open.


    A girl with fair skin and waist-length hair stood at the doorway, speaking softly, ¡°Xiao Yu.¡±


    At that moment, Qin Xiaoyu was standing right across from her, happily exclaiming, ¡°Sister Bai Yun, you¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I came to see how Aunt Shen is doing.¡± Bai Yun, familiar with the house, walked into the living room, her gaze first landing on Qin Yize. He sat on the sofa, dressed in a black turtleneck sweater, his dignified and elegant demeanor reminiscent of a nobleman from the Republic of China era.


    Meanwhile, he continued to listen quietly, bowing his head to Grandma Qin¡¯s chatter.


    Bai Yun¡¯s heart fluttered.


    Qin Xiaoyu came over and warmly grasped her arm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my mom is doing well.¡±


    ¡°Bai Yun, come, join us for some peanuts and candy pieces,¡± Shen Manru warmly invited. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This child was thoughtful and good-natured; she really deserved the affection.


    Qin Xiaoyu pulled Bai Yun to sit on another sofa.


    At that moment, the aroma wafted from the kitchen.


    Bai Yun frowned, all the Qin Family members were in the living room, so who was in the kitchen?

 Chapter 6 - 06: The Agitating Bai Yun

    Chapter 6: Chapter 06: The Agitating Bai Yun


    ¡°Aunt Shen, my mom heard that your sister-in-law fainted from anger after you tried to commit suicide by banging your head against the wall, and she was quite upset. She can¡¯t come out right now, so she sent me to check on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Shen Manru¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t great.


    Attempted suicide?


    It¡¯s really bad luck, especially during the New Year.


    But there¡¯s no help for it, the entire neighborhood knows; it¡¯s impossible to keep it under wraps.


    Bai Yun noticed Shen Manru¡¯s complexion and a barely noticeable smile appeared on her lips. That dead woman, why didn¡¯t she just die on the spot.


    If she had died, then she could have been with Brother Ze.


    However, this was also good. Such a scandal made her lose all face. She believed that, after today, this woman would never recover her standing.


    ¡°Aunt Shen, my sister-in-law was just being thoughtless, don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Bai Yun said, knowing this wasn¡¯t the right time to discuss this topic, but there would be no chance to mention it if not now.


    One must press home the advantage. She knew this principle well.


    ¡°Thoughtless? That¡¯s ignorance, stupidity,¡± Shen Manru said angrily, gripping the melon seeds in her hand.


    ¡°Aunt Shen, she just hasn¡¯t read enough books. If she reads more, she¡¯ll improve, and since she grew up in a remote village, she hasn¡¯t seen much of the world¡­¡± Bai Yun offered her feigned sensible comfort.


    Seeing Shen Manru¡¯s complexion worsen, and Mr. Qin lowering his head and frowning, Bai Yun was satisfied and softly spoke again, ¡°Aunt Shen, have you prepared the New Year¡¯s dinner? Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already finished.¡±


    A clear voice came from the kitchen entrance. Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes were bright and she looked at Bai Yun with a mocking half-smile. They say you shouldn¡¯t slap someone in the face or expose their shortcomings when you scold them.


    Bai Yun had a knack for jabbing right in the soft spot.


    It seemed, just as in her past life, even if the Qin Family¡¯s anger subsided, Bai Yun had rekindled it yet again.


    Because the look Shen Manru was now giving her was filled with intense loathing.


    Bai Yun stood up in surprise, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao with disbelief that flashed into a twisted envy. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be hiding in her room at this time?


    Why was she standing in the kitchen with an apron on?


    ¡°Sister-in-law, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve never cooked before?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was silent.


    Her eyes were deep, staring steadily at Bai Yun, and after a long pause, she said, ¡°Yes, today is the first time.¡±


    ¡°You once said that even dogs wouldn¡¯t eat your cooking, now¡­¡± Bai Yun¡¯s eyes flickered, then she playfully stuck out her tongue and turned to Shen Manru, whose complexion was unpleasant, ¡°Aunt Shen, sorry, I misspoke¡­¡±


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had no intention of engaging with this woman, today wasn¡¯t the best time.


    She smiled faintly, standing there like bamboo after a rain, neither servile nor overbearing, and said to Grandma Qin in the wheelchair, ¡°Grandma, the New Year¡¯s dinner is ready, can we start eating now?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Grandma Qin nodded eagerly, her face bright with delight as she said to Qin Yize, ¡°Quick, go help your wife serve the dishes.¡±


    Qin Yize stood up and moved Grandma Qin to the dining table, then entered the kitchen without a word.


    The kitchen had ample space, but it felt exceptionally cramped when Qin Yize entered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed briefly, then relaxed slowly.


    Just endure a few more days.


    She turned around, sprinkled some chopped green onions on the yam stewed pork ribs, and then poured it into the casserole.


    The prepared dishes were all laid out on the large dining table. Qin Yize took a glance, his expression subtly changing, and then with his long, jade-like hands, he picked up two plates of food and exited the kitchen.


    The scent of the food grew stronger as it moved.


    He was swift in his actions, performing the task of serving dishes as gracefully as drifting clouds and flowing water.


    Gu Qiaoqiao carried out the casserole from the kitchen.


    Her gaze accurately captured the sight of Bai Yun, who had regained her composure. Although the woman was smiling, a poisonous light flickered in her eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched Bai Yun approaching, her lips curling into a smirk, surely Bai Yun was holding back some mischief.


    Let her think, what was she planning to do?


    Under the guise of talking, she would ¡°accidentally¡± bump into her and surely cry out, ¡°Sister-in-law, why are your hands trembling? Oh dear, be careful, ah¡­¡±


    The final ¡°ah¡± was perhaps meant to create the image that she was inadvertently involved in the mishap.


    Then, as desired, the pot of yam and pork rib stew would shatter into pieces with a crash.


    Further confirming that Gu Qiaoqiao was good for nothing, she was just a waste.


    To kill a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of one¡¯s own troops wasn¡¯t exactly a loss.


    But today, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to play her game. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Qin Yize, I can¡¯t hold this any longer, help me with it.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her voice was not loud, but it was clear and pleasant. Being a native of the North, her Mandarin was impeccable, and the young girl¡¯s voice at this moment was like the ringing of silver bells, drawing the attention of everyone around her.


    They all felt that something was different.


    The girl with the gentle smile, holding the clay pot, was obviously struggling, her cheeks a bit flushed, her lips bitten, her eyes seeking help from Qin Yize.


    Bai Yun had no choice but to stop in her tracks.


    There was no point in getting any closer now.


    Because Qin Yize had already calmly taken the clay pot from her, walking elegantly to the dining table. Just as he was about to put it down, Gu Qiaoqiao also followed, ¡°Put it in the middle.¡±


    As she said this, her nimble little hands quickly cleared the dishes from the center of the table.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression was indifferent. He pursed his lips and placed the clay pot in the center.


    He watched those small hands covertly, noting how with just a few movements she arranged the dishes of meat and vegetables before finally stepping back with satisfaction.


    Qin Yize caught her expression in its entirety, she must have found his arrangement unsatisfactory.


    He pursed his lips tighter, his star-like gaze swept over like flowing water, observing his still dazed parents, he spoke, ¡°I am going to set off the firecrackers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Mr. Qin finally came back to his senses.


    New Year¡¯s Eve, a happy household prospers in all things.


    His daughter-in-law was behaving for once, not causing trouble.


    So there was no point in stirring up more issues.


    Bai Yun felt awkward. This was the first time Gu Qiaoqiao had been so cold to her.


    She glared at Gu Qiaoqiao fiercely, and without realizing it, she sat down. Qin Xiaoyu, who hadn¡¯t noticed all these subtleties, was holding a carved radish flower and said to Bai Yun as she sat down, ¡°This was carved by that woman. How about it, you couldn¡¯t have imagined it, right?¡±


    Bai Yun stared blankly at the radish flower in front of her. What on earth was going on today? She had an unsettling feeling that the foolish woman had slipped beyond her control.


    And this foolish woman could carve?


    Her hands were clumsier than a pig¡¯s trotters.


    ¡°What a joke?¡± snorted Bai Yun, incredulous.


    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Qin Xiaoyu said in a low voice, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it, I would never believe it.¡±


    Bai Yun then looked seriously at the still-blooming flower, when suddenly her beautiful eyes shifted, she dodged to the side, covering her nose, ¡°Disgusting! It has a putrid smell of radish.¡±


    Grandma Qin¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°It smells bad to you?¡± Qin Xiaoyu frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a real one some other day. To mistake a stinky radish for a rose, people will laugh at you, calling you a naive country bumpkin if they find out,¡± Bai Yun taunted.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Qin Xiaoyu got angry.


    Her classmates already ridiculed her for having a naive sister-in-law and a bumpkin brother-in-law.

 Chapter 7 - 07 A Flavorful and Aromatic New Years Meal!

    Chapter 7: Chapter 07 A Flavorful and Aromatic New Year¡¯s Meal!


    Today, after hearing such words, she was a mix of embarrassment and anger. She threw the radish carving onto the ground and trampled it with her leather shoes a few times, but as she was about to glare fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao, her heart trembled.


    Bai Yun turned her head too but ended up meeting Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze unexpectedly.


    That gaze, deep and inscrutable, was black as if without boundaries.


    And devoid of any warmth.


    Bai Yun¡¯s heart startled, yet as she frowned, Gu Qiaoqiao smiled.


    It was as if a full tree of pear blossoms had burst into bloom in an instant.


    Bai Yun shook her head. That feeling just now must have been an illusion.


    How could that wretched woman, so riddled with inferiority, dare to look at her like that?


    Grandma Qin looked at the radish mush under Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s feet and sighed. She glanced at Bai Yun, whose seemingly kind face harbored thoughtful expressions.


    Aunt Shen couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize Gu Qiaoqiao, this daughter-in-law who usually only nodded in agreement, was incompetent at doing good but could always spoil matters. Today, however, she seemed like a different person.


    Standing there quietly, she actually looked serene and lovely.


    Shen Manru thought, why she would have such an idea? She must be mad.


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Our country¡¯s food carving has a long history, dating back to the Spring and Autumn period. It¡¯s not just about beautifying the banquet or setting the atmosphere; it¡¯s an art form that can also complement the dish and showcase its unique charm, not only adding splendor but also constituting an artistic treasure.¡±


    Bai Yun was stunned.


    Grandma Qin smiled and said, ¡°Qiaoqiao is right, that¡¯s the point. This food carving is a treasure in our nation¡¯s five thousand years of culinary culture¡­¡±


    ¡°So, in your mouth, it becomes a stinking radish?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t wait for Bai Yun to retort and continued, ¡°You¡¯re well read and knowledgeable. Xiao Yu is still young and doesn¡¯t understand many things. You should have been the one to tell her this, but instead, you misled her.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡­¡± Bai Yun was a mix of embarrassment and anger in the moment.


    That stupid woman spoke too quickly; she hadn¡¯t even had time to react.


    Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers burst from the courtyard.


    At this time, during the Spring Festival in the Imperial Capital, setting off fireworks and firecrackers was not yet banned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t spoken so freely in a long time.


    Seeing Bai Yun¡¯s shocked and angry expression, a sense of satisfaction rose in her heart.


    It must be said that Bai Yun was quick to react, grabbing Aunt Shen¡¯s arm and suddenly said coquettishly, ¡°Aunt Shen, the Qin Family is a scholarly family, not a culinary one. So, I spoke without thinking. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, why are you apologizing?¡± Shen Manru, who never had much interest in cooking, laughed. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re right. We¡¯re not running a restaurant; it¡¯s good enough to have some understanding of these things.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. I was worried that you¡¯d be angry at me, Aunt Shen, and not dote on me anymore.¡± Bai Yun acted spoiled.


    Then she took Xiao Yu¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to watch the fireworks tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Qin Xiaoyu was naturally happy.


    Though, her heart felt a bit of regret.


    She didn¡¯t understand culinary culture, but the carved flowers were truly beautiful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao averted her gaze. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This girl, despite being the same age as herself, was really not an ordinary child.


    Her past self, naive and foolish, timid and weak, how could she have not been played in the palm of the hand by such a girl?


    She scoffed self-deprecatingly and curved her lips slightly.


    The door opened.


    Qin Yize and Qin Xuan, who had been setting off firecrackers, entered the room.


    The originally elegant and noble living room immediately felt dull when Qin Yize stood there.


    Bai Yun stood up, her gaze involuntarily falling on Qin Yize. With each look, her heart fluttered.


    She hid the love in her eyes, forced herself to shift her gaze away, and glanced at the dishes on the dining table that looked both appetizing and flavorful, her fingers clenched and then released.


    She walked quickly to Gu Qiaoqiao, smiling mischievously, ¡°Sister-in-law, you scolded correctly just now. It was my mistake; I shouldn¡¯t have spoken that way. Let¡¯s not be formal on New Year¡¯s, okay?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao fixed her eyes on her, and after a few moments, she smiled, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Bai Yun was taken aback, a twisted shadow of darkness flashing through her eyes.


    This cheap bitch really thinks she¡¯s something special.


    She forced a smile and asked, ¡°Can I talk to you after I finish the New Year¡¯s dinner?¡±


    What is it to talk about?


    She should be teaching her how to kneel in front of Old Grand Master Qin the next day, crying and complaining bitterly.


    She was indeed a good gun, hitting wherever directed.


    Old Grand Master Qin, the head of the Qin family, valued the family¡¯s reputation and traditions most.


    And Qin Yize was the successor he had designated, his pride.


    On the first day of the New Year, speaking such foolish, unfounded words, how could Old Grand Master Qin not fly into a rage?


    What status did she, Gu Qiaoqiao, have in the Qin family?


    Probably not even as much as the big black dog in the yard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao still stood in place, staring fixedly at Bai Yun, and slowly nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I knew my sister-in-law was the best,¡± Bai Yun said softly, her tone resembling that of someone pleased, before she gathered her long hair, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first; my family is starting dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bai Yun, come over to play after eating,¡± Shen Manru said with a smile.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    No one kept her; today was for the family reunion dinner, which everyone had in their own home.


    As Bai Yun passed by Qin Yize, she stole a glance at the tall and graceful man before she gracefully pushed the door open and left the Qin residence.


    ¡°Alright, there are no outsiders now, and the firecrackers have been set off. Let¡¯s start eating,¡± Grandma Qin spoke.


    ¡°Ah Ze, go bring the Maotai,¡± Qin Xuan said, in a much better mood after setting off the firecrackers.


    He was in high spirits, instructing his son to get the alcohol.


    Then he took his place at the seat next to his elderly mother.


    The Qin family¡¯s dining table was rectangular.


    Grandma Qin sat at the head of the table.


    Shen Manru sat across from Qin Xuan, and everyone else took their usual places.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly took her seat next to Qin Yize, opposite her was Qin Xiaoyu, who had glanced at her with a scowl.


    ¡°Although Qiaoqiao is cooking for the first time, by the looks and smells of it, it¡¯s definitely not wrong¡­¡± Grandma Qin sat at the head of the table; although her line of the family was not prolific, they were all outstanding.


    The old lady looked at her family members sitting beside her with contentment, aware that with each passing year, she had fewer years left.


    She cherished these days of family reunions dearly.


    The old lady followed with a few opening remarks, all auspicious blessings, before she happily picked up her chopsticks.


    The others, looking at the dishes on the table that could be described as visually and olfactorily appealing, were unsure about the taste.


    No one started eating.


    It was somewhat awkward.


    Although the Qin family was a scholarly one, there were still some age-old traditions passed down from the ancestors.


    The New Year¡¯s dinner required the eldest in the family to take the first bite.


    Professor Qin, fearful that the taste wouldn¡¯t be good and might upset his elderly mother, didn¡¯t want to try it first either.


    He sighed softly in his heart.


    Ever since this daughter-in-law entered the family, peace and refinement were no more.


    Grandma Qin looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was slightly bowing her head, and reached out with her chopsticks to pick up a piece of eggplant with minced meat in front of her.


    With age, her teeth weren¡¯t good.


    After just one bite, Grandma Qin froze.


    Qin Xuan, startled, quickly said, ¡°Mom, if it¡¯s not tasty, don¡¯t swallow it; your stomach is weak.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth curved into a small smile, her expression indifferent.


    Qin Yize¡¯s deep gaze fell upon her face and, after a few moments, shifted away indifferently.

 Chapter 8 - 08: Longing and Guilt

    Chapter 8: Chapter 08: Longing and Guilt


    Grandma Qin had eaten a bite of minced meat with eggplant and her brows immediately relaxed, as if she hadn¡¯t tasted such delicious food since she herself could no longer cook.


    ¡°Delicious, delicious,¡± Grandma Qin urged, her voice eager, ¡°Come on, taste it, don¡¯t just stand there.¡±


    And she naturally reached for another dish.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t worried at all; she knew her own cooking skills.


    She had once been an assistant to the head chef at a star-rated hotel, and her cooking skills, as well as her masterful carving techniques, were universally praised.


    And since time immemorial, good food has always been something that brings people joy.


    No matter whether you are a commoner or a noble, no one can resist the allure of delicious food.


    The Qin family, although a distinguished household with abundant wealth, adhered to a family rule set by Old Grand Master Qin: they were not to hire a maid. Thus, under the bland and unappetizing meals cooked by Shen Manru over these past years, this dinner table undoubtedly became a rare treat.


    No one would fight against tasty food.


    With the delicious dishes, Qin Xuan¡¯s drinking also became more enjoyable.


    Qin Yize simply smiled and accompanied his father.


    Shen Manru had complex feelings, for the first time unsure of how to evaluate her daughter-in-law.


    Ignorant, foolish, yet possessing exceptional culinary skills.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, that evening, didn¡¯t eat much, but she ate slowly. She was still processing the fact that she had been reborn.


    The television was also turned on.


    It was on a big imported screen set atop the TV cabinet.


    The volume wasn¡¯t loud, but the music was very festive.


    Outside, firecrackers burst forth one after another. The Imperial Capital hadn¡¯t started its ban on fireworks yet, so the spirit of the New Year was especially strong.


    The Qin family¡¯s New Year¡¯s dinner was exceptionally harmonious.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, deftly picking up the bones from the table, then smilingly looked toward Grandma Qin, ¡°Grandma, you eat first, I¡¯ll go feed Da Hei (the dog).¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, there¡¯s no rush, you can go after you¡¯ve eaten,¡± Grandma Qin was genuinely happy today. The atmosphere in the Qin household had been awkward for the last half year, despite her many attempts to improve it.


    Today, however, was clearly a good start.


    Naturally, she was very pleased.


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished eating,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said and, taking her bowl, left the dining table. After a moment¡¯s thought, she went to the kitchen, picked up two pork bones with chopsticks, and placed them in her bowl.


    She went back to her room, put on her down jacket, and left the Qin family¡¯s living room.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao had left, a brief silence fell over the dining table.


    Grandma Qin glanced around and sighed, ¡°A harmonious family leads to prosperity in everything. Qiaoqiao is young and bound to make mistakes; you two are university professors, cultured people. You shouldn¡¯t stoop to the level of a child.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s just your favoritism. She¡¯s young, so she¡¯s always right? She¡¯s two years older than I am,¡± Qin Xiaoyu protested with dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Our Xiao Yu is the most sensible,¡± the grandmother said. ¡°So, for the sake of your grandmother, try to get along with your sister-in-law. She has come all this way alone to marry into our family; it¡¯s quite pitiable.¡±


    ¡°Mom, children will have their own fortune, so don¡¯t worry. And honestly, the kid¡¯s cooking is delicious,¡± said Professor Qin, scooping a bowl of yam soup for his mother while sitting next to the old lady. ¡°Mom, this soup tastes really good; you can have some more.¡±


    Across the table, Shen Manru gave a nearly imperceptible snort but didn¡¯t make any further comment.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to take her to the experimental base in Border City when my holiday ends.¡±


    Qin Yize, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.


    Everyone paused for a moment.


    Shen Manru thought of her son, whom she took pride in for his excellence¡ªentangled for a lifetime with this country girl¡ªsuddenly lost her appetite.


    Gu Qiaoqiao squatted on the blue brick floor, watching the two dogs¡ªone big, one small, one black, one white¡ªdepositing the meaty bones from the bowl into the dog food basin.


    The big black dog was quick and snatched the largest bone with a howl, while Gu Qiaoqiao placed a smaller bone in front of the little dog Mao Mao. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unexpectedly, Mao Mao didn¡¯t eat it but ran towards the big bone.


    After just a few bites, it was swept aside by the big black dog¡¯s paw. The big black dog held down two large bones and looked triumphantly at Mao Mao.


    Mao Mao whimpered in distress.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed the small bone into Mao Mao¡¯s bowl, glared at the big black dog, and while petting Mao Mao¡¯s head, sighed, ¡°You see, the big bone is nice, but there are other dogs coveting it. What¡¯s the point of fighting over it, provoking the big black and inevitably getting bullied again? Better to just quietly eat the bone I handpicked for you. Don¡¯t look down on its size; it¡¯s all meat¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a piercing gaze lock onto her, alertly lifting her head to find Qin Yize¡¯s slim, tall figure concealed in the dim light.


    He watched Gu Qiaoqiao unabashedly, with an inscrutable expression and inky dark eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, pursing her lips while suppressing the still somewhat panicked heartbeat, and calmly walked past him into the living room.


    The dining table on one side of the living room had already been cleared.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the doorway, looking at the several people sitting on the couch, and spoke slowly, ¡°I want to call my parents.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead, use the study, it¡¯s quiet¡­¡± Grandma Qin hurriedly interjected, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t forget to say hello to your parents for us.¡±


    ¡°I will, Grandma.¡±


    Professor Qin, out of politeness, seemed to want to say something but remained silent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pushed open the door to the study.


    Standing in front of the telephone, her hand trembled slightly on the receiver.


    Her hometown was in a small town in the Northeast, where her father was a teacher and her mother a housewife, with a younger pair of twins, brother and sister.


    The number she knew by heart but no longer had the opportunity to dial caused Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand to tremble. She took a deep breath and placed it on the telephone¡¯s number buttons.


    In a few seconds, a crisp voice came through, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    The speech was rapid, like popping beans in a pot.


    It was her sister, Gu Qianqian.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body stiffened, her hand clutching the handset tightly, opening her mouth but unable to utter a single word.


    Was this a dream where she was a mute?


    ¡°Hello, hello, who is this, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± the voice on the other end came again, ¡°Speak up or I¡¯m hanging up¡­¡±


    ¡°Qianqian¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blurted out anxiously.


    ¡°Big sister?¡± Gu Qianqian exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Is that you, big sister?¡±


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak again, Gu Qianqian shouted loudly, ¡°Mom, Dad, big sister is on the phone¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body froze in place, waiting to hear the familiar voices on the other end, then choked up, ¡°Mom, Dad, I miss you¡­¡±


    It was a longing and guilt spanning lifetimes, accompanied by the fireworks outside, that made Gu Qiaoqiao cry uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.


    Twenty minutes later, Gu Qiaoqiao and her parents agreed upon a time for her to come home, and she hung up the phone.


    At that moment, the heart that had been hanging finally settled down completely.


    Heaven had eyes; she had truly returned to the past!

 Chapter 9 - 09: After Divorcing Her, Qin Yize Seemed to Have Never Remarried

    Chapter 9: Chapter 09: After Divorcing Her, Qin Yize Seemed to Have Never Remarried


    Gu Qiaoqiao gently wiped the tears from her face, took a deep breath once more, and pushed open the door to the study.


    In the spacious living room of the Qin Family, Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s laughter was endless.


    She was watching some program and was even laughing so hard that she had fallen into Mother Qin¡¯s arms.


    The other members of the Qin Family also wore smiles on their faces.


    Even the usually indifferent Qin Yize was showing some affection as he gently patted his sister¡¯s head.


    What a picture of family harmony.


    Yet Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s appearance seemed to make everyone¡¯s expression pause for a moment.


    She raised an eyebrow.


    Indeed, she was an intruder from outside.


    If it had been her from the past, she would likely have been upset again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao acted as if she hadn¡¯t seen their reactions and walked past the living room towards the kitchen.


    However, she didn¡¯t expect to be stopped by Grandma Qin, ¡°Qiaoqiao, come watch the gala with us. We can make dumplings later, no rush. With everyone helping, it¡¯ll be quick.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Gu Qiaoqiao happily took a seat next to Grandma Qin.


    The text{1986} gala, watched more than a decade later, was indeed monotonous, but at the time, it had taken the nation by storm. Even with the usually disliked Gu Qiaoqiao sitting down, it didn¡¯t dampen anyone else¡¯s enthusiasm.


    The room was still filled with laughter.


    An hour later, the sound of a door opening was heard, and without guessing, it was known to be Bai Yun. Gu Qiaoqiao got up and went to the kitchen.


    Bai Yun¡¯s charming smile endeared her to both Shen Manru and Grandma Qin; there was no denying that such a sweet-talking, smiling girl was well-liked in the Qin Family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself, if it hadn¡¯t been for her intervention, would Qin Yize and Bai Yun have ended up together?


    She remembered that in her past life, after their divorce, Qin Yize seemed to have never remarried.


    A cold smirk formed at the corner of her mouth; she lowered her head and quickly prepared the dough, seasoned the meat filling, and washed her hands. Soon after, Bai Yun entered the kitchen with a cheerful smile.


    Coming close to Gu Qiaoqiao, Bai Yun hid the disdain in her eyes and said gently, ¡°Qiaoqiao, do you have to prepare dumplings for the whole family by yourself? It¡¯s too much work¡­¡±


    ¡°The fillings were prepared in advance. Just mix them together,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said while washing her hands.


    Bai Yun always carried a gentle facade, quietly sowing discord between her and the Qin Family.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt that Bai Yun¡¯s lotus-like demeanor was utterly nauseating.


    ¡°Surely you¡¯re not going to wrap them all by yourself, are you?¡± Bai Yun asked with feigned concern.


    ¡°Your Brother Ze is very good at making dumplings,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao finally finished washing her hands, looked up with a smile in her bright eyes, watching Bai Yun¡¯s face change abruptly, ¡°With him around, making dumplings is just like playing.¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s hand, hanging by her side, tightened, and discomfort spread from the bottom of her heart.


    Looking at the smiling Gu Qiaoqiao, jealousy gnawed at her insides like a venomous snake.


    This despicable woman, just mentioning Qin Yize brought her such joy that it made Bai Yun furious.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for her grandfather, how could a country girl like her have married Brother Ze, who was like a Heavenly God?


    She wouldn¡¯t let things go Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s way.


    She swore, this was just the beginning!


    ¡°Bai Yun, you look so pale. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked with concern, ¡°Are you sick? You should take medicine quickly if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Bai Yun, upon hearing her voice, clenched her fists and concealed the discomfort in her heart with a smile, then said in a low and seemingly affectionate tone, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you asked me to help you figure out a way to win Brother Ze¡¯s heart yesterday, and I¡¯ve finally thought of a way.¡±


    Think of a way to win Qin Yize¡¯s heart, yesterday?


    Gu Qiaoqiao reflected carefully, and that was like the yesterday of a previous life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her lips slightly and spoke slowly, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason, just that you¡¯re about the same age as me, you¡¯re not married or in a relationship, so what good idea could you possibly come up with?¡±


    Bai Yun was stunned on the spot.


    Her probing gaze swept over Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked indifferent, but then suddenly continued, ¡°However¡­ considering how enthusiastic you are, let me hear it.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bai Yun opened her mouth, but why did she feel like Gu Qiaoqiao in front of her was toying with her?


    ¡°Go on, if it¡¯s a good idea, I¡¯ll definitely take your advice,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao urged further.


    ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± Bai Yun asked, seemingly incredulous.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a good one, I definitely will,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with meaningful emphasis, ¡°You¡¯re so clever, and my best friend of all, who else would I listen to if not you?¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes shifted as her innate sensitivity made her frown slightly; she was reluctant to keep silent because, after tomorrow, she might no longer have the perfect opportunity to sully Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reputation.


    After all, only tomorrow will all the members of the Qin Family be gathered together.


    Moreover, from what Gu Qiaoqiao suggested, she seemed to rely on her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, encouragingly looking at her, finally heard the same plan as the one from her previous life.


    After Bai Yun finished speaking, she looked at Gu Qiaoqiao and whispered, ¡°If you take my advice, I guarantee that the old master will speak up for Brother Ze to come home and keep you company, and will also break off his relationships with other women outside. He already dislikes Brother Ze being on the move with the medical team; he has left a big company for Brother Ze. By then, you can live alone in the city, and when you have children, you can even bring your parents and siblings over; they must have never been to the Imperial Capital¡­¡±


    There¡¯s no denying, the idea of moving out, having another child, and bringing her own family to live in the Imperial Capital was indeed very tempting to the Gu Qiaoqiao of her previous life.


    Therefore, she took Bai Yun¡¯s words as if they were the imperial edict itself.


    She indeed made mistakes, but Bai Yun was determined to push her into hell.


    Pity that, for all her scheming, she never got her wish in the end.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°If I do this, will the old master really help me?¡±


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao taking the bait, Bai Yun quickly nodded, ¡°Really, I understand the old master¡¯s character; he likes a woman like you, simple and plain. Your words will definitely appeal to his thoughts. He will help you a hundred percent.¡±


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao nod, her eyes sincerely looking at Bai Yun, ¡°Bai Yun, you really are a good person!¡±


    The corners of Bai Yun¡¯s mouth twitched imperceptibly.


    She had thought that Gu Qiaoqiao had become smarter, but it seemed she was still just as foolish.


    Just at that moment, Qin Xiaoyu called out for Bai Yun from outside, ¡°Sister Bai Yun, let¡¯s go watch the fireworks.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t be busy, go watch the fireworks with Xiao Yu and the others; we¡¯ll handle the dumplings,¡± Grandma Qin said from the entrance of the dining room in her kind voice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, seeing the fleeting impatience on Bai Yun¡¯s face and Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s clearly displeased pouting, was quite tempted to join them and irritate them a bit. But upon reflection, recalling she had something else to do, she replied with a smile, ¡°Grandma, I won¡¯t go. I still have something to take care of.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Grandma Qin could say anything, Qin Xiaoyu had already pulled Bai Yun out the door.

 Chapter 10 - 10: Exceptionally Dexterous Hands

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Exceptionally Dexterous Hands


    Gu Qiaoqiao checked the time. In the North, the custom was to start eating dumplings at 11 p.m. during the New Year, and after eating, those who wanted to stay up would continue, while the elderly usually went to rest early.


    It was only half past eight now; there was enough time. She pushed Grandma Qin to the living room.


    The celebration party was still underway.


    Grandma Qin, who had been fussed over by her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law all day, was already tired. After asking her in a low voice, Gu Qiaoqiao pushed her into her bedroom to rest for a while.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Grandma Qin and thought about her past life; she owed this elderly woman.


    Even when she was sold to the mountains, seen as too filthy by others, she still held her hand and said she didn¡¯t blame her. She promised to take her back to the Qin Family once she was discharged from the hospital.


    Regrettably, she had died three days after making that statement.


    Tears started blurring her vision as she placed Grandma Qin¡¯s feet in a basin made of red willow wood and, remembering the methods, began to massage her.


    She planned to leave the Imperial Capital after the twelfth day of the first lunar month. Whether she returned or not, she would no longer be related to the Qin Family.


    With Grandma Qin, it was likely just a matter of days now.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, that¡¯s enough, you¡¯ve been tired all day too, no need to keep massaging,¡± Grandma Qin said as she grasped Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, urging her to get up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her fingers, somewhat puzzled. Why did they seem so effortlessly nimble?


    She thought for a moment and then slowly lowered her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma. I read a book in the bookstore a few days ago. It had this massage technique. This is a very basic method, and it¡¯s all benefits without any harm.¡±


    As she spoke, her hands naturally continued to press towards Grandma Qin¡¯s calves.


    Grandma Qin was wheelchair-bound because of rheumatism. She could walk slowly in spring and summer, but winter often brought flare-ups, and there was still no cure for rheumatism.


    The treatment plan Qin Yize arranged for Grandma Qin was the most advanced, and because of that, she wasn¡¯t completely bedridden.


    But to maintain her current condition was already quite challenging.


    She closed her eyes slightly. With a thought, her fingers began to press down gently, hardly using any strength, and yet it seemed as if the pads of her fingers were warm. Grandma Qin exclaimed, ¡°Qiaoqiao, why do my calves feel warm?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I just rubbed my palms together,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied, suppressing her heartbeat, making up an excuse.


    She quickly became one with her fingers. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sense of fluency, like flowing clouds and water, was indescribably delightful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t focus on it, though. In her past life, her hands had been extremely nimble, carving dragons and phoenixes so exquisitely that they were displayed in a restaurant lobby as art pieces for people to admire.


    Who would have thought, reborn in this life, her fingers had become even more dexterous.


    Joy surged within Gu Qiaoqiao as she helped Grandma Qin onto the bed to rest, then returned to her room.


    She and Qin Yize¡¯s matrimonial room was on the western side of the courtyard house, comprising a bedroom and a small living room connected to a study, with a bathroom on the other side of the living room.


    Even decades later, the Qin family home still radiated elegance and luxury.


    The wallpaper and chandeliers, all imported from abroad, and the few but exquisitely placed decorations in the room,


    all declared the deep cultural richness of a learned family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood under the light in the living room, slightly tilting her head up to look at her fingers.


    She kept playing with them, liking them more and more.


    It seemed that in this lifetime, her skills would only improve, not diminish.


    Suddenly feeling a chilling presence behind her, she swiftly turned around, only to see Qin Yize with his hands in his pockets, his gaze deep, steadily watching her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. How long had he been standing at the door?


    Qin Yize was not only highly intelligent but also unusually perceptive to the unexpected.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t live this life by following the script of her previous one.


    Let him suspect. Rebirth, such a bizarre ponderance, even if spoken aloud, nobody would believe it.


    Especially being a medical doctor, he would not believe in such things either.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart steadied, yet Qin Yize spoke indifferently, ¡°Grandma is calling you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao responded and lifted her legs to walk towards the door.


    Qin Yize¡¯s tall figure blocked half of the doorway.


    But to get out, there was only this door; as Gu Qiaoqiao approached, Qin Yize still showed no sign of moving aside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped.


    At this moment, she had to admit that even having lived another lifetime, the subtle, yet undeniable pressure still made Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart pound.


    Her hand clenched slightly, and just as she was about to sidestep through, she heard a barely audible light chuckle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body instantly stiffened.


    Qin Yize turned around and took big strides out of the small living room¡¯s door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused there for a moment before hurrying towards Grandma Qin¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Grandma, did you call me?¡± Grandma Qin was surprisingly sitting up in her wheelchair, her gaze intensely fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, my leg feels somewhat warm; I tried getting out of bed myself. I think your massage technique just now was very good.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was also surprised, ¡°Grandma, how about I massage you every evening starting tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Grandma Qin had intended to refuse, but realizing that the child would be following her grandson to the Northern Border after the New Year, she nodded, ¡°Alright, but it will be tough on you, Qiaoqiao.¡±


    Grandma Qin said sincerely.


    ¡°It¡¯s not tough.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head and changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s go make dumplings.¡±


    The Qin family originally thought that the heavily clouded New Year¡¯s Eve would pass joyously and peacefully.


    Especially the dumpling fillings and dipping sauce prepared by Gu Qiaoqiao were indeed delicious.


    A few hot dishes and some dumplings made the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner even more harmonious than the afternoon meal.


    Apart from Shen Manru¡¯s slightly furrowed brows and her subtle disdain, Gu Qiaoqiao felt that today had been quite perfect.


    After eating well and having chatted for a while, they all retired to rest.


    After all, they needed to receive Old Master Qin and several uncles and their families in the morning.


    That would be a busy time.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao washed up and returned to the bedroom, she paused; under the dim yellow lamp, Qin Yize¡¯s figure languidly leaned against the headboard, looking down and holding a book.


    His hair had just been washed and was only casually wiped, it gleamed softly under the light.


    Curling eyelashes cast a half crescent shadow against his eyelids.


    The straight bridge of his nose and his lightly pursed lips formed a beautiful arc.


    His eyes seemed to hold a hoard of stars in the dark night.


    Just one glance would make you involuntarily sink deep into them.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart was pounding, having resolved to divorce him, she really didn¡¯t want to share a bed with him anymore.


    Yet, this was the only room she could stay in.


    And although Qin Yize clearly knew Gu Qiaoqiao was watching him, he still calmly continued to read his book.


    That subtle aloofness set a barrier between him and her.


    Though close at hand, they were worlds apart.

 Chapter 11 - 11 Caring

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Caring


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave a self-mocking smile. Qin Yize had long been accustomed to such gazes and naturally didn¡¯t care.


    She didn¡¯t have to worry too much either, for in the memories of her past life, though they weren¡¯t together much during those three years, Qin Yize truly never laid a hand on her.


    Only indifference could make a man ignore the woman lying beside him.


    Qiaoqiao walked confidently toward the large bed.


    The bed was spacious, and she pulled back the covers and lay down.


    Then, she turned her back to Qin Yize and gently closed her eyes.


    Tomorrow, she would have to face the scrutinizing gaze of the old patriarch and the sneering ridicule of the aunties. How could she do that without energy?


    In this life, she would settle all her debts and reclaim everything she was owed.


    Moreover, the most important thing was that she couldn¡¯t let down her grandfather and father.


    Ever since waking up at noon, Gu Qiaoqiao had been in a dream-like state, and coupled with physical and mental exhaustion, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.


    On the other side, Qin Yize methodically closed his book, placing it on the nightstand. As he reached to turn off the bedside lamp, he hesitated.


    He turned his head, his gaze slightly narrowed. The girl beside him was buried in the thick duvet, distancing herself from him and curling up slightly.


    Her breathing was light and shallow.


    If not for the small mound on the duvet, Qin Yize would have thought he was alone in the bed.


    The day before, she was tossing and turning with eagerness towards him.


    Fortunately, over the years, he had developed a sense of calm that allowed him to sleep soundly unless there was a catastrophe.


    But today¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao seemed much more docile.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze was cool and detached as he switched off the light without agreement or opposition.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, but to her surprise, she slept dreamlessly until daylight. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bed next to her was empty.


    Qin Yize must have gone for his morning run.


    Gu Qiaoqiao washed up at the fastest speed and started to get busy with Shen Manru.


    Today was an important day, and Shen Manru had no time to pick on Qiaoqiao¡¯s faults. Moreover, she noticed that Qiaoqiao was indeed very skillful.


    Her chopping and food preparation were extremely proficient.


    Her heart couldn¡¯t help but seethe with resentment.


    It seemed she had been slacking off before.


    She knew how to do everything but deliberately did a sloppy job to disgust others.


    Now that her son had returned, she rushed to show off, never expecting a village girl to have such cunning to deceive even a college professor like her.


    If it weren¡¯t for the old patriarch¡¯s visit today, she would have definitely thrown this despicable woman out.


    Thus, under Mother Qin¡¯s stony-faced presence, the atmospheric pressure in the kitchen was particularly oppressive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had already anticipated this, but she didn¡¯t mind.


    As this woman would soon become a stranger to her.


    There was no need to get angry over someone who didn¡¯t matter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, unconcerned, skillfully carved tomatoes into roses and carrots into plum blossoms.


    These would be used for the garnishes later.


    No matter how dissatisfied Shen Manru was, she could only bear it.


    Because such craftsmanship from Qiaoqiao could certainly hold its own in front of her two younger siblings.


    Just then, the usually quiet living room suddenly became noisy.


    Shen Manru¡¯s hand paused, and she spoke her second sentence of the day to Gu Qiaoqiao, her tone clearly impatient, ¡°The Old Master has arrived, as well as your Second Uncle and Third Uncle¡¯s families, remember to come out to meet them, don¡¯t shrink back, and be careful when you light a cigarette for the Old Master¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t say anything, she just nodded faintly.


    There wasn¡¯t even a hint of nervousness in her heart.


    In her previous life, she cared about everyone in the Qin Family, hoped for Great Grandfather¡¯s help and approval¡ªher hands shook with nerves to the point where she almost burnt his clothes. Not this time, because she didn¡¯t care about them at all anymore.


    Maybe the saying ¡°The less you desire, the stronger you are¡± was true for this reason.


    Shen Manru walked out of the kitchen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was still busy.


    After a while, Qin Xiaoyu came over, first glaring fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao, then saying, ¡°My Great Grandfather wants you to come over.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao wiped her hands and brought the prepared cigarette-lighting items to the living room.


    An elderly man with white hair and beard sat on the sofa in the main seat, holding a Red Sandalwood cane, his face gaunt and his eyes sharp.


    The Old Master was the eldest young master of the Qin Family, a prestigious family from the southern Haicheng City, who later moved to the Imperial Capital for some reasons. The Old Master turned exactly eighty this year and lived alone in another old residence of the Qin Family.


    He had only one son and one daughter in his lifetime.


    His eldest son was Qin Yize¡¯s grandfather, who had died five years earlier.


    And Qin Yize¡¯s grandfather had three sons; the eldest son was Qin Xuan, the second son Qin Lang was a businessman, and the youngest son Qin Song held an important position in the Imperial Capital. The Old Master¡¯s daughter had married abroad, and Gu Qiaoqiao had only seen her once.


    That was during her wedding to Qin Yize.


    In fact, everyone felt sorry for Qin Yize, including Mr. Qin¡¯s aunt.


    Since Qin Yize was the eldest grandson of the main branch, and with the only son having passed away, Great Grandfather had mourned the death of a younger generation firsthand, he naturally favored Qin Yize immensely.


    He designated him as the heir to the Qin Family.


    But he also demanded strictness.


    At this moment, his gaze, filled with scrutiny, rested on his great-granddaughter-in-law holding a tray in front of him.


    Today, Gu Qiaoqiao wore a light red high-neck sweater, black trousers, and semi-high-heeled black leather shoes.


    Her hair was pulled up high on her head.


    A few strands of hair dangled by her ears. Gu Qiaoqiao may not possess a stunning beauty, but she had fair skin and eyes like two clear springs.


    With her eighteen-year-old youthfulness, paired with her long, straight legs, she appeared gracefully elegant, gentle as an orchid.


    The room wasn¡¯t crowded, and though everyone appeared joyous, a subtle disdain lingered in the spacious living room.


    Grandma Qin sat in a wheelchair, smilingly beckoning, ¡°Qiaoqiao, come over here, light a cigarette for your Great Grandfather.¡±


    This was a ritual that every new bride in the Qin Family had to undergo.


    Even though society had changed and so many years had passed, nobody knew why the Great Grandfather insisted on this tradition.


    Fortunately, it was just lighting a cigarette.


    People from the sixties and seventies, in fact, greatly enjoyed smoking from tobacco pipes.


    They crushed the tobacco leaves, took a small pinch to press into the bowl of the pipe, then compacted it carefully, as the degree of compression was crucial¡ªtoo light, and it would burn out after a few puffs; too heavy, and it would not draw well, leaving one¡¯s cheeks aching.


    When pressed just right, smoking it was quite delightful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao often packed and lit cigarettes for her late grandfather, so there was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle now.


    She approached the Old Master with the tray, and unsurprisingly, he had never been stingy in showing his affection for his eldest great-grandson.


    Naturally, Qin Yize sat beside the Old Master.


    She felt Qin Yize¡¯s gaze upon her.


    She chose to ignore it, first greeting the Great Grandfather for the New Year, and then with a smile, said, ¡°Great Grandfather, I¡¯ve learned a tobacco blending method from my grandfather, would you like to try it?¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12: Really Lowering the Qin Familys Standards

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Really Lowering the Qin Family¡¯s Standards


    Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s eyebrows raised, and before he could make a sound, he heard Qin Yize¡¯s second aunt burst into laughter, ¡°Oh my, everyone listen, this is really typical of someone from the countryside, surprisingly knowledgeable. I¡¯ve heard from colleagues that the Northeast is very backward, and it even has four famous oddities nationally.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What are they, second aunt? Tell us about them,¡± Xiao Na, from the third uncle¡¯s family, asked eagerly.


    Shen Manru and Qin Xuan¡¯s faces changed simultaneously. Shen Manru cursed Gu Qiaoqiao a thousand times in her heart. Just for lighting a cigarette, she had to create trouble. She thought that this uneducated village girl was not presentable, and it really seemed to be the case now.


    Second aunt, triumphantly glancing at Shen Manru, thought to herself, ¡®You always act so aloof in front of me, watch how I slap your face today.¡¯ She then said cheerily, ¡°Do you really want to hear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, second aunt, I want to hear too,¡± Qin Yifeng, the eldest son from the third uncle¡¯s home, joined the excitement.


    Second aunt¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, ¡°Then I will tell.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, tell us,¡± the others urged.


    ¡°A young woman smoking a pipe, window paper pasted outside, wearing a fur coat inside out, hanging up a child to raise¡­ Haha¡­ What do you think, funny isn¡¯t it?¡­ Haha¡­¡±


    The living room was filled with second aunt¡¯s piercing laughter.


    At this moment, Wang Manyun and Qin Xuan felt utterly embarrassed, wishing they could dig a hole and bury themselves.


    Qin Xiaoyu saw Xiao Na and the others laughing uproariously, feeling more humiliated than the day before. Tears welled up in her eyes. She stomped her foot and ran to Shen Manru¡¯s side, whispering urgently, ¡°Mom, quickly get that idiot away, it¡¯s too embarrassing.¡±


    Shen Manru was so angry she wished she could slap Gu Qiaoqiao a few times, but she couldn¡¯t lay a hand on her. Her face was a mix of red and white, wishing she could pass out right then and there.


    Qin Xuan felt the same, feeling that since yesterday, Gu Qiaoqiao had totally disgraced the Qin family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, holding a tray, looked calmly at the Qin family, some mocking, some taking pleasure in her misfortune, and some wishing they could kill her.


    Is it really that funny?


    Just because she could mix tobacco, she was looked down upon by these self-righteous Qin family members.


    Was it just because she had no fortune or background?


    If it were the daughter-in-law from the second uncle¡¯s family who had said this, they might have looked at her with amazement and praised her with admiring tones.


    Because that daughter-in-law came from a distinguished family.


    As for her, in their eyes, she significantly lowered the status of the Qin family, so no matter what she did, all she received was mockery.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, do you smoke a pipe? Did you start smoking from a young age?¡± Nana asked curiously.


    ¡°Is that even a question? If she didn¡¯t smoke, how would she pack tobacco, haha. You see, Old Shen, marrying such a capable wife, you¡¯re really lucky,¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s second aunt said sarcastically.


    While the third uncle¡¯s family didn¡¯t speak at the moment, they were winking at each other, covering their mouths, clearly laughing happily.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze was deep and cold as he swept it toward Xiao Na, just a glance, and the air pressure around him dropped instantly.


    Xiao Na was so frightened that she hid behind the second aunt.


    Grandma Qin¡¯s expression darkened. She glanced around but did not feel it appropriate to scold her second daughter-in-law and grandchildren in front of Old Grand Master Qin, especially since today was New Year¡¯s Day. She turned to Gu Qiaoqiao soothingly and said, ¡°Alright, Qiaoqiao, come light a cigarette for Great Grandfather.¡±


    Old Grand Master Qin tapped his cane on the floor, not too lightly or heavily, and hummed softly through his nose, then his sharp gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao as he slowly nodded, ¡°Good, come over.¡±


    And inside his heart, he was silently approving.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that, despite her young age, his great-granddaughter-in-law was very composed. Facing the mockery of the Qin family, she was calm, neither rash nor humble, nor arrogant.


    She was serene like orchids in a deep valley, resilient like bamboo on a mountain, and compared to her, the other Qin family members seemed rather fickle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bent halfway down and placed the tray on the coffee table, took Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s ivory smoking pipe, and then put cut tobacco leaves on it, added osmanthus honey, dropped three drops of old wine, added dry straw mint, and also added a few drops of fragrant oil.


    Suddenly, the room quieted down.


    All eyes were on her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s slender fingers moved, smooth as flowing water, indescribably elegant and gentle.


    In their eyes, an action as coarse as loading a smoking pipe was performed with an elegance akin to a tea ceremony.


    Moreover, was this smoking?


    It felt more like preparing a delicious meal.


    Old Master Qin had genuinely become interested this time.


    He also started looking forward to this cigarette.


    Shen Manru¡¯s face still looked displeased, but Qin Xuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he disliked Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s antics, he had to endure them for the time being.


    Today was the first day of the Lunar New Year, after all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao packed the prepared tobacco into the ivory smoking pipe, didn¡¯t use a ready lighter, but instead used a particularly large match to light the tobacco, then handed it to Old Grand Master Qin with both hands, gently saying, ¡°Great Grandfather, please try this¡­¡±


    Old Grand Master Qin took the smoking pipe, placed it to his lips, and gently inhaled. A cool sensation carrying a mellow fragrance went straight down his throat.


    Unlike the usual harshness, this cigarette was as if it had been enhanced with an Immortal Pill, making Old Master Qin¡¯s body feel warm all over.


    His throat, originally somewhat thirsty and set for tea, became moist with the refreshing coolness of mint.


    His sharp gaze gradually softened as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Young lady, is there anything special about this cigarette?¡±


    ¡°It cools and quenches thirst, reducing the irritation of the tobacco leaves, which is beneficial for your body.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mention that smoking was bad, as many elderly people from this era smoked, and quitting was simply unrealistic.


    ¡°Young lady, did your grandfather teach you this?¡± Old Grand Master Qin took another couple of puffs, his expression growing even more gentle.


    ¡°Mhm, Grandfather said this was the most popular style a hundred years ago in the Old Imperial Capital City. It even had a name.¡±


    ¡°What was it called?¡± Old Grand Master Qin asked curiously.


    ¡°Grandfather said, it¡¯s called Drunken Lustrous Fragrance.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s expression paused, slowly putting down the smoking pipe, and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°How does your grandfather know so much about it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, cleaned up the tray, and smiled, ¡°Grandfather didn¡¯t say.¡±


    Old Grand Master Qin took a few more joyful puffs, suddenly laughed heartily twice, and exclaimed, ¡°Good, good, good.¡±


    Then, he put down the smoking pipe, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao contentedly, reached into the pocket of his Tang suit, and took out a jade pendant, kindly beginning, ¡°Your name is Gu Qiaoqiao, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    ¡°Good child, this is a gift from Great Grandfather to you.¡±


    Everyone was astonished.


    The jade pendant, with its red knotted cord, emitted a greenish gleam under the afternoon sun.


    This was a relic of Great Grandma, and Old Grand Master Qin had always cherished and kept it close to him.

 Chapter 13 - 13 A Thought

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13 A Thought


    It was the best Imperial Green, which he had gone to great lengths to acquire. Later, he commissioned the Old Patriarch of the Gu Family from the Imperial Capital to carve it by hand as a token of engagement, and Great Grandma wore it for decades.


    Until she passed away, and then Old Grand Master Qin kept it.


    He never expected it to be given to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    At this moment, Qin Xuan and Shen Manru finally relaxed, with Shen Manru¡¯s eyes shining bright.


    No matter what, this gesture by Old Master Qin thoroughly embarrassed his second brother-in-law¡¯s wife, and she felt extremely relieved.


    Qin Xuan felt the same. He hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to gain Old Master Qin¡¯s approval, but he was pleased to see it happen.


    He immediately straightened his back, which had been somewhat bent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised and hastily declined, ¡°Great Grandfather, this jade pendant is too precious, and it holds extraordinary significance for you. It serves as a keepsake for you as well.¡±


    Old Master Qin was even more pleased.


    Although she was from a small place, she had depth and knew how to speak without offending the elders.


    He laughed heartily, but intentionally said aloud, ¡°If it¡¯s given to you, just take it. What, do you despise the jade pendant?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao quickly denied.


    She certainly didn¡¯t dare take on such blame.


    Hadn¡¯t she seen how the people from his second uncle¡¯s and third uncle¡¯s families were covetously watching?


    Gu Qiaoqiao also happened to know the origin of the jade pendant, and naturally understood what it meant for her to receive it.


    Grandma Qin smiled sweetly, ¡°Qiaoqiao, this is your great grandfather¡¯s intention, accept it.¡±


    For the sake of the Qin family¡¯s main branch¡¯s reputation, Gu Qiaoqiao then looked towards Qin Xuan for confirmation.


    Satisfied, he simply smiled and nodded.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao take the jade pendant, thanked Old Master Qin again, and carried the tray out of the living room.


    The others exchanged glances.


    It had been a long time since they had heard the Old Master laugh so heartily.


    The Qin family members who mocked Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t look very pleased.


    Shen Manru finally felt at ease.


    She followed Gu Qiaoqiao into the kitchen.


    Soon after, Qin Yize¡¯s second aunt, under the stern gaze of the Old Master, also sullenly came to help in the kitchen.


    Initially wanting to say some harsh words, Gu Qiaoqiao instead picked up a tomato and began to carve. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One had to admit, the new daughter-in-law in the main branch of the Qin family had truly skillful hands.


    The second aunt¡¯s plan to mock her fell through.


    When the dishes were successively placed on the specially made large dining table, everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at Gu Qiaoqiao with complex gazes.


    Even Qin Lang and Qin Song, who frequently frequented high-end hotels, were somewhat dumbfounded.


    Old Master Qin sat contentedly in the main seat,


    waiting for Qin Yize to bring up the last dish.


    It was a clear soup with chicken chunks made from watermelon.


    Qin Yize came with a watermelon, and the Qin family¡¯s dining room was also very spacious; as he came from the kitchen, Qin Xiaona couldn¡¯t help but snort disdainfully, pulling the Old Master¡¯s hand and cooing, ¡°Great Grandfather, who brings a whole watermelon to entertain family? It¡¯s too lazy, at least cut it and present it on a plate.¡±


    Shen Manru glanced at Qin Xiaona, wondering why she had never found the child so annoying before.


    However, she knew the brilliance behind it, so she stayed silent, only helping Xiao Yu set up the bowls and chopsticks.


    Seeing that no one paid her any mind, Qin Xiaona unhappily continued to coax the Old Master, ¡°Great Grandfather, let sister-in-law work a little harder, cut the watermelon into slices. As it is, it looks too unsightly and embarrassing.¡±


    As she spoke, Qin Yize, holding the watermelon, stood next to the dining table. The Qin family members, who had by then sat down, finally saw clearly that the watermelon¡¯s exterior was carved into a landscape painting: lush green mountains, gently flowing waters, a solitary boat, and bamboo clusters by the lake.


    In the white sky above, soared a magnificent eagle.


    Everyone was astonished.


    They had heard of master carvers who could sculpt various designs on watermelons, but although they had heard about it, they had never seen it in person.


    Qin Xiaona was embarrassed. She stood up, pointed at the watermelon, and said angrily, ¡°A perfectly good watermelon is carved up into a mess. Is it even edible anymore? It¡¯s really a waste.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu was displeased. ¡°Qin Xiaona, speak politely. Are you shortsighted? Can¡¯t you see that this is a landscape painting? If you don¡¯t know how to appreciate it, then don¡¯t talk nonsense. Be careful not to make a fool of yourself.¡±


    She and Xiaona had always been at odds. Today, this annoying girl had been whining and complaining, and she had tolerated it for a long time.


    Then she thought, why should she tolerate it at all?


    They were just kids. If she could speak without thinking, why couldn¡¯t she fight back?


    ¡°Qin Xiaoyu, who exactly are you saying is making a fool of themselves?¡± Qin Xiaona asked loudly, pointing at Qin Xiaoyu.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± As soon as Old Master Qin spoke, the room instantly fell silent for a moment, and neither Qin Xiaona nor Qin Xiaoyu dared to argue further.


    Qin Yize then raised his hand and suddenly removed the lid from the watermelon.


    A faint scent of watermelon mixed with the aroma of chicken washed over everyone.


    Old Master Qin nodded in satisfaction, raising his eyes to ask Qin Yize, ¡°Where is my great-granddaughter-in-law?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be here shortly,¡± Shen Manru said with a beaming smile.


    Qin Yize headed towards the kitchen, saw Gu Qiaoqiao washing her hands, and said leisurely, ¡°We¡¯re just waiting for you.¡±


    The Qin family¡¯s meal on the first day of the new year was perfect without a single fault.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also breathed a sigh of relief.


    When Old Master Qin left, he had taught him how to make Drunken Lustrous Fragrance, and he left satisfied.


    When Bai Yun arrived at the Qin family¡¯s residence, Old Master Qin had already left.


    The dramatic upheaval she had imagined did not happen, and Shen Manru and Qin Xuan¡¯s faces were smiling.


    Even Qin Xiaoyu was smiling.


    Qin Yize was not at home.


    Grandma Qin was even more overjoyed.


    Bai Yun couldn¡¯t understand what had happened.


    She had come prepared to enjoy a debacle and to trample on Gu Qiaoqiao fiercely.


    But who could tell her what was going on?


    Could it be that Old Master Qin had actually tolerated Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s absurd accusations?


    She pulled Qin Xiaoyu aside and asked, ¡°Xiao Yu, did your sister-in-law cry a lot today?¡±


    ¡°Why would she cry?¡± Qin Xiaoyu looked at Bai Yun in surprise. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t end up kneeling on the ground, crying, and complaining to Old Master Qin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kneeling on the ground?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao crossed her arms and leaned against the hall door, looking at Bai Yun amusingly, her voice tinged with light sarcasm, ¡°Complaining to Old Master Qin?¡±


    Just as Bai Yun was about to speak, the door outside was opened.


    Qin Yize¡¯s tall figure stood at the doorway, frowning as he looked at the three women in the hall.


    Bai Yun paused.


    Qin Xiaoyu was perplexed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wore a half-smile.


    Qin Yize only paused for a moment before continuing into the living room. As he passed by Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice, cold and detached, rang out, ¡°Come to the room with me.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    Bai Yun¡¯s face turned pale as she clenched her fists tightly, staring intensely at Gu Qiaoqiao, Brother Ze was speaking to Gu Qiaoqiao with such intimacy.

 Chapter 14 - 14 Lets Get Divorced

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Let¡¯s Get Divorced


    At that moment, Bai Yun realized in despair that Qin Yize had gotten married, and his wife was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The one who was utterly worthless, an extremely foolish country girl.


    She loosened her grip, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips devoid of any color.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had intended to visit Grandma Qin¡¯s room, but upon seeing Bai Yun¡¯s expression, she smiled, turned around, and followed Qin Yize to their room.


    Bai Yun was infuriated, and she liked that very much.


    Bai Yun, without uttering a single word, turned and ran towards the courtyard¡¯s main gate.


    Although Qin Xiaoyu was young, she suddenly understood why Bai Yun was upset.


    She wanted to glare at Gu Qiaoqiao, but discovered she had already vanished.


    Gu Qiaoqiao entered the room devoted to them as newlyweds.


    Qin Yize was sitting leisurely in the small living room, methodically brewing tea.


    His head bowed, the gentle fragrance of the tea filled the slightly cold room.


    The aroma of the tea wafted across, lightly concealing the mist, revealing Qin Yize sitting there. His white shirt was covered with a black wool vest, black trousers encasing his straight, slender legs, his features as if painted, resembling an ¡°immortal¡± amidst orchids and jade.


    At that moment, a surreal feeling washed over her.


    His dark gaze fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao, who was staring at him. Although he looked displeased, he slowly began to speak, ¡°Come here and sit¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t move and quietly took a breath before softly asking, ¡°Did you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°I am taking you to the Northern Border research base, we leave after the fourteenth day of the first lunar month,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s tone was indifferent, void of emotion.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, a research base?


    Such distant words.


    Her eyes held a trace of coolness, and after thinking, she nonetheless sat down beside him.


    Two lifetimes combined, it seemed this was the first time they had a face-to-face conversation like this. On the first day of her previous life, her behavior had caused turmoil, and Qin Yize had accompanied the old master to the old house, leaving Gu Qiaoqiao alone to endure the Qin family¡¯s cold violence.


    Now that she had come to terms with it, she bore no resentment, it was her own fault after all.


    It turned out, according to the course of history, this day was meant to inform her that she could accompany Qin Yize to the Northern Border research base, not like in her previous life when she was unprepared and left the Qin Family like a bereaved dog.


    ¡°Qin Yize, I have something I want to discuss with you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao decided to cut to the chase and bring up the matter of divorce with Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize placed a cup of tea in front of Gu Qiaoqiao, his gaze, although cold, relaxed significantly. Although he didn¡¯t want to listen, he nodded anyway, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao took a sip of tea and finally said outright.


    After saying it, she felt a wave of relief. Facing Qin Yize¡¯s gaze, as deep as the ocean, she continued, ¡°Although today is the first day of the new year, I think, to you, this news should be good news.¡±


    Qin Yize put down his teacup, slowly leaned back against the sofa, his long legs crossed, his right hand resting on the wooden arm of the sofa, lightly tapping it.


    His scrutinizing gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, as if weighing the truth of her words.


    His brows furrowed again, showing some displeasure.


    He spoke slightly mockingly, ¡°When you married me, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to spend your life with me, that no one else would do?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their youthful follies; I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Youthful follies?¡± Qin Yize laughed quietly, but the laughter didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    The atmosphere was slightly tense, Gu Qiaoqiao, steeling herself, said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I overestimated myself, so today I officially propose to you. I¡¯ve already inquired, if we both agree, the procedures can be completed very swiftly.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s dark eyes grew even colder.


    ¡°About going to the research base, you and your supervisor should cancel it and give the spot to someone else. After the tenth, I¡¯ll go straight back to my home.¡±


    ¡°Why wait until after the tenth?¡± Qin Yize suddenly asked.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback.


    Qin Yize seemed casual as he spoke, but his eyes became sharp, ¡°Was it the collision yesterday that changed your mind? But since you had already thought about divorce, shouldn¡¯t you leave now? Why wait until after the tenth, and have you spoken to both sets of parents yet?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was choked up, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she lowered her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t told them yet.¡±


    Could she say she still had something important to do after the fifth?


    Currently, she was almost penniless and didn¡¯t even have enough money to buy a train ticket; she certainly couldn¡¯t just walk back, or ask Qin Yize for it.


    And today, her talk of divorce with Qin Yize was not a spur of the moment decision. Divorce was set in stone, and if she allowed Grandma Qin to prepare so many supplies for her like last time, she would feel uneasy about it.


    Moreover, she felt that proposing divorce would be good news for Mr. Qin and Mother Qin of the Qin family.


    After all, without the bonds of obligation, there would be no constraints.


    A moment later, Qin Yize spoke indifferently, ¡°Do you really want to get a divorce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really do.¡±


    ¡°The marriage you secured using your grandfather¡¯s illness, are you willing to let it go?¡± Qin Yize asked mockingly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Yize steadily, ¡°It proves that I was wrong.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So, you want to start when you begin, and end when you wish to end?¡± His handsome eyebrows slightly raised, seeming somewhat displeased.


    ¡°Otherwise, Qin Yize, do you really want to continue living with me?¡±


    Qin Yize was taken aback.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then said, ¡°Bai Yun¡¯s intentions are written all over her face, and many other women are waiting for you as well; I¡¯m very clear on that, so an early divorce is only beneficial to you, with no drawbacks.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Qin Yize fell silent.


    Suddenly, he stood up, his gaze fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao, a commanding aura swiftly spreading out, word by word, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, whether it¡¯s Bai Yun or any other woman, before or after our marriage, there has been nothing between us, please remember that!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao froze, also standing up, looking at the angered Qin Yize. Was it because she mentioned Bai Yun?


    Was it because he felt Bai Yun was being insulted?


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, ¡°I know of your character, I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡±


    ¡°I thought you had come to your senses these past few days, but it seems you are still stubborn¡­¡± Qin Yize, with his hands in his pockets, walked step by step toward Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly backed away.


    But there was a wall behind her, she had nowhere to go, her hands pressed against the wall, her face slightly flushed, she quickly explained, ¡°I also know divorce isn¡¯t a trivial matter, isn¡¯t this why I¡¯m discussing it with you?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Qin Yize closed in on Gu Qiaoqiao, slightly leaning in, his thin lips parting lightly, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re just informing me?¡±


    At that moment, the two were very close.


    Their unfamiliar breaths silently mingling.


    Even their heartbeats could be clearly heard.

 Chapter 15 - 15 This Topic Ends Here

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15 This Topic Ends Here


    The first time he saw Gu Qiaoqiao up close, Qin Yize discovered that her skin was smooth as jade, and in her clear eyes, he could see his own reflection.


    Her long eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly.


    Being so near, he could smell that gentle fragrance, as elusive and fresh as orchids in a mist.


    Due to his approach, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face uncontrollably flushed red, resembling peach blossom petals inebriated by the spring light of April.


    For the first time, Qin Yize realized that his little wife was quite attractive.


    And she seemed to be quite timid too, startled to the point where fine beads of sweat formed on the tip of her nose.


    Her eyes misted over, becoming foggy with specks of moisture twinkling within them.


    At this moment, Qin Yize was engulfed in an indescribable emotion, and he suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    So, he could only stare steadily at Gu Qiaoqiao, his lips tightly pressed together.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed the immense panic at the bottom of her heart. Because of her experiences in the mountains in her previous life, she had an instinctual fear of men.


    She had never thought of marrying again, and thus there were no men close to her.


    And now, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s petite body was enveloped by Qin Yize¡¯s tall frame, forcing her to feign composure and say with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯m really discussing this with you, to give you a heads-up in advance.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s lips curled into a hint of a smile, as he casually warned, ¡°Put aside your little schemes. Divorce isn¡¯t as simple as you think. That¡¯s the end of this discussion.¡±


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to go to the Northern Border with you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows.


    ¡°In life, one can¡¯t always do as they please. People must pay a price for their selfish actions,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice flowed above her like a clear spring, but to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ears, it made her breath feel constricted.


    She looked up slightly, ¡°But don¡¯t you hate me very much?¡±


    ¡°Did I ever tell you I hated you?¡± Qin Yize countered, unperturbed.


    ¡°But you never pay attention to me. Isn¡¯t that the same as hating me?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blurted out those words.


    After she spoke, both of them were taken aback.


    It was as if the air in the room briefly stagnated.


    In that instant, time itself seemed to pause. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt utterly mortified, her face so red it seemed as if it might bleed.


    How could she speak such words?


    Qin Yize, however, let out a light chuckle, his handsome brows slightly raised and his dark eyes glinting with a trace of shining light, he said meaningfully, ¡°Do you want a divorce because I¡¯ve been ignoring you?¡±


    Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Qiaoqiao pushed forward forcefully, using so much strength that Qin Yize¡¯s body tilted slightly.


    She then glared fiercely at Qin Yize and stamped into the bathroom, slamming the door shut with a bang.


    Leaning against the door, she listened to the footsteps approaching and her heart uncontrollably pounded in response.


    It seemed she should leave this man sooner rather than later, otherwise, who knows if he would see through her.


    How could she not know that Qin Yize had such a shameless side?


    Then, suddenly, Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s loud voice came from outside, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s Great Grandfather¡¯s call.¡±


    After hearing Qin Yize¡¯s indifferent acknowledgement, he left.


    And he was gone for two days.


    Bai Yun hadn¡¯t appeared for several days after being rattled on the first day of the month.


    This gave Gu Qiaoqiao a sigh of relief.


    She intended to return the Jade Pendant to the Qin Family, but Qin Xuan and Grandma Qin refused to take it.


    Indeed, it was a meeting gift from the Great Grandfather to his great-granddaughter-in-law; it wouldn¡¯t be proper for them to accept it.


    His Qin Family wasn¡¯t so desperate as to covet their daughter-in-law¡¯s belongings.


    After dinner on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Qin Yize came back.


    His gaze towards Gu Qiaoqiao was as indifferent as usual, as if nothing had happened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found an excuse to slip away.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize was talking softly with his parents in the living room.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao approached the entrance of the living room, Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu walked in hand in hand.


    Upon entering, Qin Xiaoyu excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back, that¡¯s great! Our friends in this area are having a party tonight, and you must come.¡±


    But Bai Yun was looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, her face lifting into a smile, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you were the first one we invited. You must come. Our friends are all curious about you and want to get to know you and become friends with you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a tightness in her chest.


    In her previous life, on the evening of the fifth day, Bai Yun had dragged her to the party, and she was humiliated like a clown by those people.


    She was slapped twice, splashed with a glass of red wine, and forced to bow her head in a disheveled and disgraceful apology.


    Back then, she was helpless, feeling as if the world was coming to an end.


    By the time Qin Yize appeared later, her mind was already blank.


    Her consciousness was somewhat unclear.


    For a long time, she lived in shame and remorse, blaming herself for everything, thinking it was all her fault for her lack of sophistication, for being jealous without reason, for mistaking the person, for losing face for the Qin family.


    Only after experiencing more did she finally understand that it was all just a trap set by Bai Yun.


    The gentle light in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes suddenly became icy cold, and the warmth of the room seemed to silently fill with frost.


    Qin Yize¡¯s probing gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, wondering what made the little woman become like a frozen, icy pool at that moment.


    But in his eyes, she looked more like a little hedgehog covered in sharp spines.


    After a few moments, the penetrating coldness disappeared quietly before Qin Yize could figure it out.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the delicate girl in front of her and spoke slowly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She had wanted to refuse, but then, why should she?


    A man would not harm a tiger for no reason, but a tiger would always have the intent to harm a man.


    She felt she had already let go of the grievances of her past life, retreating step by step, but Bai Yun kept pressing forward.


    So, let¡¯s have a good time tonight!


    ¡­


    As night fell, the city¡¯s neon lights shone brilliantly, like stars falling to the mortal world.


    Although the first day of the Lunar New Year was over, the national sentiment was that the New Year isn¡¯t truly over until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.


    Thus, the festive atmosphere was still intense.


    Children were playing with fireworks, and naughty boys were throwing rockets into the sky.


    The sound of firecrackers was incessant.


    Many other children were running around with sparklers, waving them through the air.


    Seeing all this, Gu Qiaoqiao, who was leaving home for the first time since being reborn, squinted her eyes.


    In the Northeast, these small fireworks called sparklers were the favorite playthings of her sister Gu Qianqian.


    Once lit and waved around, they truly resembled a fairy casting spells.


    She didn¡¯t dress up as Bai Yun had instructed, so Bai Yun¡¯s face was somewhat gloomy.


    Like in her previous life, Qin Yize had matters to attend to and couldn¡¯t come with them at that time, he would be joining later, so the three girls walked into the upscale KTV.

 Chapter 16 - 16 Natural Luminous Bodies

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Natural Luminous Bodies


    ¡°`


    This upscale KTV, even after more than a decade, catered only to a specific clientele.


    At this moment, the men and women coming and going all carried an air of nobility, living in a superior environment with a good family background, which made them seem superior without even doing anything.


    And the room they occupied was naturally the largest.


    Since there were many guests, most of them were Qin Yize¡¯s classmates, with the others being young men from the western district.


    Most had grown up together, and by the time they could remember, the turbulent times had passed.


    Their parents, who had restored their former glory, could not wait to give their children the best of everything.


    Therefore, this generation of children was not only exclusionary but also exceptionally arrogant.


    When Qin Yize was young, he was the king of the children in the western district. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was good-looking and studious, and almost unbeatable in fights; as he grew up, he naturally became the core figure among these people.


    Wherever he went, there was always a group of people revolving around him.


    He was like a natural luminary.


    So, their feelings towards Gu Qiaoqiao, Qin Yize¡¯s wife who came from a small rural town, were a mix of curiosity, disdain, aloofness, and the rest was filled with pure malice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the door of the room, looking inside. The room was quite large, about two hundred square meters, and though the lighting was somewhat yellowish, it was still clear enough to make out the faces of the people present.


    Some were blurry, giving off a hazy effect like old photographs.


    The people inside were also sizing up Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Some who had seen Gu Qiaoqiao before felt that she seemed different from the first time they met her.


    Before everyone had finished assessing her, Bai Yun began with a beaming smile, ¡°This is the woman you¡¯ve all been curious about, Qin Yize¡¯s love, named Gu Qiaoqiao. Although born in the countryside, has she not changed completely in this half year?¡±


    Transformed completely?


    Was that a compliment or a criticism?


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly curled her red lips into a slight smile but said nothing.


    Some laughed with a titter, and a girl sitting on the sofa wearing a blue down jacket seemed to say carelessly, ¡°How could Imperial Capital compare to the poor and bad lands of the countryside, Bai Yun? Your analogy is quite apt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always said that troubled waters produce the wiliest folk,¡± someone chimed in.


    ¡°But my grandma says, a cow lead to the Imperial Capital is still a cow¡­¡± a girl expressed her disagreement with the phrase transformed completely.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    The comment from this girl provoked laughter from everyone.


    By this time, three individuals had already seated themselves on the sofas to the left, almost all of them girls, some twenty-one or two, others eighteen or nineteen.


    They wore the most fashionable clothes of the era, and their very expressions, from the bottoms of their eyes to the tips of their eyebrows, were filled with pride and scorn for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao sat down, Bai Yun spoke cheerfully to the girl in the blue down jacket, ¡°Ning Yuli, you have no idea, the first time Gu Qiaoqiao came and took the elevator she was so scared she shivered and could barely stand, haha¡­¡±


    While speaking, she grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm affectionately, saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, am I right?¡±


    About a dozen girls sitting there burst into giggles as if on cue.


    Such mocking laughter made Qin Xiaoyu awkwardly turn her face away.


    It seemed she was trying to use this attitude to assert her stance.


    But she did not understand the principle that glory and loss are shared by all.


    Meanwhile, Ning Yuli across from her was full of condescension, mocking as she said, ¡°It¡¯s just like Grandma Liu entering Grand View Garden, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    A girl with her mouth agape feigned surprise, ¡°Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden should be Grandma Gu entering the Grand View Garden, right¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    Pfft¡­


    A girl beside her laughed so hard that she spat out her juice, and the others were jostling each other, laughing uproariously.


    Qin Xiaoyu glared fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao and, pointing at the girls, said angrily, ¡°Stop laughing.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, Xiao Yu, everyone¡¯s just joking around.¡± Bai Yun patted Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder affectionately, ¡°Don¡¯t take it seriously, everyone just finds it funny.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Qin Xiaoyu, we all just think it¡¯s funny.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, have you never seen a skyscraper from the time you were a child?¡± someone asked with feigned innocence.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, have you never even seen a car before?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever watched television?¡±


    ¡°I heard from our maid that she didn¡¯t know what bread and hamburgers were until she was eighteen¡­¡±


    ¡°They say your dialect has a real country bumpkin flavor to it, say something in it for me to hear.¡±


    ¡°Just say this sentence: ¡®The bumpkin¡¯s dumpling has blossomed beyond cure!''¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Once someone took the lead, the other girls started bombarding her with questions, all talking at once.


    Guys on the other side were also drawn by the commotion, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao with various expressions¡ªsome with contempt, some with curiosity, some with sarcasm.


    It was as if a group of white poodles had suddenly been invaded by a yellow mongrel.


    Though the analogy was a bit cruel, these people indeed had not a shred of kindness, all blatantly ostracizing her.


    A glint of coldness swept through Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes; everything was exactly the same as in her past life, even the mocking expressions hadn¡¯t changed.


    In her previous life, Gu Qiaoqiao was born in the late sixties and had never traveled far from home.


    Yet in this world, in this year 1986, there were still many who had never seen an elevator or eaten a hamburger, but these things had become the pretexts for today¡¯s mockery.


    The comments that followed were even more unpleasant, some veiled, some blunt, making the already insecure Gu Qiaoqiao from her previous life want to hide herself away.


    She felt aggrieved, ashamed, and so embarrassed that she wanted to cry, wishing she could retort, but she was no match for over a dozen mouths.


    And back then, not a single person spoke up for her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze landed on Ning Yuli, who was laughing the hardest and would soon say the nastiest thing.


    Being reborn wasn¡¯t about reliving the pains of her previous life.


    She curled her lips into a smile and her clear, cold voice drifted up, ¡°Who was it that just said ¡®wretched mountains and rivers¡¯?¡±


    Her voice was not loud, but loud enough for everyone to hear.


    And this crisp voice, as melodious as the music of silk and bamboo, carrying a soft murmur that bespoke of a young girl, filled the room. Perhaps it was the first time they heard Gu Qiaoqiao speak, so clear and well-articulated that everyone was momentarily stunned.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice was actually this pleasant to the ear.


    The mockery of everyone was an invitation for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak.


    Thus, the room fell into a brief stillness.


    Ning Yuli was also startled for a moment, then, regaining her composure, she sneered arrogantly and retorted, ¡°I said it.¡±


    ¡°What ¡®wretched mountains and rivers¡¯ are you referring to?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked crisply.


    ¡°Of course, I mean your hometown. Don¡¯t emerge from a ravine and suddenly think you¡¯re a phoenix.¡± Ning Yuli¡¯s complexion was not good.


    ¡°Do you know where my hometown is?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked calmly.

 Chapter 17 - 17: Beautiful Counterattack

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Beautiful Counterattack


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a village in the Northeast?¡±


    ¡°Have you studied geography?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ning Yuli became angry. How dared a bumpkin, a village girl, question her like this? She disdainfully retorted, ¡°Whether I study geography or not, what¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it matters. If you haven¡¯t studied it, I can teach you; if you have, I can offer you a free review.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao seemed quite serious, her clear eyes, however, appeared as if they were smiling.


    Chu Chengfeng, who had been lazily looking at jokes, slowly sat up, and the smile at the corner of his mouth gradually faded.


    This Gu Qiaoqiao, why is she different from how others described her?


    Ning Yuli suddenly stood up, pointing at Gu Qiaoqiao and said harshly, ¡°Bad lands breed tricky people; that is exactly what you are. Don¡¯t think that marrying Brother Ze means you can rise above your station, you¡¯ll never be a city person in this lifetime!¡±


    Why should a village girl become the wife of Brother Ze?


    She had liked Qin Yize for almost ten years, someone she revered like a Heavenly God. How could he marry someone else?


    And to marry a woman who was inferior to her in so many ways.


    She was filled with resentment.


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes shifted, hiding the joy in them. She stood up too, pulling Ning Yuli while softly persuading, ¡°Ning Yuli, your sister-in-law is a bit confused today, don¡¯t lower yourself to her level, I¡¯ll ask her to apologize to you.¡±


    Then she turned to Gu Qiaoqiao and feigned blame, ¡°Sister-in-law, quickly apologize to Ning Yuli.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled bitterly in her extreme anger, leaned against the back of the sofa, crossed her legs, and slightly raised her head to look at Ning Yuli. Even in such a posture, there was not a trace of timidity.


    She pondered for a moment and then said indifferently, ¡°Pinching the black earth to see oil blossom, even inserting chopsticks makes them sprout, rich in resources, mountains clear and water showy. Not only is it a key base for timber and mineral production in our country, but it is also known as the ¡®Eldest Son of the Republic¡¯, the cradle of our country¡¯s industry¡ªthe black earth. When did it become poor mountains and bad waters?¡±


    Her voice was not loud; the corners of her mouth even had a light smile, while Ning Yuli above her had a face turning green, mostly in disbelief.


    Clearly, she had never expected Gu Qiaoqiao to say such things.


    Neither humble nor arrogant, yet every word struck home!


    Suddenly, the room fell silent for a moment.


    Almost everyone¡¯s gaze fell upon Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Scrutiny, suspicion, surprise¡ªvarious looks intertwined, carrying a scent of swords and shadows.


    And Ning Yuli was furious with embarrassment, for it was the first time in her life someone had questioned her like this, and she could feel her ears and face burning.


    Her breathing became more rapid.


    She stared fixedly at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, which seemed to be smiling but not really smiling.


    Bai Yun¡¯s heart was ambiguous, unclear whether she felt joy or anger, or maybe it was shock.


    This version of Gu Qiaoqiao made her feel very unfamiliar.


    At this moment, she wished Ning Yuli would rush forward and slap Gu Qiaoqiao.


    However, clearly, the provocation was insufficient, so she quickly blamed, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t get worked up, it was just a metaphor that Yuli used, did you misunderstand?¡±


    ¡°Bai Yun, the ancients always said one should read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles. If you¡¯ve read fewer books, then go out more and see the world. The magnificent and broad landscape of our motherland, with its vastness and wealth, definitely won¡¯t let one become a frog in a well.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, who are you calling?¡± Ning Yuli asked loudly.


    Because of such a sharp voice, everyone else was somewhat unsure.


    Was there going to be a fight?


    Some were excited.


    ¡°It¡¯s not terrible to be uneducated.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, glanced around, taking in everyone¡¯s expressions, and said with a faint smile, ¡°What¡¯s terrible is pretending to know when you don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, how many days have you been out of the countryside? Acting like a cultured person here with me, when you¡¯re just a country bumpkin, what are you bragging about?¡± Ning Yuli sneered, gritting her teeth.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a bumpkin? If you count back three generations, how many families didn¡¯t start as bumpkins? Without the grain planted by these bumpkins, what would you eat?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Ning Yuli with disdain as she spoke. She never thought today would end well, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that food is the most important thing to people?¡±


    ¡°All right then, let me ask you, who told you that the Northeast is the eldest son of the republic? That¡¯s complete nonsense. Do you think you, grubbing around in the soil, deserve such a title?¡± Ning Yuli was enraged and ashamed, her face flushed red, her voice became even shriller.


    Gu Qiaoqiao just gave a faint smile.


    She leisurely took a seat.


    But she didn¡¯t plan on continuing the discussion.


    ¡°Enough, Ning Yuli, just shut up if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Chu Chengfeng didn¡¯t want to get involved in other people¡¯s affairs, yet he couldn¡¯t help but to speak up.


    This wasn¡¯t a matter to be questioned lightly.


    Even though times had changed with reform and opening up, Chu Chengfeng knew that not everyone in this private room came from families that were friends.


    Without Qin Yize present, Chu Chengfeng, who was of a distinguished and proper family background, now had the right to speak.


    And clearly, Ning Yuli was no match for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Ning Yuli wanted to say more, but Bai Yun pulled her down to sit because Chu Chenfeng had spoken, they couldn¡¯t continue to quarrel.


    Otherwise, given Chu Chengfeng¡¯s temperament, he would definitely turn hostile.


    Bai Yun whispered softly, ¡°Ning Yuli, don¡¯t be impatient¡­¡±


    The situation was stronger than the person, Ning Yuli also knew she couldn¡¯t outtalk Gu Qiaoqiao, and the incontrovertible truths from Gu Qiaoqiao left her without a rebuttal.


    She glared at Gu Qiaoqiao fiercely; this detestable village girl, how could she be so sharp-tongued.


    Chu Chengfeng¡¯s gaze was inscrutable as he looked briefly at Gu Qiaoqiao, not expecting the girl to fight back so beautifully.


    He drained the beer in his cup and with a grand gesture said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue singing¡­¡±


    After a brief silence, a round-faced young man walked up to the small stage of the private room.


    To the left of the stage was a three-tiered white TV cabinet.


    Above was a large-screen TV, below was a VCR, and stacks of videotapes, like books, were placed at the bottom of the cabinet.


    Almost all of them were karaoke accompaniment tapes.


    A moment later, the room filled with the melodious sound of music.


    Young people always love to sing and dance.


    There were two microphones above.


    Having sung a round each, the people in the room started singing again lively and enthusiastically.


    Both Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu enjoyed singing.


    And naturally, they did not fall behind.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the sofa, bored, her lips curled up at the corners, her eyes slightly squinted, no one knew what she was thinking.


    But when several people finished singing together, the stage was empty.


    Bai Yun and Ning Yuli exchanged glances, got up together, and walked towards the small stage.


    Seeing the two of them, Gu Qiaoqiao put away her previously idle thoughts, her eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, but her lips curled up subtly.


    Because of the earlier altercation, while no one came up to humiliate her further, no one spoke to her either.


    They had formed their own little circle, completely isolating her.


    And it seemed Qin Xiaoyu was pretending not to know her at all. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled indifferently.


    Then she heard Bai Yun¡¯s gentle voice coming from the stage, ¡°¡­Today, everyone is having a great time, your singing is very beautiful, enchanting. But there¡¯s one person who hasn¡¯t come up to sing yet. Does everyone know who it is?¡±

 Chapter 18 - 18: Humiliating Her

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Humiliating Her


    So once again, all eyes were on Gu Qiaoqiao, but this time, their gazes held a different quality.


    They were tinged with scrutiny and appraisal.


    It seemed as though they had all plotted in advance, for dozens of girls spoke in unison, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao hasn¡¯t sung yet.¡±


    Ning Yuli¡¯s eyes gleamed with a sinister light as she spoke loudly, ¡°Do you all want to hear Gu Qiaoqiao sing?¡±


    ¡°We do.¡± Again, the response was unanimous.


    To the unaware, they might even seem enthusiastic.


    But Chu Chengfeng¡¯s handsome brows slightly furrowed.


    He simply watched with cold eyes.


    He knew that Gu Qiaoqiao was definitely not the fool that Ning Yuli and the others claimed her to be.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, come over here,¡± Bai Yun beckoned warmly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not move but politely replied, ¡°I don¡¯t sing very well, and besides, my throat is a bit uncomfortable today.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t be shy. Just the other day you told me that you wanted to sing a duet for everyone at the party,¡± Bai Yun said with a smile.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes darkened, for in neither her past life nor this one had she ever said such a thing.


    Bai Yun had obviously calculated that she would have no way to refute.


    ¡°A duet? Good heavens!¡± Ning Yuli feigned surprise, ¡°Is that the thing where you dress up in bright colors, with a face painted like a clown, jumping and prancing on stage?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve heard it on the tape recorder. It might only involve two people, but it¡¯s really lively,¡± a girl on the sofa chimed in.


    ¡°She¡¯s from that place, she surely knows how to perform it. Gu Qiaoqiao, do you need to put on makeup?¡± Ning Yuli seemed very excited, turning to Bai Yun she said, ¡°I heard you need a fan to perform that act, I¡¯ll go get one from Brother Hao.¡±


    With that, she gave Bai Yun a knowing glance.


    She quickly made her way out of the private room.


    At that moment, Bai Yun approached Gu Qiaoqiao, took her arm without a word, and said to a few other girls on the other side, ¡°It¡¯s Sister-in-law¡¯s first time at a KTV, she must be shy, let¡¯s accompany her, shall we?¡±


    Of course, they were agreeable.


    To see Gu Qiaoqiao, who had just been speaking with confidence, make a fool of herself on stage was something they were only too happy to witness.


    After all, they were out to have fun, and who wouldn¡¯t enjoy ready-made entertainment?


    Bai Yun knew Gu Qiaoqiao was the type to get stage fright and start trembling.


    The nerves would make her stutter.


    The embarrassment couldn¡¯t be more pronounced.


    Yet at the same time, she felt a bit uncertain in her heart.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao of today was becoming more and more of a stranger to her.


    Back then, she had almost refused to believe that those words had come from Gu Qiaoqiao¡ªdid she even have the courage?


    But ever since New Year¡¯s Eve, this Gu Qiaoqiao had become increasingly difficult to control.


    Like now, where she was somewhat afraid to meet Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    How could this be?


    Bai Yun quelled the unease in her heart, clenched her teeth, and with renewed spirit, half coerced and half dragged, surrounded by a group of girls, she brought Gu Qiaoqiao to the small stage.


    The boys below started whistling.


    The girls were clamoring like ducks, belying the chaotic atmosphere of the KTV. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only Qin Xiaoyu sat on the sofa, the sixteen-year-old girl feeling conflicted at the moment. She had never heard Gu Qiaoqiao sing. If Gu Qiaoqiao were to embarrass herself again, what should she do?


    Yet for some reason, recalling Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s earlier remarks, she felt there might not be an issue.


    The room was in an uproar, but Qin Xiaoyu thought, with Sister Bai Yun around, everything should be fine, especially since they got along quite well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not attempt to struggle or resist, for wriggling free from around ten girls would have looked unseemly.


    But internally, she scoffed.


    There had been no such drama in her previous life.


    Yes, because she had fought back.


    The humiliation and awkwardness naturally ceased.


    How could Bai Yun and Ning Yuli accept this willingly?


    As she stood on the stage, Bai Yun gently spoke into another microphone, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s comedic duet is so pleasant to the ear. She can sing and dance, and today we are in for a real treat. Please, let¡¯s welcome Gu Qiaoqiao with the warmest round of applause¡­¡±


    The men and women in the private room immediately began to applaud, and several wealthy young heirs were quite intrigued by the comedic duet.


    They clapped their hands and whistled.


    The room was buzzing with excitement.


    Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned sour.


    Only now did she realize that the so-called comedic duet was not exactly a refined art form.


    She stood up, stamping her foot in anger, deeply regretting having brought Gu Qiaoqiao with her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was too unsophisticated, never able to fit into this circle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t move.


    Her expression was calm, with a mocking smile on her lips.


    She noticed that aside from Qin Xiaoyu, there was a handsome boy with starry eyes who hadn¡¯t spoken.


    It was he who had just stopped Ning Yuli¡¯s words in time.


    At this moment, he was seated arrogantly on the sofa, watching her as if ready to enjoy a good show.


    Gu Qiaoqiao indifferently withdrew her gaze.


    She pondered what would happen if she forcefully left the stage.


    Looking at the excited girls not far away, she thought that they wouldn¡¯t rest until they had made her look foolish.


    She didn¡¯t want to get into a tussle with them.


    Bai Yun approached, a smile playing on her lips, and began to affectionately address her as ¡°sister-in-law,¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, I just found a karaoke tape. I¡¯ll put it on for you now¡­¡±


    Swiftly, she inserted the tape into the VCR and pressed play, and a vibrant sound of suona music filled the air.


    The crowd was first stunned, then burst into uproarious laughter.


    This was because the screen showed two people dressed in red tops and green pants, twisting on stage.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also looked over.


    Was this prepared in advance?


    Otherwise, how could this New Year¡¯s greeting tape appear in this KTV?


    She then remembered that Bai Yun seemed to have left the room for a moment.


    Maybe that was when she had found the tape.


    Bai Yun was extremely pleased, yet spoke gently, ¡°Do you see? Sister-in-law also likes dressing this way. Isn¡¯t it beautiful? Doesn¡¯t it look pretty?¡±


    Her voice was loud enough to overpower the music.


    ¡°It¡¯s so pretty, just like a clown, haha¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she dress like that today?¡±


    ¡°If she had worn that while singing this¡­ what¡¯s that called again?¡±


    ¡°Comedic duet!¡±


    ¡°Right, too bad. You¡¯re wearing a red sweater under your down jacket, right? Give us a little dance.¡±


    The girls started chattering again.


    Interspersed with the whistles of the boys.


    Bai Yun, with a grin, said, ¡°Sister-in-law, give us a twist. Look how good they look twirling around. Oh right, in a bit Yuli will bring you a fan¡­¡±


    Then, those standing below started to chant, ¡°Do a dance, do a dance¡­¡± The noise rose and fell, the excitement reaching a fever pitch.


    Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s cheeks flushed crimson as, infuriated, she ran towards the exit, only to be caught by a girl she had argued with in the past.


    With malice, the girl said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave. We¡¯re all waiting to see your sister-in-law perform the comedic duet for us. Look, the two on the TV, twisting and singing, just like clowns making everyone laugh.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19: Want to be Qin Yizes happy wife? Maybe in the next life!

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Want to be Qin Yize¡¯s happy wife? Maybe in the next life!


    ¡°Lu Xiaohua, shut up,¡± Qin Xiaoyu snapped angrily.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong? Isn¡¯t your sister-in-law from that place?¡±


    The two girls standing nearby saw they were about to argue and quickly pulled back, but simultaneously moved Qin Xiaoyu back, fearing that she would go forward to pull Gu Qiaoqiao away.


    It was so lively, even livelier than a comic dialogue show.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows, turned around, and reached out to turn off the video camera.


    The sound and image abruptly disappeared.


    The people below were all taken aback.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then spoke up, ¡°Bai Yun was just joking with you all. Er Ren Zhuan is a folk art from the Northeast, with a history of over three hundred years. I really like it, but I can¡¯t sing it.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking,¡± Bai Yun said. ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡­¡±


    But Gu Qiaoqiao quickly interrupted Bai Yun, ¡°Would you like to sing with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bai Yun hesitated. She was set up to be embarrassed, how could she possibly sing with her?


    Bai Yun took a step back and chuckled dryly, ¡°Sister-in-law is kidding, I certainly can¡¯t sing that.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t sing, then please step down,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said lightly.


    Bai Yun was stunned.


    ¡°Or do you actually want to sing, but are too embarrassed to, using me as an excuse?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, her eyes sharp. ¡°If you want to sing, I¡¯ll step down right now.¡±


    As she spoke, she started walking towards the stage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Bai Yun¡¯s heart skipped, and she hurriedly shook her head, watching Gu Qiaoqiao about to leave. In desperation, she put down the microphone and stepped off the small stage.


    Staring at Gu Qiaoqiao with an expression of mixed alarm, but smilingly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, what you can sing, I can¡¯t. We are all ears.¡±


    ¡°Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I¡¯ll reluctantly sing a song for you all. But I just looked, and there isn¡¯t an accompaniment tape for the song I want to sing, so I¡¯ll sing acapella¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her finger pushed upward, turning on the microphone switch.


    Earlier, when Ning Yuli left, she had actually turned off the switch.


    Then Bai Yun specifically pushed her towards this microphone, always eager to embarrass her.


    Just because of a man, she went to such lengths to frame me, who gave them the right?


    A chill spread through Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, her clear gaze sweeping over those poised to mock her. She coughed lightly into the microphone and slowly opened her moist red lips, ¡°Are you going to Scarborough Fair, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, Remember me to one who lives there, She once was a true love of mine¡­¡±


    Her soft, dreamlike melody began to fill the somewhat noisy private room, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice already pleasing like the music of strings, slightly husky from recent hoarseness.


    This husky voice seemed to gently pluck at everyone¡¯s heartstrings like a feather.


    The room fell silent instantly.


    This song is called ¡°Scarborough Fair.¡±


    As a hit from the 1960s and a soundtrack in the popular movie ¡°The Graduate¡±, it was particularly beloved by that generation, especially college students of that era.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao married after high school, her English was very good.


    In her past life, when she first heard this song, it immediately evoked a deep sadness within her.


    Back then, because of her overconfidence, recklessness, and foolishness, she lost her parents, her sister, and her only brother was in prison.


    She worked tirelessly during the day and at night when alone, she repetitively listened to this song while weeping.


    The song, like the desolate, dusky sky of autumn, quietly narrates the death and hardship war brings to people.


    Just like her troubled life.


    It made her constantly remember her lost loved ones, torturing her soul almost masochistically.


    And at this moment, the noisy room suddenly fell silent.


    Everyone looked at Gu Qiaoqiao in disbelief.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood on the small stage, a pale yellow slim-fit down jacket adorning her, her straight, slender legs encased in little leather boots, the jacket without a hood, a pale red scarf wrapped around her fair neck.


    In the somewhat cold light, it highlighted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s skin as fair as jade, her eyes moist.


    A beautiful lady across the water.


    The verse floated in Chu Chengfeng¡¯s heart for no reason.


    Yet she seemed estranged from those around her, as if distanced from everyone.


    So close, yet so unreachable. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These people seemed unable to believe that Gu Qiaoqiao would sing this song, let alone its English version.


    Wasn¡¯t she said to be a country girl?


    Supposedly illiterate as a basket?


    What now?


    The song they couldn¡¯t sing, Gu Qiaoqiao the country girl could?


    Wasn¡¯t this a slap in their faces?


    Chu Chengfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed, he reached out and picked up the guitar that lay on the sofa.


    He quickly stepped onto the small stage and stood by the microphone on the other side, glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, closed his eyes to listen to the melody, and then began to play the guitar to accompany her.


    The onlookers stepped back toward the direction of the sofa while Ning Yuli, holding a red fan in her hand, had an excited expression that had solidified, staring fixedly at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Was that her singing?


    Must be a trick, right?


    And her fan, wasn¡¯t it bought in vain? In such a scenario, could she go up and hand the fan to Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Bai Yun stood among the crowd, her face somewhat pale, hands tightly clenched. How did she not know Gu Qiaoqiao could sing this song?


    She had been deceiving her all along.


    Yet, that didn¡¯t seem right, she clearly remembered how on New Year¡¯s Eve she heeded her words and ran into a wall.


    The entire neighborhood knew about the commotion it caused.


    But how should today¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao be explained?


    This vile person still had this trick up her sleeve. If she had known she could sing English songs, she wouldn¡¯t have let her take the stage.


    A hideous look crossed her face.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, you want to turn the tables, want everyone to look at you with new eyes, want to enter this circle?


    In your dreams!


    There¡¯s still a New Year¡¯s gift waiting for her.


    Wanting to happily be Qin Yize¡¯s wife? Maybe in her next life!


    She would make her remember today forever.


    Bai Yun quietly slipped out.


    As she left, she took Ning Yuli with her.


    Perhaps too absorbed in listening, no one noticed. Still, Gu Qiaoqiao caught it all in one glance, unbothered, she shifted her focus back.


    Music knows no borders, nor does it distinguish between high and low, noble and humble.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice was no celestial talent, but it struck at their hearts profoundly.


    Everyone shut their mouths and listened quietly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao simply sang a part, then stopped, turned to Chu Chengfeng at her side, and slowly said, ¡°Not bad on the guitar, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Your pronunciation is a bit off in places¡­¡± Chu Chengfeng said lazily as he put down the guitar.


    ¡°Yeah, I always struggle with the pronunciation of ¡®sage¡¯,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, many people here wouldn¡¯t notice¡­¡± Chu Chengfeng said meaningfully, then picked up his guitar and returned to his seat.


    Simultaneously, genuine applause erupted.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t mockery, but filled with sincerity.

 Chapter 20 - 20: The Benefits of Rebirth

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Benefits of Rebirth


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled, stepped off the stage and walked over to where the girls sat.


    Qin Xiaoyu didn¡¯t even know how to express her feelings.


    She actually shifted to the side, making room for Gu Qiaoqiao to sit beside her.


    The girls¡¯ hesitant gazes examined Gu Qiaoqiao anew, feeling that she was not at all like how Bai Yun had described.


    Could it be that Bai Yun had deceived them?


    Indeed, someone directly asked, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, how come you can sing this song?¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be able to sing this song?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied indifferently.


    Yet irritation welled up inside her.


    Had it not been for the forthcoming opportunity for Bai Yun to reap her own bitter fruits and taste the humiliation she herself had suffered in a previous life, she would not be sitting here, enduring the faces of these pampered young women and men.


    There were so many other things waiting for her to do, and dealing with these people felt like a true waste of time.


    ¡°Bai Yun said you¡­¡± The girl began, then inexplicably grew short of breath, shrank back, and closed her mouth.


    ¡°Bai Yun said what about me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing¡­¡± The girl quickly shook her head, losing the arrogance and contempt she had shown earlier.


    Bai Yun and Ning Yuli were not in the private room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and did not press further.


    Qin Xiaoyu, fuming yet in a lowered voice, said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°When did you learn to sing English songs? I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Is being able to sing English songs that big of a deal?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked, puzzled.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu, angered, turned away.


    At this moment, Bai Yun and Ning Yuli walked in.


    Following them were several waiters, carrying large trays filled with orange juice.


    Served in transparent glass cups, it looked tempting.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s pupils constricted, and her hand clenched slightly.


    She had thought too kindly of human nature.


    She had even hoped that Bai Yun and Ning Yuli would come in empty-handed, so that she might let go of the resentment from her past life and let everything be.


    Unfortunately, just like in her previous life, Bai Yun and Ning Yuli brought everyone orange juice, everyone else¡¯s were normal.


    Only hers had something added to it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked on calmly as Bai Yun approached her with a smile, bent down and placed a glass of orange juice on the coffee table in front of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Then she sat next to her, feigning amazement, ¡°Sister-in-law, I only learned today that not only can you sing Er Ren Zhuan, but you can also sing English songs. You¡¯re so amazing, you must have practiced for a long time, was it just to surprise everyone today?¡±


    But no one knew the hatred in Bai Yun¡¯s heart.


    If it weren¡¯t for her, Qin Yize would still be single, and although he might not be with her, he wouldn¡¯t be with anyone else, either, which would be slightly more comforting to her.


    ¡°Surprise everyone?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao turned and stared at Bai Yun, confused, ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bai Yun was stunned for a moment before hurriedly shaking her head, ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    ¡°You have never heard me sing, much less Er Ren Zhuan, so why are you lying and so confidently at that?¡±


    Bai Yun froze, not expecting Gu Qiaoqiao to be so direct.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not lying, I¡¯ve heard you hum it softly, you must have forgotten?¡± Bai Yun quickly explained.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly looked across toward where the boy was sitting, asking Bai Yun, ¡°The guy who played the accompaniment for me earlier, who is he?¡±


    The accompanist?


    Bai Yun instinctively looked ahead; the person was Chu Chengfeng, who was currently drinking beer with a few guys.


    Just as Bai Yun looked up, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand flickered, swapping the two glasses of orange juice in front of her and Bai Yun.


    In the instant of the swap, she doubled the potency of the drug in the orange juice with her thoughts.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew what the perk of her rebirth was.


    It was her hand.


    With a single thought, her hand would become one with her heart and mind.


    In textbooks, there was Magic Brush Ma Liang; she thought, her hands must also be magical now.


    Quick as lightning, at her beck and call, in a flash¡ªthat was the best portrayal of her at the moment.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao had chosen the moment when no one was paying attention to them.


    Bai Yun was unaware of all this; she glanced at Chu Chengfeng, barely concealing her impatience, and said softly, ¡°That person is Chu Chengfeng, a friend who has been playing with Brother Ze since childhood¡­¡±


    Without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to reply, she picked up the glass in front of Gu Qiaoqiao, handed it to her, and said gently, ¡°Sister-in-law, you must be thirsty from singing just now, this is freshly squeezed orange juice, it¡¯s really good, give it a try.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the glass in her hand, raising an eyebrow at Bai Yun, ¡°But I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    As she spoke, she was about to set it down.


    Bai Yun¡¯s face changed, and she quickly pressed down on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, also picking up the glass in front of her, and said urgently, ¡°Sister-in-law, let¡¯s do a toast like the guys.¡±


    After saying that, she clinked her glass against the one in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, looking at her expectantly, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll drink to you first.¡±


    Then she really did drink all of the orange juice, and after finishing, she signaled to Gu Qiaoqiao with her empty glass.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled the corners of her mouth, glanced at the glass, then at Bai Yun¡¯s eager and slightly sinister gaze, and slowly drank all the orange juice in the glass. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Yun quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then she turned her head and made eye contact with Ning Yuli on the other side.


    Ning Yuli walked out of the private room.


    The girls were still chattering non-stop.


    About ten minutes later, Bai Yun felt as if the accumulated snow in her mind was melting bit by bit, and her body was mysteriously heating up.


    She was extremely thirsty.


    Bai Yun took a deep breath, thinking she was just hot, so she unzipped her down jacket, and looked at Gu Qiaoqiao earnestly, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you hot too?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m very hot.¡±


    ¡°Then take off your down jacket,¡± Bai Yun was overjoyed, clearly, it was taking effect; the stuff from abroad surely was potent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t hesitate, taking off her down jacket, as indeed the heat was rising and it felt somewhat stuffy.


    Moreover, she was still wearing a woolen scarf around her neck.


    It was knitted for her by her mother.


    At that moment, Ning Yuli came in.


    She approached the two and said cheerfully, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I think I just saw Qin Yize, in a private room not far from here.¡±


    ¡°Qin Yize?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked curiously, ¡°If he¡¯s here, why did he go to another private room?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look¡­¡± Bai Yun suppressed the excitement in her heart, pulling Gu Qiaoqiao to stand up, ¡°Sister-in-law, Brother Ze must have remembered wrong, let¡¯s call him over.¡±


    Without further ado, she and Ning Yuli walked Gu Qiaoqiao out of the private room, one on each side.


    The direction was naturally the one in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s memory.


    There, a figure resembling Qin Yize; in her previous life, after drinking the orange juice that had been spiked, everything was off, and she was bolder than ever.


    Thinking the man was Qin Yize, love in her heart surged like the raging river water, seemingly forgetting everything around her as she rushed forward, embraced the man, and then began frantically tearing at him¡­

 Chapter 21 - 21 They Know Each Other

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 They Know Each Other


    Among them, what was clear to Gu Qiaoqiao after she sobered up were only fragments.


    The clearest memory she had was of grabbing that man when a group of people entered through the door.


    A girl with willow-browed phoenix eyes abruptly grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hair and without a word, slapped her twice.


    Then, seemingly not satisfied, she picked up a wine bottle and poured it over Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head and face were covered in red wine.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was dazed, and Bai Yun and Ning Yuli quickly brought over two basins of cold water, hurriedly telling everyone she was drunk and splashed them on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao indeed woke up.


    She also saw clearly that the man she was attacking was a stranger.


    Later, Qin Yize arrived, took off his coat, wrapped Gu Qiaoqiao in it, and they left the private room and the KTV.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao thought about this, her expression was grim.


    In her past life, in the days that followed, she¡¯d quietly thought about it countless times, but there were still some things she couldn¡¯t understand.


    How did Bai Yun and Ning Yuli set her up?


    At the time, because the drug had taken effect, her consciousness was blurry, and naturally, her memories were fragmented. She thought the man must have had a female companion, which was the girl with the willow-browed phoenix eyes who came in later.


    But why didn¡¯t he struggle at all?


    Was it the man¡¯s inherent weakness, or was there a trick to it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Meanwhile, they had reached the door of the private room.


    The light spilling from the crack of the door was messily divided by the shadows inside.


    Bai Yun felt as if she had fallen into a furnace and was somewhat confused.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pushed open the door of the private room.


    Sure enough, a man who resembled Qin Yize was standing in the center of the room, his back to the three of them. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Yuli, holding onto Bai Yun, said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you go in and call him. We¡¯ll wait for you at the door.¡±


    Then she reached out to push Gu Qiaoqiao inside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao dodged, and Ning Yuli missed, causing Bai Yun to stumble, but Gu Qiaoqiao pulled her inside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tightly held Bai Yun¡¯s hand and said to Ning Yuli, ¡°Bai Yun is not an outsider. Let her accompany me while you wait outside.¡±


    Ning Yuli looked suspiciously at Bai Yun, who tried to pull her hand away but was gripped tightly by Gu Qiaoqiao, who reluctantly gave Ning Yuli a meaningful look.


    Ning Yuli left, reassured.


    Gu Qiaoqiao left the door ajar.


    The man in the room turned around.


    An ordinary-looking man, around his twenties, with no particularly appealing features aside from his tall stature.


    His gaze was somewhat lecherous.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes held a trace of gloom: could this man really be in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with that beautiful woman?


    At that moment, the man and Bai Yun glanced at each other and, as if they understood each other, both paused for a moment.


    It seemed they nodded to each other in unspoken agreement.


    Gu Qiaoqiao realized that they knew each other.


    A chill spread through her heart¡ªthe hearts of these girls around twenty years old, how could they be so malicious?


    Gu Qiaoqiao, holding Bai Yun¡¯s hand, approached the man and said to Bai Yun, ¡°Bai Yun, this isn¡¯t Qin Yize. You¡¯ve mistaken him for someone else. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As she said this, she turned to leave but stumbled. Her hand exerted a slight force, and she accurately pushed Bai Yun into the man¡¯s arms.


    In her past life, Gu Qiaoqiao had accidentally learned about a terrifying thing.


    It could make a person lose all sense of reason and do unimaginable things.


    At that moment, Bai Yun was just like that.


    She became frantic, starting to violently tear at the man.


    The man was stunned.


    He tried to back away, but Bai Yun suddenly tackled him to the floor.


    Then she moved to kiss him.


    The man finally realized what was happening and exclaimed in a frantic rage, ¡°Bai Yun, are you crazy?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression darkened, yet she covered her mouth and stood to the side, seemingly petrified.


    As if transformed into another person, Bai Yun kept muttering under her breath, ¡°Brother Ze¡­ Brother Ze¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s face alternated between pale and flush, yet he still grabbed Bai Yun¡¯s hands and pushed her down.


    Bai Yun could no longer control her emotions¡­


    Looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, who seemed terrified, the man yelled loudly, ¡°What the hell is going on? You wretched girl, what did you do to her?¡±


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stepped back and finally spoke.


    ¡°I¡­¡± the man faltered.


    He couldn¡¯t admit to knowing Bai Yun, but now the situation was obviously amiss. The man rushed forward to hold Bai Yun¡¯s hands and shouted at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Come and help.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and said to the man, ¡°Bai Yun seems to have drunk too much. Hold her down, I¡¯ll help her sober up.¡±


    At that moment, the man didn¡¯t have the luxury to think further; he simply had to hold her down.


    If his uncle found out about this, it would certainly be the death of him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the wine bottle from the coffee table, which indeed was open.


    She took a couple of steps forward and poured it over Bai Yun.


    At that moment, Bai Yun seemed completely unresponsive.


    She was just immersed in her own world.


    Because the two were scrambling, half of the red wine also spilled on the man.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put down the empty bottle and said hastily, ¡°It¡¯s not working, you still need to hold her down, I¡¯m going to get some cold water.¡±


    The man felt utterly panicked by now.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the situation to turn out like this.


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be Qin Yize¡¯s wife who had a bout of drunken madness?


    But Gu Qiaoqiao seemed very sober.


    Gu Qiaoqiao headed toward the side room filled with drinks.


    As expected, she saw two buckets of tap water all set.


    She dipped her hand into it; it was ice cold.


    Gu Qiaoqiao combined the two buckets of water.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying the bucket, quickly reached the two people writhing on the floor and seized the opportunity to splash the water onto Bai Yun.


    Bai Yun let out a miserable scream.


    The cold water indeed worked; she momentarily ceased moving and stared blankly at everything around her.


    Yet her gaze still seemed somewhat hazy.


    The man dared not let go and shouted at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Quick, bring the sweater over.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao grabbed the sweater and threw it to the man, while Bai Yun was covered in stains of red wine and water.


    She truly looked a mess.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, chilled to the bone, remembered herself in her past life being even more pitiable than Bai Yun.


    ¡°Help me put this on her,¡± the man shouted angrily.


    Gu Qiaoqiao seemed stunned, then suddenly said to the man, ¡°It¡¯s bad, someone¡¯s coming. You quickly fix her clothes, I¡¯m going to lock the door.¡±


    Saying this without waiting for a response, Gu Qiaoqiao ran toward the entrance.


    The timing was indeed just right, as the slightly ajar door was pushed open forcefully.


    Gu Qiaoqiao swiftly moved to stand behind the door.


    Then a woman with striking features and Ning Yuli exchanged a glance before rushing to the two people on the floor.


    At that moment, Bai Yun had her back to them.


    The woman instantly grabbed Bai Yun and, without hesitation, swung at her face.


    Slap¡­


    The sound was sharp, but as she was about to deliver a second slap, she abruptly stopped.

 Chapter 22 - 22 Shooting Oneself in the Foot

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Shooting Oneself in the Foot


    The man stepped forward and pushed her away, chiding, ¡°Sun Yingke, are you blind? How dare you hit Xiao Yu?¡±


    Sun Yingke fell to the ground, dumbfounded, watching the scene unfold before her.


    Ning Yuli¡¯s eyes widened as she screamed, ¡°Why is it Bai Yun? Where¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the door, smiling wryly, ¡°Since you all know each other, get her dressed quickly. It wouldn¡¯t be good if she caught a cold.¡±


    At this moment, Qin Xiaoyu, the girls from the private room, and some of the boys had already reached the door.


    The door was wide open.


    They all instantly saw the scene inside the room, and everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Bai Yun in a tank top, the disheveled man with his clothes in disarray, and Ning Yuli and Sun Yingke.


    Someone curiously asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± came the response.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that man Bai Yun¡¯s second cousin Zhu Jianguo?¡±


    A chill ran through Gu Qiaoqiao as she cast a sinister gaze at the people inside the room.


    The second cousin, huh.


    Not only did she know him, he was a relative as well.


    In her past as well as her present life, the person Gu Qiaoqiao hated the most was Bai Yun, a woman cloaked in the guise of a white lotus, but inside, her heart was pitch black.


    So, no matter how Bai Yun lived her life now, she would never forgive her!


    At this moment, Bai Yun seemed to have somewhat regained her senses. She glanced around at the onlookers by the door and saw herself half-naked.


    Her cheeks, originally flushed, turned stark white in an instant.


    Her lips trembling, and with shaky hands and the aid of Ning Yuli, she managed to get her sweater on. Ning Yuli helped her stand up, and Sun Yingke was also lost.


    The slap earlier had been so forceful, her palms still hurt.


    She was frightened.


    Bai Yun seemed gentle and kind on the surface, but deep down, she was wicked.


    She needed Bai Yun¡¯s family¡¯s help with her father¡¯s matters, how could she dare to offend her?


    Inquiring glances turned towards the man, who looked incredibly dejected.


    Sun Yingke was quick to react, now that she was already working, pointing at Gu Qiaoqiao and speaking harshly, ¡°Was it you who bullied Bai Yun?¡±


    ¡°I am a woman, how could I bully Bai Yun?¡± asked Gu Qiaoqiao calmly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Did you splash the water and wine on Bai Yun?¡± demanded Ning Yuli fiercely.


    Bai Yun¡¯s mind was in turmoil, staring intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, biting her lip, forcing herself to calm down.


    And upon calming down, Bai Yun remembered everything that happened just before.


    Some things were blurry, but others she remembered very clearly.


    The glass of orange juice?


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t drink it?


    Was it she who drank it?


    Before Bai Yun could figure it out, Gu Qiaoqiao acknowledged with a nod, ¡°It was I who splashed it¡­¡±


    The crowd looked at Gu Qiaoqiao in shock.


    She continued, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t made her sober up, she would have stripped off all her clothes. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask her second cousin.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was ready for the potential backlash.


    And the expressions on the faces of the crowd became even more ambiguous.


    Qin Xiaoyu made her way to the front, glanced at the now cold-faced Gu Qiaoqiao, then at Bai Yun. Bai Yun quickly grabbed Qin Xiaoyu, tears streaming down her face, ¡°Xiao Yu, your sister-in-law¡­she¡­¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence, which ignited a flame of anger in Qin Xiaoyu. She pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao and demanded, ¡°Sister-in-law, you came out with Sister Bai Yun, so why is she like this? Did you do something to her?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought her heart was as sturdy as iron, yet even now, it felt somewhat sour. How much of a failure could she be?


    Qin Xiaoyu, in such a situation, was accusing her in return.


    In her past and current life, whether she was framed or had wisely drawn back, she was always the one who was blamed for being in the wrong.


    In her last life, she was even more wretched than Bai Yun, having been forced to kneel on the ground and apologize.


    What was Qin Xiaoyu doing at that time?


    Standing alongside Bai Yun, looking at her as if she were a clown.


    Not speaking a word in her defense, not even a single word, nor offering a kind look.


    If Qin Xiaoyu had treated her back then the way she was treating Bai Yun now, she thought, she would have repaid her in this life as if she were her benefactor.


    But sadly¡­


    However, Qin Xiaoyu was being an idiot, and she couldn¡¯t afford to argue with her here because Bai Yun aimed to divert everyone¡¯s attention.


    How could she let Bai Yun have her way?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Bai Yun with icy eyes, ¡°Bai Yun, just now you and Ning Yuli were pulling me, saying¡­ that my husband Qin Yize was in this private room. When you and I entered, it turned out you mistook someone else for him. How could you have mistaken your second cousin for Qin Yize?¡±


    This statement carried a heavy load of information, and some people looked at Bai Yun and Zhu Jianguo with doubtful eyes.


    What were these two up to?


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡­¡± Bai Yun¡¯s face was a mix of paleness and rage, her vicious gaze firmly fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She wanted to stop Gu Qiaoqiao, but Gu Qiaoqiao spoke too quickly.


    ¡°I was pulling you out, but you suddenly threw yourself into your second cousin¡¯s arms, started tearing at his clothes, and touching all over him. I was frozen in shock back then. Then, when I heard your second cousin call you Xiao Yun, I realized that you knew each other. But unexpectedly, you went on to strip off your clothes. If I hadn¡¯t splashed you with cold water to wake you, I dread to think what you might have done next¡­¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re slandering me, I didn¡¯t, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Bai Yun let out a piercing scream, ¡°It was you, you must have caused this to happen to me.¡±


    How could this happen?


    Her brain felt like it was about to explode.


    ¡°I caused this to you? How did I cause this? Did I join your second cousin in stripping off your clothes?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked calmly.


    People started whispering among themselves, ¡°Bai Yun is so close to her second cousin, how could she help Gu Qiaoqiao strip her own cousin? Isn¡¯t he afraid of being killed by Bai Yun¡¯s parents for this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but why would Bai Yun suddenly act like this?¡±


    ¡°Did she have a drink?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she drank too much and got rowdy after drinking.¡±


    Although Bai Yun was well-liked, she couldn¡¯t get along with everyone.


    Some people didn¡¯t look upon her favorably.


    Of course, there were also plenty of unkind words.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze shifted, and she said with an appearance of distress, ¡°Bai Yun, everyone knows we have a good relationship. It¡¯s only right for me to help you. I don¡¯t expect your gratitude, but you can¡¯t turn around and accuse me of causing you harm.¡±


    As Bai Yun met everyone¡¯s gaze, her mind finally exploded. She screamed recklessly, ¡°It was you who harmed me. It should be you standing here, you throwing yourself into a man¡¯s arms. It was you who switched our orange juices. Gu Qiaoqiao, you will not die a good death¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly stood up straight, her sharp eyes fixed on Bai Yun, ¡°What about the orange juice you gave me? Explain yourself clearly¡­¡±


    The room instantly fell silent.


    Those around looked at one another, wondering what was wrong with the orange juice¡ªthey all had some just now.


    ¡°Bai Yun, stop talking¡­¡± Ning Yuli was terrified. Brother Hao had mentioned before administering the drug that if they dared to leak this out, he would certainly not let the two of them off easily.

 Chapter 23 - 23 I Want to Go Home

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23 I Want to Go Home


    Because this medicine was obtained from abroad, very few people knew about it.


    If outsiders found out, the consequences would be absolutely dire.


    She quickly covered Bai Yun¡¯s mouth with her hand.


    Bai Yun began to sob softly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not press further, as the background of this KTV was very deep, and its owner, Brother Hao, was a ruthless character.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was timid and weak, but here, only she, Gu Qiaoqiao, was alone and powerless; she couldn¡¯t afford the conflict.


    If things escalated, these people would easily vent their anger on her, someone without money or backing.


    After all, she had achieved the effect she wanted, and that was enough.


    Qin Xiaoyu was somewhat confused, but seeing Bai Yun¡¯s tragic crying, she quickly began to soothe her, yet she did not forget to blame Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You went out with Bai Yun, why didn¡¯t you take good care of her? You¡­¡±


    ¡°Qin Xiaoyu!¡± A clear, cold, and indifferent voice rose from outside the crowd, causing everyone to turn their heads, interrupting Qin Xiaoyu. It was Qin Yize.


    He was obviously just coming in from outside, his coat still not taken off, his clear and picturesque features seemed to carry a layer of frost.


    His presence was detached, yet he carried an authoritative air without even being angry.


    Qin Xiaoyu closed her mouth.


    She was somewhat unclear about her older brother¡¯s thinking.


    By Qin Yize¡¯s side was Chu Chengfeng, wearing an unruly smile. He placed a hand on Qin Yize¡¯s shoulder, half-smiling, ¡°Qin Yize, your little wife isn¡¯t quite like what they described, is she?¡±


    Qin Yize indifferently glanced at the hand on his shoulder. Chu Chengfeng, finding it dull, curled his lips, flicking Qin Yize¡¯s shoulder and chuckling, ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s snowing outside, there are snowflakes on your shoulder¡­¡±


    Having said that, he casually let go of his hand.


    This guy, since going to the experimental base in Northern Border City, seemed to have grown even colder.


    Qin Yize frowned, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Chu Chengfeng briefly explained, as Qin Yize gave him a penetrating look, ¡°So you just watched the spectacle?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Bai Yun,¡± Chu Chengfeng said matter-of-factly, ¡°Besides, how could I intervene in a girl¡¯s affairs.¡±


    Qin Yize was silent.


    But his gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also happened to look up; their gazes met somewhere in the air.


    Qin Yize was startled.


    He never imagined that a person¡¯s gaze could contain so many things.


    Hatred, satisfaction, mockery, sadness, but also desolation¡­ Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And strangely, he understood it.


    He walked towards the private room.


    Having been accustomed to being the boss, he coldly surveyed the crowd, asking indifferently, ¡°Have you all seen enough?¡±


    The crowd exchanged glances and obediently dispersed.


    Qin Yize frowned as he looked at the disheveled Bai Yun and asked Zhu Jianguo, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Ever since Qin Yize had entered, Zhu Jianguo had been somewhat uneasy.


    He had experienced Qin Yize¡¯s ruthlessness before.


    If Qin Yize found out that he and his cousin had conspired against his wife, would he be beaten to death by Qin Yize?


    He wasn¡¯t very impressive, but he was not stupid either, hurriedly saying, ¡°Nothing, nothing, just now Xiao Yu had a glass of brandy here, and she accidentally drank too much, it¡¯s okay now, I¡¯ll take Xiao Yu back.¡±


    Ning Yuli and Sun Yingke also hurriedly nodded, pulling Bai Yun towards the exit urgently.


    The plan had now failed.


    So the best outcome was to make sure no one knew there had ever been a plan.


    Bai Yun naturally knew this truth even better, and she had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill in silence.


    She pretended to be in distress, covering her forehead with both hands, but as she passed by Gu Qiaoqiao, her gaze, sharp and venomous like a cold poisonous snake, seemed to want to bite Gu Qiaoqiao to death.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know you drank too much, and I have cleared my suspicion; otherwise, you go around saying that I harmed you, and I would be even more wronged than Dou E.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡± Bai Yun gritted her teeth, but then she saw Qin Yize¡¯s indifferent expression. She shifted her gaze and, appearing almost on the verge of tears, said, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve already embarrassed myself enough, please don¡¯t kick me while I¡¯m down.¡±


    It must be said that Bai Yun was indeed more formidable than she had been in her past life.


    In the blink of an eye, she could free herself from a predicament.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled nonchalantly, ¡°You really are cunning. You just told everyone that I harmed you and even cursed me to a bad end. I merely spoke a word of justice for myself, and how does that become kicking you while you¡¯re down?¡±


    Listened to what seemed like an indifferent remark, Ning Yuli and Sun Yingke dared not open their mouths to help.


    They could only assault Gu Qiaoqiao with their gazes.


    Qin Yize stood with his hands in his coat pockets, a glint of dark light passing through his starry eyes. It seemed his little wife truly was different from before.


    He remained silent.


    And Bai Yun was left speechless.


    Her hands clenched tightly together until pain started emanating from her palms, and then she slowly loosened her grip. She hung her head, looking pitiful, and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m sorry, I drank too much just now. Those were all drunken words. Please don¡¯t hold it against me, I beg you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao fixed her gaze on Bai Yun, ¡°You better head back, catching a cold during New Year¡¯s is no good.¡±


    Bai Yun watched the serene Gu Qiaoqiao, hiding the hatred and malice in her eyes. Looking at Qin Yize a few steps away, tears already falling, she choked up, ¡°Brother Ze, may I ask you for a favor?¡±


    Qin Yize was silent for a moment before he spoke, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve embarrassed myself too much today. If my parents ask about it when I get home, I beg Brother Ze to help me out,¡± Bai Yun said, her arms wrapped around herself, looking utterly helpless and pitiable.


    Especially with her tear-red eyes and disheveled appearance, Qin Yize¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.


    Since childhood, this was indeed the first time he had seen Bai Yun so disheveled. After a few breaths, he nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s lips curved into a smile, her wet eyes deeply gazing at Qin Yize once more before she hurriedly left with Ning Yuli and Sun Yingke.


    Qin Xiaoyu also worriedly followed.


    Watching the young girl¡¯s retreating figure, Gu Qiaoqiao felt not triumph but an incomparable loneliness and solitude at that moment.


    When one person likes another, everything they do seems right, and vice versa, it¡¯s all wrong.


    She missed home even more now.


    She longed for her loving parents, her adorable younger siblings, her grandmother, and the house nestled against the mountain, roofed with red tiles by the water.


    She yearned for the hawthorn tree in the courtyard, the resplendent azaleas that bloomed in spring behind the yard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her leg to walk outside, but Qin Yize stopped her, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I want to go home,¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao murmured.


    But Qin Yize did not know that this home was not that home.


    A peculiar feeling rose in his heart, his eyes and brows softening slightly, ¡°Where¡¯s your down jacket?¡±


    Down jacket?


    In the private room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao came back to her senses and walked toward the direction of the private room.


    She had not wanted to see those people today, thinking there would never be a chance to meet again after today.


    She had initially planned to have Qin Yize fetch the clothes for her so that she would not have to go in.


    But then she thought, why should she avoid them?


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, what was there to fear?

 Chapter 24 - 24 Lin Qinghuan

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Lin Qinghuan


    Gu Qiaoqiao entered the private room at a leisurely pace, Bai Yun and Ning Yuli had already left.


    Some of the people in the room found it dull and followed suit, while others were still drinking and singing.


    Though only a bit more than half remained, the atmosphere was still lively.


    Plots and schemes, drugging and setting traps, these ideas seemed too far-fetched for these people.


    No one would bother to think too much about it.


    They all just saw it as a bit of fun.


    Gu Qiaoqiao picked up her down jacket when a girl with thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking about seventeen, suddenly leaned in, smiling, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you are nothing like what Bai Yun and the others said about you.¡±


    Another girl pulled her back, winking, ¡°Shang Qing, stop it.¡±


    Shang Qing shook off her hand and glared at the girl, ¡°Bai Yun and Ning Yuli are full of malice, you should hang out with them less.¡±


    The girl was at a loss for words.


    Shang Qing looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°It seems what my dad said was right, ¡®Hearing is false, seeing is believing.¡¯


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand paused on the zipper of her down jacket, the girl opposite her had a goodwill in her eyes that she had never seen before, and she smiled, ¡°Sometimes, what the eyes see, may not necessarily be true.¡±


    Shang Qing blinked, scratching her head, feeling as if what she heard was quite profound.


    It was very much like talking to her second brother.


    She decided to let it go and grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm, ¡°Anyway, that Bai Yun loves to put on airs and pretend, I got a beating from my dad last month because of her lies, but nobody believed me. If I had done what you did today, I wouldn¡¯t have suffered. I¡¯ve made up my mind; you¡¯re my friend now. My name is Shang Qing, with ¡°Shang¡± from ¡®dynasty¡¯ and ¡°Qing¡± from ¡®clear sky¡¯.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao understood, this girl had a grudge against Bai Yun.


    No wonder they say, ¡®The enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡¯


    However, she thought she wouldn¡¯t have much to do with these people in the future, so she smiled, ¡°You guys have fun, I¡¯m going to leave.¡±


    ¡°Stay and play for a while,¡± urged Shang Qing, who was clearly very outgoing. She clung to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm, saying admiringly, ¡°You sing so well, when you opened your mouth, I was completely stunned, I was mesmerized¡­¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You flatterer,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t turn down the kindness, ¡°But I really do have to go. Qin Yize is waiting for me outside.¡±


    As soon as she said this, a few people¡¯s gazes became quite peculiar.


    However, Shang Qing laughed loudly, ¡°Haha, then you should go quickly, I¡¯ll come find you in a few days to hang out.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t say anything. She just nodded, wrapped her scarf, and left with grace.


    When she stepped out, Qin Yize was nowhere to be seen, and Gu Qiaoqiao felt an inexplicable sense of relief as she walked towards the KTV¡¯s main entrance.


    Standing at the entrance, Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    It was actually snowing outside.


    Under the blurred yellow light of a streetlamp not far away, Qin Yize and a strange woman were standing face to face.


    With a distance of two steps between them.


    At that moment, the woman slightly tilted her head up, and even from dozens of meters away, Gu Qiaoqiao thought she could see the affection in the woman¡¯s eyes.


    The tall and handsome man, the petite and beautiful girl, the fluttering white snowflakes, the dim yellow light, the sparse passersby, all frozen in time to create a stunning tableau.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found the scene particularly jarring.


    And Qin Yize, his lips tightly closed, his expression still indifferent, but his eyes locked with the woman¡¯s.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt she had never seen Qin Yize¡¯s gaze linger on a woman¡¯s face for so long.


    She stopped in her tracks.


    Her past life¡¯s misfortunes, a large part of them came from this Qin Yize.


    Having lived once more, Gu Qiaoqiao found these rotten peach blossoms around him unbearably laughable and annoying.


    She adjusted her scarf and turned indifferently to walk in the opposite direction.


    Qin Yize suddenly turned his head and saw Gu Qiaoqiao; he called out, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped in her tracks.


    And turned around.


    Only to see Qin Yize walking over unhurriedly, glanced at the woman who followed him, remained silent for a moment, and then said, ¡°This is my wife, Gu Qiaoqiao.¡± Then to Gu Qiaoqiao he said, ¡°She is my classmate, Lin Qinghuan, who studied abroad.¡±


    The woman was taken aback and looked up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also got a clear look at Lin Qinghuan¡¯s appearance.


    She had to admit, she was truly beautiful.


    Her brows were like distant hills, her eyes like autumn water, her small face the size of a palm glowing under the dim yellow streetlights.


    She wore a simple and stylish beige coat, wrapped in a red plaid scarf.


    Every move she made exuded nobility and elegance.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought this must be the most beautiful of the women who liked Qin Yize.


    Only, she had no recollection of her from her former life.


    She did not know what kind of presence this person was.


    But, it had nothing to do with her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, seeing the fleeting tears in Lin Qinghuan¡¯s eyes, understood, yet softly said, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Miss Gu, hello.¡±


    She evidently had also reacted.


    And displayed an impeccable smile.


    Lin Qinghuan was very smart; she knew that talking to Qin Yize today was impossible. She looked at Qin Yize intently and flashed a playful smile, ¡°Ah Ze, it¡¯s getting late today; I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. I¡¯ll invite you and Miss Gu for a meal another day.¡±


    Still not calling her ¡®sister-in-law,¡¯ still addressing her only as Miss Gu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao scoffed inwardly, but her expression did not betray her thoughts.


    ¡°No need to be polite,¡± Qin Yize said, unconcerned with the form of address. He glanced at Lin Qinghuan and then asked, ¡°Do you have a companion?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao cast a surprised glance at Qin Yize; indeed, this woman was special to him.


    ¡°I have a companion; he went to get the car. Then I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Lin Qinghuan concealed the reluctance in her eyes and with a complicated look at the gracefully standing Gu Qiaoqiao, turned and left.


    A very elegant woman, as she turned, her waist-length hair traced a beautiful arc in the air, the scent of perfume wafting out.


    Qin Yize frowned. Lin Qinghuan had started using perfume as well.


    He absentmindedly withdrew his gaze, quietly looking at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao had wrapped her scarf around her mouth and nose, leaving only a pair of eyes as clear as mountain springs and a delicate set of brows exposed.


    Yet her demeanor was as calm as still water.


    It seemed that she no longer had the curiosity she once had about him and the people and things around him.


    He seemed to be finding it increasingly difficult to see through his wife in name only.


    His eyes darkened, he put his hands in the pockets of his coat, and took the lead toward the direction of home.


    This place was only a ten-minute walk from the Qin Family, which felt much more comfortable than taking a bus in winter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao silently followed behind.


    The heavy snow was still falling.


    Near and far, everything was covered in a vast expanse of white, making the world seem a lot cleaner.


    And Qin Yize¡¯s tall shadow cast on the snow was inadvertently stepped on by Gu Qiaoqiao, stirring an indescribable emotion inside her. She took a couple of steps back, distancing herself from him.

 Chapter 25 - 25 Rescue

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Rescue


    At that moment, Qin Yize halted in his tracks.


    Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively stopped as well.


    Qin Yize turned his ear to listen and his aura changed suddenly, his handsome brows furrowed, and his eyes were as sharp as a cheetah poised to strike on a snowy night, filled with strength and danger.


    ¡°You wait for me at the entrance of the KTV,¡± he said.


    They had only walked for a few minutes; the dazzling lights of the KTV sign were still visible.


    Without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to respond, Qin Yize¡¯s nimble figure shot toward the alley ahead like a swift gust of wind.


    The air of lethality that had been in Qin Yize¡¯s eyes seemed to linger still.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a tightness in her chest and froze.


    What had happened?


    In her past life, nothing untoward had occurred at this time.


    It was just a chaotic journey back home.


    Could it be, from the moment she was reborn, destiny had begun to change?


    Gu Qiaoqiao fixed her gaze on the alley, which was somewhat dim despite the streetlights.


    Once she focused, she could faintly hear cries of alarm.


    Perhaps Qin Yize had gone off to perform a heroic deed.


    At this moment, only a few passersby hurried past.


    But indeed, no one paid attention to the situation in the alley.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood there, weighing her options, and decided she should go check, just in case Qin Yize was injured. If so, her divorce might not go through.


    With that thought, Gu Qiaoqiao dashed toward the alley.


    She stopped midway, stood on tiptoes, and snapped off a tree branch with a crack, then continued running into the alley.


    Reaching the entrance of the alley, she saw the scene inside.


    Despite being prepared, Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    Three men lay on the ground, and two others were fighting with Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize moved with agility, his eyes sharp as he threw a ferocious punch at the man approaching him, hitting him squarely in the face. The man screamed in agony and fell rigidly into the snow.


    Another man with fierce eyes raised a dagger and viciously stabbed it toward Qin Yize¡¯s back.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shouted, ¡°Someone¡¯s behind you!¡±


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t turn his head but instead dodged and delivered a spinning kick. The man with the dagger was sent flying against the wall by Qin Yize¡¯s kick.


    Then he fell heavily to the ground.


    In her previous life, Gu Qiaoqiao had seen Qin Yize¡¯s ruthlessness. She ran over, but Qin Yize quickly moved to the people on the ground, gently lifting an old man and calling out urgently, ¡°Old man, old man¡­¡±


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao see that it was an elderly man with graying hair, his face pale as death, his breath faint. It was only when Qin Yize moved him that Gu Qiaoqiao noticed the snow beneath him was stained red with blood.


    With no hesitation, Qin Yize bent down, picked up the old man, and ran wildly out of the alley.


    He didn¡¯t forget to tell Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Quick, keep up.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao threw away the tree branch and followed Qin Yize.


    Even though Qin Yize carried someone, he was faster than Gu Qiaoqiao.


    When they reached the roadside, Qin Yize had no choice but to put down the injured old man.


    At this moment, the stretch of road, which was already sparsely populated, had neither vehicles nor pedestrians.


    Although Qin Yize was involved in medical research, he was also a highly skilled doctor. He began to check and address the old man¡¯s wounds quickly, but without any supplies on hand, he knew the old man needed to be taken to the hospital for surgery immediately. If they were too late, the man¡¯s life would be in danger.


    Qin Yize took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Stay here and watch him, I¡¯m going to make a call. Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said.


    Unsure if Gu Qiaoqiao could find a public phone booth, and with no time to waste, he quickly ran toward the nearest one.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the old man lying on the ground, her mind growing cold. The man was wearing a black woolen coat, which made it hard to see the bloodstains, but the snow beneath him was stained red.


    Without hesitation, Gu Qiaoqiao squatted down and began to undo the old man¡¯s coat.


    Clearly, his abdomen was wounded, as the area beneath his sweater was soaked with blood.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand reached out, and even though she knew nothing about medicine, she oddly knew that the old man was going to die soon. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wouldn¡¯t last until the ambulance Qin Yize would call arrived.


    Biting her lip, she took out a handkerchief from her down jacket pocket, lifted the sweater, and placed the handkerchief on the profusely bleeding wound.


    She focused intently, holding her breath, directing all her attention to her hands.


    The intent to stop the bleeding traveled from her mind to her fingertips.


    A warmth seeped through the handkerchief and into the wound, and the blood stopped flowing.


    The old man, whose consciousness had been fading, felt his icy body slowly warming back up.


    With great effort, he opened his eyes, only to see a young girl wrapped in a thick scarf, her eyes clear as water, anxiously looking down at him.


    Relieved to see him awake, Gu Qiaoqiao let out a breath, but she didn¡¯t dare move her hand. She knew there was something exceptional about her touch; the old man¡¯s bleeding had halted and his lucidity restored, all thanks to her hands. She couldn¡¯t let her guard down until the ambulance and Qin Yize returned.


    The old man raised his hand, struggling to look around, and when he realized that only Gu Qiaoqiao was with him, his breathing quickened, ¡°That¡­ that¡­ young man who saved me¡­ Is he alright?¡± he gasped.


    He seemed to want to say more, but Gu Qiaoqiao stopped him, ¡°The young man who saved you is fine, the bad guys have been defeated. He¡¯s gone to call the ambulance. Please don¡¯t talk anymore.¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than the sound of someone hurrying through the snow reached them. Qin Yize had indeed returned quickly, followed by Chu Chengfeng.


    By now, Gu Qiaoqiao was still pressing down on the wound.


    Qin Yize squatted to check, and upon seeing that the bleeding from the old man¡¯s abdominal wound had stopped and that he was conscious¡ªthough still pale¡ªbut not as gray as before, he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, pursed his lips tightly, and concealed the astonishment in his eyes. He was about to say something when the ambulance arrived.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao release her hand. With professional doctors present, Qin Yize didn¡¯t intervene. After the emergency treatment, they quickly loaded the old man into the ambulance.


    Qin Yize looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, at her hands and the bloodstains on her sleeves, and said softly, ¡°Let Chengfeng take you home first. I¡¯m going to the hospital.¡±


    Without looking back, he boarded the ambulance.


    The ambulance left, and the police car arrived.


    The police rushed to the scene of the incident.


    Chu Chengfeng, meanwhile, walked with Gu Qiaoqiao in the direction of the Qin family home.


    Silent all the way, Chu Chengfeng thought Gu Qiaoqiao might have been scared. Upon reaching the gates of the Qin family house, he said with rare gentleness, ¡°You were very brave.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up, puzzled.


    Chu Chengfeng patiently explained, ¡°It¡¯s rare for a girl to be as calm as you were. If it had been any other girl, she wouldn¡¯t have helped to stop the bleeding¡ªshe might have fainted from shock.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her mouth into a smile, ¡°I was just forcing myself to stay calm.¡±


    Chu Chengfeng¡¯s brows rose slightly, but he said nothing more and knocked on the Qin family¡¯s door.


    Shen Manru didn¡¯t know what had happened, but she saw the bloodstains on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clothes and was momentarily stunned.


    After Chu Chengfeng briefly explained the situation, Gu Qiaoqiao pointed to her clothes and told Shen Manru, ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up.¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26: Thrilling

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Thrilling


    Shen Manru frowned imperceptibly. What was going on tonight? Xiao Yu had come home and greeted her, only to rush off to the Bai family again.


    And her complexion looked rather poor.


    Her son hadn¡¯t come back with Qiaoqiao¡ªwhat exactly had happened?


    Then there was the matter of her son¡¯s heroic act.


    Though such conduct was commendable, as it concerned her own son, even knowing he was skilled, Shen Manru still felt afraid.


    Gu Qiaoqiao obviously had no intention to spare a thought for Shen Manru¡¯s feelings. She nodded to Chu Chengfeng and then retreated to her room.


    As for Chu Chengfeng, he was acquainted with both Mr. Qin and Mother Qin, so there was no need for her to play hostess.


    Gu Qiaoqiao entered the bathroom, treated the bloodstains on her down jacket, wiped it again with clean water, and then hung it on the balcony of the small living room.


    The night had been chilling and harrowing.


    After washing up, Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the sofa and began to dry her hair, thinking that Bai Yun next door must be cursing her with the most venomous words at this moment.


    She might even be pondering some scheme to deal with her.


    Meanwhile, next door at the Bai family, Bai Yun hid in the bathroom, recalling everything from the evening, her pretended indifference now turned to hatred.


    ¡°That bitch, it must have been her sabotage, she¡¯s become so scheming these days; surely she switched the orange juice tonight,¡± Bai Yun muttered fiercely, clenching her fists. ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead, at any cost!¡±


    Outside, after hearing Qin Xiaoyu and Zhu Jianguo¡¯s account, Mrs. Bai¡¯s face turned dark with anger. She sent Zhu Jianguo away and, simmering with rage, told Qin Xiaoyu to go home immediately.


    She glanced at the closed bathroom door, grinding her teeth in fury.


    Her beautiful and gentle daughter had never been so humiliated all her life.


    How dare that country bumpkin, brought home by the Qin family, have the gall to splash her daughter with cold water?


    And to use so many shameless excuses to justify it.


    She was determined to make Shen Manru explain herself.


    Her daughter¡¯s setback couldn¡¯t just be overlooked!


    With these thoughts, she felt exasperated again and spoke sternly towards the bathroom, ¡°How many times have I told you, that daughter-in-law of the Qin family is uneducated and uncultured. Being always around her, you were bound to get dragged down eventually¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Bai Yun didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Xiao Yun, tomorrow mother will go to the Qin family to seek justice for you. I¡¯ll make sure that Gu Qiaoqiao apologizes to you, or else, she won¡¯t get away with it.¡±


    ¡°Mom, let me be alone for a while¡­¡± Bai Yun choked out in a low growl.


    Mrs. Bai paused, hearing her daughter¡¯s sobs decided to hold her peace.


    She angrily took a seat on the sofa.


    Father Bai glanced at his wife and said discontentedly, ¡°How can you say it¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao who led Xiao Yun astray? Didn¡¯t Jianguo say that Xiao Yun got drunk because she mistook brandy for water? I¡¯m telling you, we have to consider the owner before beating the dog. Even if the Qin family doesn¡¯t like this daughter-in-law, she¡¯s still part of their family. You are forbidden to go there tomorrow, don¡¯t ruin the festive mood over the New Year.¡±


    ¡°But they can¡¯t just drench my daughter in red wine and water! I can¡¯t swallow this anger. Let me tell you, Father Bai, if you dare to stop me, this isn¡¯t over,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Father Bai was left speechless.


    Yet deep down, he too felt that Gu Qiaoqiao had gone too far. There were many other ways to sober someone up; it shouldn¡¯t have involved red wine and cold water.


    He frowned but said no more.


    This night was destined to be restless.


    In the hospital, Qin Yize was sitting in a chair in the corridor, looking down at the bloodstains on his clothes, his distant brows slightly knit together.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao of today had been full of surprises.


    Upon reflection, the current Gu Qiaoqiao seemed completely different from the one he had met after returning from the research base.


    Could just a week¡¯s time lead to such a drastic change in a person?


    It was somewhat inconceivable.


    However, Qin Yize had a sharp intuition that ever since the collision on New Year¡¯s Eve, this Gu Qiaoqiao seemed as if she had come to a profound realization.


    If that was indeed the case, he thought, it might not be a bad thing.


    Qin Yize stood up, looking at the emergency room door, but his mind couldn¡¯t help recalling the words Chu Chengfeng had said to him.


    Although not comprehensive, there were too many doubts.


    He knew what Bai Yun was thinking, but he had no feelings for her, so he seldom talked to her.


    But, after all, they were neighbors, even more familiar with him than his classmates. So, how could Bai Yun have mistaken Zhu Jianguo for him?


    Therefore, the question arose.


    Obviously, the brandy Zhu Jianguo spoke of must have been drunk before the mistake was made¡ªshe clearly knew it was Zhu Jianguo, so why did she tell Gu Qiaoqiao that it was him, Qin Yize?


    Qin Yize¡¯s handsome features gradually took on a layer of frost.


    His good-looking, thin lips formed a cold curve. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, the snow outside the window grew heavier.


    Gu Qiaoqiao finished drying her hair, feeling refreshed, yet she also knew that tonight¡¯s incident was something Bai Yun might not be willing to suffer in silence.


    She could imagine the crazy revenge Bai Yun would take, and Bai Yun¡¯s mother would also come to the Qin Family to settle the score with her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled indifferently, even feeling somewhat eager to try. If in this new life she still let Bai Yun bully and frame her, then she really was beyond help.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up and went to her wardrobe.


    She opened the innermost drawer.


    Looking at the familiar little leather case, her eyes inevitably misted over.


    She opened the secret latch of the case, inside which lay a neat row of carving knives.


    Under the dim yellow desk lamp, they emitted a chilling glint.


    But to Gu Qiaoqiao, they felt exceedingly warm.


    These were the carving tools left to her by her grandfather, said to be over two hundred years old.


    In her past life, she had lost them, and by the time she remembered, she couldn¡¯t even enter the Qin Family¡¯s door,


    nor was it possible for her to meet the Qin Family members.


    On the third day after her rebirth, while organizing her clothing, she discovered this leather case.


    Looking at the familiar yet strange carving knives, Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath and closed the case.


    She carefully placed it back in the drawer.


    This was something her grandfather left her, and also the capital for her future livelihood. In this life, she would never lose it again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, looking at those unbearable clothes, truly wanting to drag Bai Yun over and give her a good beating.


    All these clothes were ones Bai Yun had persuaded her to buy.


    A lot of money had been spent, but few items were wearable.


    Yet, they had used up all her dowry money.


    In just half a year.


    During the engagement, the Qin Family had given her five thousand yuan as a betrothal gift.


    Then her parents added another thousand yuan, totaling six thousand yuan, all for her dowry.


    And that one thousand yuan was all of the Gu Family¡¯s savings,


    just so she wouldn¡¯t be mistreated by the Qin Family.


    In 1986, her father¡¯s salary was only seventy-five yuan, and a steamed bun cost just three cents¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao slapped herself.


    Angry at herself, and at Bai Yun.


    After a trip to the foreign trade store, she had spent two thousand yuan.


    She bought a white imported coat that was a size too large, yet Bai Yun couldn¡¯t stop praising it.


    Later, when she went out with Bai Yun, the coat got splashed with red paint, and Bai Yun ended up laughing and saying, ¡°Out with the old, in with the new,¡± then persuaded her to throw it away.

 Chapter 27 - 27: The Breakfast He Made

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The Breakfast He Made


    ¡°`


    Now, looking back, the paint issue was probably arranged by Bai Yun.


    As for the other expenses, she didn¡¯t want to think about them anymore.


    In the end, it was all because of her foolishness.


    In half a year¡¯s time, she had actually managed to spend all six thousand yuan.


    In a way, the Qin Family hadn¡¯t used a penny of it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closed the large doors of the wardrobe.


    The Qin Family didn¡¯t care about her, so naturally, they didn¡¯t pay attention to her.


    So, how the six thousand yuan was spent wasn¡¯t a concern to anyone.


    However, eight hundred yuan of it had actually been borrowed by Bai Yun.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned, fearing that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get the money back because there were no witnesses and no IOU.


    How could Bai Yun possibly admit to it?


    Looking at the twelve yuan and fifty cents in her wallet, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face grew cool.


    This amount of money wouldn¡¯t even buy a train ticket.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood on the balcony, watching the heavy snow fluttering outside the window, but she had to admit that even if she had lived another lifetime, she was not as cunning as Bai Yun, nor as ruthless.


    When she first came to the Imperial Capital, she was as clean as a blank sheet of paper.


    The glitter and bustle of the big city made her feel both inferior and proud, and the simple her was easily hooked by Bai Yun.


    One was unaware she was standing on the edge of hell, the other extended a hand ruthlessly.


    And she, who had experienced more hardship in her past life than most people do in a lifetime, was still kind-hearted in this rebirth, always passive.


    When Bai Yun reached out, she would try to block, and when Bai Yun retracted, she would also quickly fall back.


    In fact, there were far too many accounts to be settled between her and Bai Yun.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that today¡¯s Bai Yun would certainly not be content with suffering in silence. If she remained passive, she might not even know how she died.


    It¡¯s a good idea to take the initiative.


    Gu Qiaoqiao returned to the bedroom. It was already past eleven o¡¯clock, and Qin Yize probably wouldn¡¯t be back tonight.


    She got into bed, and after her tense nerves relaxed, she felt extremely exhausted. Gu Qiaoqiao soon fell into a deep sleep.


    In a daze, a fresh and cold breath lingered over her head, as if she was smelling the fragrance of bamboo leaves in a bamboo forest.


    It seemed as though a thoughtful gaze was watching her, making her feel a bit chilly, so she shrank back into the blankets.


    By the time she opened her eyes, it was already the next morning.


    Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains and cast into the room, bringing with it threads of warmth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the other half of the bed, clean and neat, the air carrying a familiar yet unfamiliar crisp fragrance.


    Last night was not a dream, it turned out Qin Yize had actually come back.


    Gu Qiaoqiao checked the time and hurriedly got out of bed. After washing up, she left the room.


    Breakfast was surprisingly set on the dining table.


    Not far away, she smelled the rich aroma of millet porridge.


    And by the window, Grandma Qin wasn¡¯t sitting in a wheelchair.


    Instead, she was leaning on a red sandalwood cane, talking to Qin Yize with a cheerful smile.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stealthily glanced at her hand, then clenched it quietly.


    However, the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.


    She felt more confident about the future.


    Qin Yize turned around and saw the girl with the delightful smile.


    Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, a red knitted sweater accentuating her slender, fair neck.


    Elegant as an orchid, she stood tall and graceful.


    ¡°`


    Grandma Qin saw Gu Qiaoqiao and smiled so broadly her eyes became mere slits. As Gu Qiaoqiao approached, she waved her off, saying, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you don¡¯t need to come over, I¡¯ll walk to you.¡±


    Leaning on her cane, she took steps towards Gu Qiaoqiao.


    A glint of amusement flashed through Qin Yize¡¯s eyes; his grandma was especially happy today because she hadn¡¯t used her wheelchair.


    She also seemed to have a lot more energy.


    He knew that Gu Qiaoqiao had been giving his grandma massages every night, even yesterday, she only left after ensuring the massage was done.


    Everyone, including himself, simply thought it was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s way of showing filial piety and didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Even Mother Qin was quite dismissive of it.


    But he was well aware of his grandma¡¯s chronic condition; a simple course of medication was not very effective. His goal now was to keep her condition manageable until he could find a better treatment method to eradicate it completely.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that upon waking up and finishing his run this morning, he would find his grandma walking with the aid of a cane.


    It wasn¡¯t an energetic strut, but she genuinely could walk without any sign of struggle or pain.


    He had checked carefully and confirmed it was just as his grandma had described.


    This made Qin Yize¡¯s usually stoic facial features soften a great deal.


    At the same time, a hint of inquiry lay in his eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t look at Qin Yize; when she saw Grandma Qin proudly walk up to her, she nodded and smiled, saying, ¡°Grandma, that method really worked. Give it another week, and you might be able to throw away the cane.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, really.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Qiaoqiao, once I can walk, I¡¯ll take you out for fun,¡± Grandma Qin said with joy in her voice.


    ¡°But Grandma, it¡¯s okay to walk around for exercise these next few days, just don¡¯t do it for more than ten minutes at a time,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao cautioned, still concerned.


    This was the first time Gu Qiaoqiao had used the ¡°Spiritual Energy¡± of her hands to treat someone, and while she knew the effects were definitely good, she still preferred to be cautious. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll do as you say,¡± Grandma Qin hurriedly agreed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled.


    Pointing at the dining table, Grandma Qin spoke with some pride, ¡°Qiaoqiao, this is the breakfast Ah Ze and I made together.¡±


    All these mornings, it had been Gu Qiaoqiao who got up to make breakfast, but this morning she found Qin Yize, who had returned from running, entering the kitchen.


    A man who knows how to cherish his wife is always a good man.


    She was pleased inwardly and naturally, she wanted Gu Qiaoqiao to know it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t surprised at all; she remembered that during the three years at the base, whenever Qin Yize had time, he always cooked for himself.


    Though simple, the dishes were always tasty.


    At the very least, they were much better than what Gu Qiaoqiao could manage back then.


    This man never liked to wrong himself, as evident from how he never made affectionate gestures towards her since he disliked her.


    In the days that followed, Gu Qiaoqiao thought that perhaps the only unfair thing he had done was marrying her.


    At that moment, Qin Yize discovered that Gu Qiaoqiao tended to space out or daydream, lost in thought, as if reminiscing about something.


    And when she did, she seemed to exist in a different world from theirs.


    Dispelling the strange and absurd thoughts from his mind, Qin Yize helped his grandma sit down, while Gu Qiaoqiao headed to the kitchen to serve the rice porridge she had cooked.


    Qin Xiaoyu came out of the room and her first action was to glare fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    But to her surprise, as Gu Qiaoqiao set down the porridge pot, her clear eyes, misty with the morning dew, she asked, puzzled, ¡°Xiao Yu, why are you glaring at me so fiercely?¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu never expected Gu Qiaoqiao to be so direct, leaving her no room to maneuver.


    Her mouth opened to deny it, but she didn¡¯t want to lose face. She finally remembered that Gu Qiaoqiao seemed different from before.


    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s all your fault for what happened to Sister Bai Yun yesterday, making her look so embarrassed,¡± Qin Xiaoyu accused angrily.


    ¡°Xiao Yu.¡± Qin Yize suddenly interjected, his features shifting from gentle to cold. He did not want Xiao Yu involved without understanding last night¡¯s events.


    His sister had been too sheltered by the family, somewhat naively innocent of the ways of the world.

 Chapter 28 - 28: Prosper Together, Lose Together

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Prosper Together, Lose Together


    Qin Yize approached unhurriedly, patted his sister¡¯s head, and softened his voice, ¡°Don¡¯t bring up last night¡¯s matter anymore, be obedient, go call mom and dad over for dinner.¡±


    Injustice pouted Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s lips, she felt like her big brother seemed to be taking Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s side.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed a bowl of porridge on the dining table and said with a half-smile, ¡°Being used as a pawn and still so merry, if not you Qin Xiaoyu, then who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Qin Xiaoyu raised her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve named names, whom do you think I¡¯m talking about?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao leisurely retorted.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes widened with anger, ¡°You bumpkin, stop spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the bumpkin you are the qiang.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao curled her lip, mocking, ¡°Not bad, it¡¯s quite rhyming.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re going too far, it was your fault yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Qin Xiaoyu, you better shut up when you know nothing about the situation!¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, how dare you raise your voice at me?¡±


    ¡°I am your sister-in-law, please do not address me by my name directly, you are a city person, mind your manners and upbringing.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu was so angry that tears started swirling in her eyes.


    She wanted to say that someone like you is not worthy to be my sister-in-law, but seeing her older brother¡¯s slightly darkened gaze, she swallowed the words back.


    But Grandma Qin spoke up.


    ¡°How come you two started quarreling again, Xiao Yu, go call your parents to come out for the meal.¡± She then turned with a smile towards Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t mind Xiao Yu, but what exactly happened last night?¡± Grandma Qin continued to ask with surprise.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize and said slowly to Grandma Qin, ¡°Last night, Bai Yun drank too much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she drank too much¡­¡± Grandma Qin clutched her walking stick but curiously asked, ¡°Did you make her drink too much?¡±


    ¡°Not me.¡±


    ¡°Then it has nothing to do with you. Later I¡¯ll talk to Xiao Yu, this child is obstinately twisted like a pretzel every day, her speech is also thoughtless. Come on, Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s have our meal.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded noncommittally.


    Just now, when she heard Qin Yize stop Xiao Yu, she felt a fire ignite in her heart.


    He could be indifferent, but what right did he have to defend Bai Yun¡¯s reputation?


    Both were people, so why, when Bai Yun was wronged, did everyone protect her?


    Yet in her past life when she suffered even more, no one defended her.


    Unable to control the resentment boiling inside her, that¡¯s why she started arguing with Xiao Yu, and although it was pointless, it still made her feel much more comfortable.


    The Qin family had always prided themselves on being a scholarly family; even if she and Xiao Yu got into a fight, she believed they would still hypocritically reprimand Xiao Yu.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze deepened, in his memory, Gu Qiaoqiao seldom quarreled with Xiao Yu.


    And he noticed, Xiao Yu¡¯s hostility towards Gu Qiaoqiao was significant.


    The serene Qin Yize suddenly became curious about how his little wife and his sister had gotten along over the past six months.


    Meanwhile, his parents, having finished washing up, came out, obviously not having heard the earlier argument in the dining room.


    One reason being that the voices weren¡¯t loud, the other being the distance was quite far.


    After breakfast, Gu Qiaoqiao cleaned up the kitchen and returned to her room.


    But Qin Yize called Xiao Yu to his study and looked at his dissatisfied sister. After thinking it over, he softened his voice, ¡°Xiao Yu, why did you accuse your¡­ sister-in-law¡­in front of everyone last night?¡±


    He was about to say the name Gu Qiaoqiao, but it spun on the tip of his tongue, and instead, he said the words ¡®sister-in-law.¡¯


    ¡°Hmph, it was indeed her fault for drenching Sister Bai Yun with liquor and water,¡± Qin Xiaoyu still indignant.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now, I want to ask you first, do you understand the principle that honor or disgrace is shared by all?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s expression was solemn as he asked seriously.


    ¡°I¡­,¡± Qin Xiaoyu was at a loss for words, stunned for a moment, but when she saw her elder brother¡¯s serene gaze, she lowered her head and said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Yu, Gu Qiaoqiao and I are already husband and wife, and unless something major happens, we might stay together for life. Is it appropriate for you to keep referring to her by her full name day after day?¡±


    ¡°Big brother, do you really want to spend your life with her? She is not worthy of you¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s voice carried a tinge of anger. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The moment I nodded in agreement, that question ceased to exist,¡± said Qin Yize as he looked at his sister, who was huffing with anger yet somewhat confused. He reached out and ruffled her hair gently, continuing, ¡°You¡¯re a smart kid. I just want to tell you my stance. If I didn¡¯t want to live with Gu Qiaoqiao, why would I have agreed in the first place?¡±


    ¡°But Brother, Sister Bai Yun she¡­¡±


    Qin Yize interrupted Qin Xiaoyu, while a touch of displeasure rose in his heart. This Bai Yun was a bit abnormal.


    Her actions were completely illogical.


    He knew Bai Yun liked him, but what was in her heart when she always came to see Gu Qiaoqiao?


    And yet, she had his sister so biased towards her?


    He remembered that two years ago, his sister and Bai Yun had even had a falling out.


    If the girl he liked got married, what would he do?


    Would he become brotherly with the girl¡¯s husband?


    At this point, Qin Yize realized he could not empathize.


    Because he did not have any girl that he liked.


    Nor could he find a hypothetical object for such a scenario.


    His brows furrowed imperceptibly as he cast aside this somewhat troubling thought and suddenly asked in a light tone, ¡°Xiao Yu, did Bai Yun really drink alcohol yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I find it odd too, Sister Bai Yun doesn¡¯t seem to drink¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown a year older after the New Year, and I know you¡¯re innocent at heart, but sometimes your words can be quite hurtful. If you ever have a clash with someone with a short temper, you will suffer,¡± Qin Yize reminded methodically.


    ¡°Hmph, with such a formidable big brother like you, who would dare to bully me?¡±


    Qin Yize felt amused and was about to speak when the phone on his desk rang.


    He picked up the call.


    Unexpectedly, the voice on the other end of the line was a stranger¡¯s.


    A moment later, Qin Yize hung up the phone and said to Qin Xiaoyu, ¡°Your sister-in-law and I are going to the hospital, go and take a walk with Grandma Qin in the backyard.¡±


    Having said that, Qin Yize left the study.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected that the old gentleman from last night would actually ask for her by name.


    ¡°You saved the person, and you drove away the hooligan. I didn¡¯t do anything, I won¡¯t go,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao bluntly refused.


    ¡°What, are you still angry with Xiao Yu?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s handsome eyebrows lifted slightly, and he asked in a rare, gentle manner.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave Qin Yize a surprised glance and scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m about to become irrelevant to all of this, why should I be angry with her?¡±


    Qin Yize fell silent.


    His eyes, usually filled with starlight, became somewhat dim, and the atmosphere that was somewhat warm suddenly froze into a glacier.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a tightness in her chest.


    There was no denying that she did not want to face the cold version of Qin Yize at all.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze hardened as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao. After a few moments, he began to speak slowly, his voice carrying a warning, ¡°Put away your inappropriate thoughts, I do not want to hear such words again.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 She Was Actually Speechless

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29 She Was Actually Speechless


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned as she looked at Qin Yize,


    apparently gauging the truth of his words.


    A moment later, Gu Qiaoqiao knew that Qin Yize really had no intention of divorcing her.


    But what did that mean?


    Tied together like this, wasn¡¯t he in pain?


    Or perhaps, he never considered marriage a significant matter in life.


    That¡¯s why he gave her the marriage, the title of wife, and maybe he thought that was sufficient.


    But what about his responsibilities as a husband?


    A cold annoyance tinted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes as she seriously asked Qin Yize, ¡°Do you think we resemble a married couple at all? We¡¯re even less familiar than strangers. The future is so long, living like this would be painful. Ending it early is the best choice right now.¡±


    Qin Yize stood five steps away from Gu Qiaoqiao. The morning sunlight enveloped her entirely, creating a poetic and picturesque three-dimensionality.


    The young girl¡¯s fair skin glistened warmly in the sunlight.


    It actually made Qin Yize¡¯s eyes brighten a bit.


    When one¡¯s mood changes, the way they look at others changes as well.


    Qin Yize felt bewildered by his own thoughts and reflected on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words ¡ª strangers, pain?


    He felt displeased, thinking that Gu Qiaoqiao was being unreasonable.


    A moment later, just when Gu Qiaoqiao thought he would leave indifferently as usual, Qin Yize¡¯s clear voice resonated in the room.


    Like a droplet falling onto a stone in a stream, melodious but icy cold, without a hint of warmth, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I remember when you pointed at me and said you wanted to marry me, it was our first meeting. Our second was the wedding, and I had to leave that day due to some matters. Now, this is our third time, and you¡¯re considering the issue of being strangers; isn¡¯t it a bit late?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, then a feeling of embarrassed annoyance arose. She knit her brows, her lips parted, but found she seemed to have no right to speak on the matter of being strangers.


    Coldness tinged the corners of Qin Yize¡¯s mouth as he stared straight at Gu Qiaoqiao, who appeared to be at a loss for words, ¡°As for the pain, I have never felt that being married to you was painful, and until before New Year¡¯s Eve, you didn¡¯t feel it was painful either. One¡¯s thoughts only overturn overnight if they go through life¡¯s drastic ups and downs. Tell me the real reason, and I can consider it.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood frozen, with Qin Yize¡¯s words causing her heart to stir.


    She knew of Qin Yize¡¯s keenness and his doubts and confusion about her.


    Her hands, which hung by her sides, slowly clenched together.


    How could she tell him the real reason?


    That she had returned from a past life, that in her past life, there was nothing but pain between them, along with the hatred between their two families?


    Let alone whether he would believe her, she definitely would not tell him.


    This was her secret alone, one to take to the grave.


    And she also discovered that Qin Yize was not as silent as she had perceived him to be.


    When he wanted to earnestly discuss an issue with her, she almost had no power to rebut.


    This realization made the current Gu Qiaoqiao feel somewhat ashamed.


    And her shame was reflected on her face, her cheeks blushing like dawn breaking through clouds, yet suddenly imbued with a burst of life.


    Qin Yize unobtrusively withdrew his gaze, also calming the somewhat cold aura he had just now.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao like this, he also felt that perhaps his words had been a bit too harsh.


    He lowered his gaze, softened his voice, ¡°Since there¡¯s no appropriate reason, why don¡¯t you come to the hospital with me first? Even if the elderly gentleman from last night didn¡¯t specifically ask you to come, it¡¯s normal for you to accompany me to see him.¡±


    While speaking, he went to the wardrobe, took out a woolen coat and put it on, then opened another wardrobe door. Upon seeing the colorful clothes inside, he imperceptibly frowned his handsome brows.


    Gu Qiaoqiao saw Qin Yize open her wardrobe door and looked at it with furrowed brows. She quickly walked over and closed the door with a huff, saying irritably, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Qin Yize stepped back, donning his scarf, and said indifferently to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the living room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why the old gentleman insists on you coming?¡±


    ¡°One should repay kindness; the old gentleman is a conscientious person,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said meaningfully.


    Qin Yize, with his hands in his coat pockets, did not delve into the meaning behind Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words. Instead, he effortlessly changed the topic, ¡°Bai Yun¡¯s mother is inherently unreasonable and likes to create a fuss. If I¡¯m not wrong, she¡¯s coming to settle accounts with you. Bai Yun will certainly stop her, and those two must be arguing right now. Even if you¡¯ve prepared yourself for battle, you¡¯ll probably end up disappointed in the end.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened suddenly.


    Prepared for battle?


    Was it that obvious?


    Yet, it was undeniable that she was indeed eagerly waiting for the Bai Family¡¯s people.


    But at the same time, her mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, and bitterness surged in her heart.


    If he was so smart, why didn¡¯t he realize she had been framed in her previous life? Moreover, he received a phone call at two in the morning and then disappeared for an entire day.


    How cold-hearted he must have been to turn a blind eye to everything about her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao snorted coldly. The matter of divorce, it would be good to let Shen Manru know at the right moment¡ªshe thought Shen Manru would be only too pleased.


    With that thought, she took out a down jacket. She had changed her mind. Why shouldn¡¯t she go? Why should Qin Yize gain from this favor for nothing? S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it weren¡¯t for her hands imbued with spiritual energy, even if an ambulance was called or Qin Yize personally performed the surgery, it would still have been the elderly gentleman¡¯s cold corpse in the end.


    As she dressed, she scoffed, ¡°You sure know Bai Yun well. How do you know she will stop it? Maybe she can¡¯t wait for her mother to come to me to settle the score.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± Qin Yize shook his head with certainty. ¡°Throwing water has consequences, but there¡¯s also a cause to consider. Pulling back and forth will only make things messier. Bai Yun is so cunning, she won¡¯t let herself end up in an awkward situation.¡±


    ¡°You know she¡¯s cunning?¡±


    ¡°Seems like more than you,¡± Qin Yize didn¡¯t mince his words.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao found herself at a loss for words.


    Qin Yize glanced at the time, no longer interested in bickering with Gu Qiaoqiao. A hint of unnoticed amusement flitted through his eyes as he took the lead and walked outside.


    Throughout the way, Gu Qiaoqiao pondered for a long time and eventually felt that Qin Yize was right.


    Bai Yun wouldn¡¯t let her apologize.


    She had a guilty conscience, after all, she feared retribution.


    If she were still the foolish and naive Gu Qiaoqiao of the past, Bai Yun would definitely not miss the chance to make her humble herself.


    But not now.


    Because Bai Yun knew that Gu Qiaoqiao was no longer the one who used to be at her beck and call.


    Without absolute certainty, she would certainly not take risks.


    She might even remain as affectionate as before, then wait for the right moment to bite her.

 Chapter 30 - 30: Old Mr. Luos Test

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Old Mr. Luo¡¯s Test


    Enmity with Bai Yun wasn¡¯t something that could be erased simply by divorcing Qin Yize.


    In this life, she would make her understand what it meant to reap what one sows.


    They soon arrived at the hospital.


    Incredibly, someone from the old gentleman was waiting for them downstairs.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wondered¡ªcould the old man from last night be someone of status?


    Otherwise, why would he be staying in the most luxurious ward on the highest floor, and why were there bodyguards and police guarding the exit?


    If it weren¡¯t for this polite young man leading them, they may not have been able to enter.


    The young man gently opened the door to the hospital room.


    The old gentleman from last night was actually sitting up in bed. When he saw them enter, his somewhat sharp eyes instantly softened with affection and gratitude.


    Qin Yize placed the fruit basket he had bought on the way on the bedside table.


    The old gentleman¡¯s scrutinizing gaze glanced at Qin Yize, but he couldn¡¯t help but admire that this was a person of character.


    Handsome and distinguished in appearance, yet his eyes occasionally revealed a brilliance like a treasured sword waiting to be unsheathed, despite attempts to hide its luster, it was inevitably going to shine brightly.


    From the information he had received, the marriage between these two had come about in an interesting way, and he knew that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s days in the Qin Family had been difficult. Before seeing Qin Yize, he had his own plans.


    But now, he couldn¡¯t help but feel regret for his own family.


    Qin Yize might appear cool and indifferent, but he wasn¡¯t someone who would easily compromise, not to mention, he was also his savior.


    After putting aside thoughts that shouldn¡¯t be there, he expressed his gratitude to Qin Yize most earnestly, while Qin Yize calmly and politely attributed his actions to the duty of a medical practitioner.


    In fact, Qin Yize had no intention of accepting the old gentleman¡¯s gratitude. When the old gentleman was out of danger last night, it was already two in the morning.


    There were no family or friends by his side.


    Even without that phone call, he would have gone to the hospital after finishing his talk with Xiao Yu.


    Now that he saw the old gentleman wasn¡¯t alone, he was relieved.


    As for the rest, no matter how prestigious the old gentleman¡¯s status was, he didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Imperial Capital was a place full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, let alone for someone who grew up in an area where the wealthy congregated.


    The old gentleman took out his business card and handed it to Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize did not refuse but accepted it politely.


    The old gentleman¡¯s name was Luo, and his title was that of a chairman of some overseas conglomerate.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows knitted ever so slightly.


    Luo Zhenyu, a very familiar name.


    And at that moment, the door was pushed open.


    A man who appeared to be about twenty-four or twenty-five entered. He had a tall build, a clear-cut face, and under a pair of sword-like eyebrows were a pair of slender peach blossom eyes.


    When he looked at you, his gaze always seemed to carry a hazy smile and affection.


    Luo Zhenyu introduced the man to Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao with a warm tone, ¡°Yize, Qiaoqiao, this is my eldest grandson, Luo Fan. Luo Fan, these two are my lifesavers, Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±


    Luo Fan was a clever and naturally jovial person, offering a thousand thanks to Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao. Then, catching his grandfather¡¯s eye, he smiled amicably at Qin Yize. ¡°Yize, I was wondering if you¡¯re available right now?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s starry eyes glimmered with a dark light, ¡°Of course it¡¯s convenient.¡±


    ¡°I have something that I¡¯d like to ask you. Can we step aside to talk?¡± Luo Fan¡¯s tone was earnest, and his expression was very serious.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, who quickly spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside for you.¡±


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat uneasy. The reason was that Old Mr. Luo, when he had walked into the room just earlier, had given her a look that was simply too complex. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if he saw a treasure, excited, yet mixed with a trace of respect.


    Mysterious and discordant.


    Naturally, Gu Qiaoqiao did not want to stay alone.


    Qin Yize nodded.


    However, Old Mr. Luo immediately spoke up, his voice gentle and filled with hope, ¡°Qiaoqiao, could you keep me company for a little talk?¡±


    Both Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao were taken aback.


    Luo Fan glanced at his grandfather, and his tone suddenly deepened, ¡°I once had a younger sister, about the same age as you, Qiaoqiao, but alas¡­¡±


    Without needing to hear the rest, Gu Qiaoqiao understood.


    Seeing Old Mr. Luo¡¯s eyes brimming with tears, her heart unexpectedly softened, and after a moment, she nodded.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao, and when he saw that she wasn¡¯t looking at him, he quietly curled the corners of his mouth, strode forward with his long legs, and followed Luo Fan outside.


    The hospital room door was closed securely.


    Luo Zhenyu said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, come and sit over here.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao, unpretentious, sat in the chair next to the old man¡¯s hospital bed.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, my surname is Luo. I wanted to keep you alone to express my gratitude for your life-saving grace.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes shifted slightly, feeling that the elderly man was indeed a person of deep emotions.


    She politely said, ¡°Elder Luo, it was Qin Yize who saved you yesterday. I merely lent a hand, I really don¡¯t deserve your thanks.¡±


    ¡°Child, I¡¯m about the same age as your grandfather. If you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Grandpa Luo.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao had long seen through the coldness of the Mortal World, and she could tell at a glance those who harbored good intentions. She acquiesced smoothly, ¡°Grandpa Luo¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, good child.¡± Luo Zhenyu was pleased. He took a deep breath, his face becoming solemn, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I know, if you hadn¡¯t been there last night, by the time the ambulance arrived, I would have been dead¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened in an instant.


    Her heart also started to race, she didn¡¯t know how the elderly man could say such a thing, yet she suppressed her emotions and smiled, ¡°Grandpa Luo, it was the doctor¡¯s effort, and also a matter of your good fortune.¡±


    Luo Zhenyu gazed deeply at Gu Qiaoqiao, then extended his right hand towards her and said, ¡°Fifty years ago, this wrist of mine was cut by bandits during a kidnapping. They severed an artery when I was fifteen, leaving only a tendon connected¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the wrist in shock. Besides some wrinkling of the skin due to age, she couldn¡¯t see even a scar.


    Could it be¡­


    She clasped her hands together, her smile fading from her face as she looked seriously at Luo Zhenyu.


    Luo Zhenyu, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression, fell silent for a moment and then continued, ¡°At that time, after the bandits took the ransom silver, they were not willing to release me and planned to chop off my limbs and throw them into the mountains to feed the beasts. However, they didn¡¯t expect that right after they cut off one of my hands, a master appeared¡­¡±


    As he reached this part of the story, the old man¡¯s eyes shone brightly, his voice filled with reverence, ¡°It was a master, clad in plain white monk¡¯s robes. With a wave of his sleeve, he knocked the two bandits unconscious, then carried me out of the valley.¡±


    ¡°He moved very quickly, and within a few minutes, we were on level ground. He tore off a corner of his monk¡¯s robe, pressed it against my severed wrist, and I felt waves of warmth flowing from the fabric into my blood. About half an hour later, my severed hand was as good as new, moving freely.¡±

 Chapter 31 - 31: The Unspeakable Secret

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Unspeakable Secret Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s red lips were tightly pursed, and although her beautiful features were cast downward, there was a sense of understanding and a hint of caution in her expression. It didn¡¯t need much thought to realize that the master¡¯s hand also possessed Spiritual Energy, yet his was far superior to hers.


    He could mend bones and regenerate tendons. A severed hand could be restored as if nothing had happened. She, it seemed, couldn¡¯t possibly do that.


    ¡°At the time, although I was young, I knew I had encountered a remarkable person. Before I had the chance to thank him, the master had already drifted away, and since then, I¡¯ve never seen him again¡­¡±


    Luo Zhenyu¡¯s voice was filled with longing. He let out a long sigh and looked earnestly at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t be afraid or defensive around Grandpa Luo. I won¡¯t hurt you in the slightest, nor will I let anyone else know that you saved my life. I know what you want to say. I¡¯m telling you all this today just to let you know that Grandpa Luo understands¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her clear, water-like eyes to look at Grandpa Luo. The kindness in the old man¡¯s eyes and his reverence for her as a so-called ¡°remarkable person¡± quietly relieved her.


    However, she feigned confusion, ¡°Grandpa Luo, you must be overthinking it. Perhaps when I pressed the handkerchief to the wound, it indeed helped stop the bleeding. That could be called a fluke, remarkably different from the master you mentioned¡­¡±


    Luo Zhenyu knew that Gu Qiaoqiao was still somewhat defensive, but this child was only eighteen and hardly knew the extent of her own abilities. Ultimately, she was still in danger.


    He looked toward the doorway, aware that the astute Luo Fan must have gone to the reception room with Qin Yize.


    The old man shifted slightly, suddenly lifting his hospital uniform, and pointing to a spot for Gu Qiaoqiao to see, ¡°This is where the dagger stabbed me last night¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly stood up.


    Her eyes widened in shock.


    Her heart started thumping wildly once again.


    The spot was just below the heart, where one would expect to see a swath of bandages, yet now there was only a scar about an inch long, and it had already scabbed over.


    Though it wasn¡¯t as good as new, the color of the scar was almost the same as his other skin, almost negligible.


    Gu Qiaoqiao moved her hands behind her back.


    She stared intently at Luo Zhenyu and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Grandpa Luo, what are you trying to tell me?¡±


    Luo Zhenyu put down his hospital uniform, gestured for Gu Qiaoqiao to sit, and then began gently, ¡°Qiaoqiao, Grandpa Luo wants to explain the dangers of possessing a treasure.¡±


    ¡°The dangers of possessing a treasure?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao murmured.


    Wasn¡¯t that the truth? Perhaps the secret of being reborn could be kept forever, but these hands¡ªif known by the wrong people¡ªcould put her in extreme danger, and even bring trouble upon her family like in her previous life.


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face turned somewhat pale.


    But Luo Zhenyu continued, ¡°Qiaoqiao, from now on, you must be cautious. Until you have the ability to protect yourself, do not use your hands on other people¡¯s wounds.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Luo, not to hide it from you, I¡¯m not one to meddle, but the situation last night was urgent, and I couldn¡¯t bear to see you lose your life, so I took the risk¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao divulged, putting her nervous heart away.


    She thought, if this old man wanted to harm her, he wouldn¡¯t have spoken to her alone and warned her.


    But, she had to let the old man know, she wasn¡¯t someone who would save just anybody.


    Having already died once, Gu Qiaoqiao was not actually afraid of death.


    What she feared was not being able to repay her family¡¯s debts during her lifetime and provide a better life for them.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, Grandpa knows. This morning¡¯s care was all handled by my personal doctor. No one else will know, but about this hand, in this world, only you, Gu Qiaoqiao, know,¡± the elder stated meaningfully.


    Was this an exchange?


    Though it was somewhat direct, Gu Qiaoqiao felt more reassured.


    Luo Zhenyu raised his right hand and chuckled towards Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, this right hand of mine has also been touched by the master¡¯s grace.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, can it turn Stone into Gold?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked curiously.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Luo Zhenyu laughed heartily and happily, glad to have closed the distance with Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You think it¡¯s a myth, like turning stone into gold? It¡¯s not that spectacular, but things do get done more efficiently. It¡¯s hard to describe.¡±


    Luo Zhenyu didn¡¯t wait for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak, because it had been a while and Qin Yize would be back soon. That guy was too astute. Since she hadn¡¯t told the kid, he was happy to keep it that way.


    Thus, Luo Zhenyu took out a black and gold business card and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°My phone number and other contact information are on here. Grandpa initially wanted to check on things since he¡¯s back in the country, but now he¡¯s not leaving. Qiaoqiao, if you ever need anything, you must call Grandpa, okay?¡±


    Old Mr. Luo¡¯s eyes carried a sincere plea, and there was a hint of request, as if it would be his honor to receive a call from Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao accepted it naturally.


    Her eyes scanned the card, and the old man was actually the chairman of Huanyu Group, along with a string of impressive titles that were astonishing.


    Huanyu Group?


    Luo Zhenyu?


    That name sounds so familiar.


    But seeing the eager and hopeful look in the old man¡¯s eyes, she suddenly understood.


    She was currently alone and penniless; she couldn¡¯t possibly lead her family to an imaginary land of joy and plenty.


    To survive in this world, going it alone obviously wouldn¡¯t work. Connections were the most important in any era.


    Now that Old Mr. Luo had extended an olive branch, it was not unreasonable for her to accept it.


    At the very least, the old man truly cared about her.


    This world was too cold; no matter what the old man¡¯s intentions were, her heart still felt warm.


    If it weren¡¯t for Old Mr. Luo¡¯s reminder, she might have stumbled into trouble in the future.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put the business card into the pocket of her down jacket.


    She nodded slightly.


    It was then that Luo Zhenyu truly felt relieved, looking eagerly at Gu Qiaoqiao and asked, ¡°Qiaoqiao, do you need Grandpa¡¯s help with anything right now?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°No.¡±


    At that moment, the door was pushed open.


    Qin Yize and Luo Fan came in.


    Clearly, their talk had gone well.


    After saying goodbye to Luo Zhenyu, Qin Yize accompanied Gu Qiaoqiao as they left the hospital.


    The weather after the heavy snow was actually extremely cold.


    But it was already the start of spring; the cold wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    In some places, the snow hadn¡¯t been thoroughly cleared and made a crunching sound underfoot.


    The man next to her was tall and striking, occasionally attracting the gazes of the surrounding girls.


    However, this era was still somewhat conservative; at most, they would boldly glance a few times.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t paying attention to this; she buried her face in her scarf and began to reflect on Luo Zhenyu¡¯s words, wondering why his name seemed so familiar.

 Chapter 32 - 32 She Remembers Who Luo Zhenyu Is (Added Chapter)

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32 She Remembers Who Luo Zhenyu Is (Added Chapter)


    At this moment, the two of them had reached the bus stop.


    There weren¡¯t many people waiting, and in the biting cold, there was a definite shiver in the air.


    From a distance, a melodious song faintly drifted over, apparently the one sung at the Spring Festival Gala, {The Beauty of Spring}. It was a mystery which merchant was so swift to already have it playing on a tape recorder.


    Or perhaps it had already been there before.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shrank further into her scarf.


    This reminded Qin Yize of the dappled little squirrel he had seen in the snowy nest in the Northern Border City.


    It also seemed to shrink back into the snow drifts in the same way.


    Only a pair of shiny big eyes was visible.


    And now, with most of her face covered, it was hard to tell what Gu Qiaoqiao was thinking.


    But he knew that Gu Qiaoqiao was keeping many things from him.


    This realization brought a hint of displeasure to his heart.


    Yet, when he thought about what Gu Qiaoqiao had said about strangers, it wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable.


    They truly didn¡¯t know each other well enough.


    Although they were husband and wife, they seemed even less familiar than strangers.


    His gaze grew profound.


    The bus arrived.


    The two of them boarded.


    It wasn¡¯t crowded, and Gu Qiaoqiao chose a seat by the window, not expecting Qin Yize to sit down beside her.


    Sitting up straight, not looking around, but carrying that uniquely cold and sharp scent of bamboo leaves that belonged only to him.


    Alien, yet invasive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt completely uncomfortable, but at that moment, the bus started moving.


    She furrowed her brows and looked indifferently out the window.


    It was only when she saw a patrol of Public Security officers that her mind exploded with a thunderous realization.


    Her body stiffened instantly; she finally remembered who Luo Zhenyu was.


    In her previous life, on the night of her junior year in high school, which was just yesterday, an elderly man who had made great contributions to the New Nation was stabbed to death by four hooligans in an alley.


    The body was discovered in the early hours of the next morning.


    It was already frozen stiff.


    The case shocked the entire Imperial Capital, and while the murderer was quickly identified, the area around that alley had been under martial law for a month. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And a severe crackdown began throughout the Imperial Capital.


    In her previous life, Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t left the house since that day; she had learned about it from Mr. Qin.


    With this in mind, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly turned her head.


    She looked directly at Qin Yize sitting beside her.


    She remembered now that in her previous life, around two o¡¯clock in the morning on the fourth day, he had received a phone call and left, not returning until the evening. He hadn¡¯t had dinner and had locked himself in the study.


    He didn¡¯t come out all night.


    It was unclear whether it was out of hate, or because of love.


    She remembered everything about Qin Yize very clearly.


    She recalled that Qin Yize, who was already as cold as snow, had turned into an icy, sealed deep pool after that day.


    At the time, she had thought it was because she had lost face, but looking back now, that wasn¡¯t it.


    No matter how embarrassing that day was, it was not as bad as the first day.


    Then the following events became easier to analyze.


    Although Qin Yize was a medical research doctor, he had also undergone special training.


    He also had an exceptional sensitivity to the scent of blood.


    And that day, because Qin Xiaoyu and Bai Yun chatted incessantly along the way, with Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s loud voice, and her own head feeling groggy, staggering as she walked, Bai Yun supported her on one side while talking to Qin Yize, who was also helping her.


    Added to that were her intermittent crying sounds, so when they passed the alley, they utterly failed to notice anything unusual happening there.


    In this life, the journey was quiet; naturally, he heard the faint cries for help from the elderly man right away.


    Or perhaps he first detected the scent of blood.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize¡¯s profile, which resembled a perfect sculpture, and wondered to herself, had this man felt extreme self-blame and regret in his heart after the Public Security found out that they happened to be passing by at that time, in her previous life?


    Did it become the guilt of his lifetime?


    Though, in reality, without her, the old man from her past life could hardly have escaped death.


    Nevertheless, no matter what, he found out and he went to save him.


    Rather than finding out he missed the opportunity to save a life only after being questioned by the Public Security.


    There¡¯s even a possibility that he tried to save a life by going to the emergency room and stepping onto the operating table, but despite doing everything he could, he was still unable to bring the person back.


    Back then, Qin Yize was actually riding high, full of vigor, and outstanding among his peers.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, did he feel utterly ashamed in front of the Public Security in her past life?


    These things, she would never know.


    Yet she clearly remembered that when she later told him she wasn¡¯t drunk that day and something was off, he did not only avoid listening to her details but also indifferently walked away.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s thoughts were churning, but she had no idea how long she had been staring at Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize felt somewhat puzzled, slightly amused, and a bit baffled.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze was strange, as if she was looking through him at someone else.


    This realization caused Qin Yize to furrow his brows, continuing to look straight ahead, he spoke softly, ¡°Have you looked enough?¡±


    The sound of a girl¡¯s giggle followed.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao snap out of it, turning her head woodenly to look out the window.


    She seemed to understand the indifference and the faint impatience he had shown those days in her past life, but whether in her past or present life, she would never forgive!


    Bai Yun, Qin Xiaoyu, Ning Yuli, Zhu Jianguo¡­


    If not for their plots, if the two of them, like any other couple, had walked home, how could they not have noticed what was happening in the alleyway?


    Or perhaps, he should have silenced Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu then.


    That way, he could have heard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat embarrassed, alright, in truth, she too cried all the way home.


    But still¡­ if¡­


    So many assumptions brought a cold smile to the corners of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth.


    What difference did all these make against the terrifying nature of the human heart?


    She bit her lip, grateful that everything had started over again.


    Not only did Luo Zhenyu not die in this life, but he also turned misfortune into a blessing, ending up with a body much healthier than before.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s stiff body relaxed.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize felt that Gu Qiaoqiao was embarrassed by what he said.


    He also wondered if his words just then had been too harsh?


    Lately, she had rarely looked him in the eye, and on the rare occasions she did, it lacked the previous shyness and affection.


    Most of the time, it seemed as though she was looking through him at something else.


    That unfamiliar expression and thoughtful appearance made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.


    Perhaps it was a flaw in human nature.


    When she looked at him with love, he felt it as a burden, but when she genuinely regarded him as a stranger, he wished that his shadow would be present in those clear, watery eyes.


    Qin Yize despised himself.


    If he didn¡¯t object to her sneaking glances, why did he expose her just now?


    It would have been better to pretend ignorance.


    From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, only to find that she¡¯d almost completely turned away.


    The corners of Qin Yize¡¯s lips curved into a handsome arc, his eyes sparkling with a glimmering light as the sun rapidly passed by.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was on the old man Luo Zhenyu.


    She had said yesterday that for three generations up, they mostly came from humble beginnings.


    The statement made sense but was not applicable to Luo Zhenyu.


    He came from a truly prestigious and well-known family.


    Even if you counted ten generations back, they were illustrious.


    Just like the Qin Family!

 Chapter 33 - 32: I Just Want the Result

    Chapter 33: Chapter 32: I Just Want the Result


    The Luo Family had once produced three top scholars.


    Some descendants became prime ministers, while others commanded armies and fought battles far and wide.


    It was a family with an extremely rich heritage.


    Even in the hands of Luo Zhenyu, this remained the case.


    Before the establishment of the New Nation, he had taken his family¡¯s young members to deliver medicine and food to the soldiers fighting at the front lines, and donated nearly half of his family¡¯s wealth in money and goods.


    Atop the city tower in the Imperial Capital, he had participated in the founding ceremony with the nation¡¯s founding fathers.


    She knew no more than that.


    However, from what she had just heard between him and Luo Fan, it was clear that the Luo family had businesses both domestically and internationally.


    They say that leaves fall back to their roots.


    The old man wanted to return home, which is why he had come back to visit.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected that, when he visited the alley where he once lived alone, an accident would occur.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    In this world, every drink and peck is predestined!


    Looking at it now, this saying indeed seems to hold some truth.


    The bus slowly came to a stop.


    Qin Yize stood up and turned to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was still lost in thought, and gently reminded her, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    He never knew what Gu Qiaoqiao was thinking about all day.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao come to her senses and followed Qin Yize off the bus.


    The chilly air hit her face, but it cleared her mind considerably.


    The tangled entanglements of her past and present lives kept her silent as she walked towards the Qin family¡¯s place.


    Qin Yize frowned noncommittally.


    He strode forward, keeping pace beside Gu Qiaoqiao.


    They reached home without another word.


    Shen Manru had prepared the meal and asked about the situation at the hospital, but Qin Yize didn¡¯t tell her whom he had saved.


    Naturally, Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t say much either.


    After lunch and cleaning up the kitchen, Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her room.


    Yet she hadn¡¯t noticed Qin Yize, who had seemingly left the house again. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She cast a fleeting glance at Qin Yize and walked towards the balcony.


    She didn¡¯t expect Qin Yize to call out to her, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao halted her steps, then turned around and quietly looked at Qin Yize.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you touched the salary I gave you?¡± Qin Yize asked in a deep voice.


    Salary?


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned, unable to recall anything about a salary.


    ¡°I remember giving it to you as soon as we got home, why did you leave it all in the drawer?¡±


    Qin Yize asked nonchalantly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked toward the study, feeling her memory should be intact, wondering how she could forget.


    Seeing her still looking puzzled, Qin Yize went to the study, opened the drawer, and placed a stack of money on the coffee table, ¡°The Border City Experimental Base is quite remote, and many things are inconvenient to buy. The malls open tomorrow, and if you have time, you can go buy some daily necessities you need.¡±


    His voice was very calm and indifferent, completely unaffected by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cold expression.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the stack of money and rejected it without thinking, ¡°There¡¯s no need to buy anything, I¡¯m not going to Border City with you.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows moved slightly, but he didn¡¯t dwell on the issue. Instead, he said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I have to go out for a bit.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyebrows in surprise and found it amusing, so she smirked sarcastically and turned her head away.


    She didn¡¯t want to see him; the longer she stayed with him, the more suffocated she felt.


    Yet, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that the first barrier to proposing a divorce would be Qin Yize¡¯s disapproval.


    If he didn¡¯t agree, it would be very troublesome.


    Qin Yize saw Gu Qiaoqiao turn her head away, but he truly didn¡¯t understand what her action meant.


    Was it because she was upset that he was going out, or because she was upset that he wasn¡¯t taking her with him?


    He fastened the buttons of his coat, feeling it necessary to explain where he was going, and also to remind Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to a KTV to meet Brother Hao. These few days¡ª¡± Qin Yize paused here before continuing, ¡°these few days don¡¯t get in touch with Bai Yun until I investigate what happened last night clearly.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly turned her head around.


    She stared hard at Qin Yize, and at that moment, it seemed as if all her blood was rushing to her head, ¡°Why are you meeting Brother Hao, why shouldn¡¯t I contact Bai Yun, and what are you investigating?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s hand, which was on the door, slowly lowered. After thinking, he took two steps closer to Gu Qiaoqiao and said, looking down, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, do you know something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, what are you investigating?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly raised her voice.


    Qin Yize frowned, but still spoke with patience.


    ¡°Chengfeng told me roughly, Xiao Yu also said that when you and Bai Yun, Ning Yuli went out, you were looking for me in the private room, claiming the person there was me. But that person was Zhu Jianguo, Bai Yun¡¯s cousin, who grew up with her. How confused does one have to be to mistake her own cousin for me, and Zhu Jianguo said Bai Yun had a glass of brandy in the private room. Xiao Yu said that when Bai Yun was sitting next to her, there were no signs of being drunk¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want to investigate?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked hoarsely.


    ¡°Bai Yun¡¯s hysterical state is suspicious. Acting drunk to the point of undressing seems excessive, so, if it wasn¡¯t the brandy, then it must have been something wrong with the orange juice she drank.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at Qin Yize, her mind buzzing as if something was echoing.


    But Qin Yize thought that Gu Qiaoqiao was scared. He softened his voice, but his eyes were somewhat cold, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, the human heart is the most unpredictable. We don¡¯t harm others, but basic self-protection is still necessary.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands slowly clenched together, and the hatred in her heart spread like wild grass rapidly growing across a prairie, instantly filling her heart.


    If Qin Yize in her past life had been so sharp in detecting her odd behavior, would the following days have had fewer tragedies?


    If he had been this patient in reminding her, would her life have been less difficult?


    It¡¯s a pity, in this life, she didn¡¯t need it anymore.


    Gu Qiaoqiao coldly looked at Qin Yize, the hatred in her eyes impossible to hide. She suddenly spoke sarcastically, ¡°Qin Yize, it turns out your eyes aren¡¯t blind after all.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows tightened, his gaze becoming sharp as he set aside his gentle demeanor. He wasn¡¯t angry, but asked Gu Qiaoqiao lightly, ¡°What exactly do you know about last night¡¯s incident?¡±


    The atmosphere in the room was somewhat oppressive, as if the air had cooled several degrees.


    ¡°It was my first time at KTV, what do you think I would know?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked back with a cold laugh.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t you want to know the truth?¡± Qin Yize took a deep breath and asked softly.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I only want the outcome; the reasons and the truth are no longer important to me,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao spoke somberly.


    ¡°So the outcome you want is to make Bai Yun lose face publicly?¡± Qin Yize asked in an even tone.


    ¡°What, do you feel sorry for her?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked mockingly.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s frown deepened, his voice somewhat suppressed with anger, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, there is nothing between me and Bai Yun. Don¡¯t mix me up with her!¡±

 Chapter 34 - 33 The Feeling of Being Watched by a Wolf

    Chapter 34: Chapter 33 The Feeling of Being Watched by a Wolf


    ¡°`


    ¡°Then who were you investigating for?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked disdainfully.


    ¡°For¡­¡±


    That word ¡°you¡± that Qin Yize was about to say got swallowed back down under Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s angry gaze.


    Qin Yize, who had never thought his actions would be disdained and questioned, felt a surge of shame and annoyance that was completely new to him.


    ¡°Who you¡¯re investigating for has nothing to do with me, I only want the results I desire. As for anything else, I have no interest whatsoever,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said indifferently.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes darkened.


    Unmoved, Gu Qiaoqiao continued to look at Qin Yize with mocking eyes, ¡°Hurry up with your investigation then. In a few days, you¡¯ll be leaving. Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste if there isn¡¯t enough time and all the big talk becomes empty words?¡±


    Qin Yize stared fixedly at Gu Qiaoqiao, this little woman who seemed to have put up countless spikes around herself; she really didn¡¯t understand him at all.


    He walked toward Gu Qiaoqiao with even steps, each one powerful and seemingly carrying an overwhelming sense of pressure.


    He was like a wolf that had spotted its prey, a cold light flashing in his eyes as if calculating the best spot to bite.


    And such a Qin Yize made Gu Qiaoqiao want to turn around and run away.


    But she gritted her teeth and stood her ground.


    Qin Yize stopped just one step away from Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He looked intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, and for some reason, he had the urge to pluck out all the spines from this little woman¡¯s body.


    Although he did not like the her from before, he also did not like her now, filled with hatred towards him.


    Why was that?


    If she wished to love, she could love; if she didn¡¯t, she could just divorce.


    Was he, Qin Yize, some kind of object?


    His mouth slowly curved into a smile. At this moment, no one else existed in his eyes. He spoke to Gu Qiaoqiao word by word, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I will clear up the matter within two days. You like results, don¡¯t you? So, just wait peacefully.¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but suddenly she had another thought.


    She knew the ins and outs of this place all too well.


    What Qin Yize¡¯s final investigation conclusion would be, whether true or false, no one could be clearer than her.


    She was looking forward to it.


    If Qin Yize really found out the truth, what would he do?


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, word for word.


    Qin Yize did not overlook the flicker of interest in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes. He reaffirmed once again that Gu Qiaoqiao knew the inside story.


    He gave Gu Qiaoqiao a deep look, his lips pressing into a cold, straight line, then turned around and strode out of the room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shoulders sagged after all.


    Even having lived two lives, she still felt very tense in the face of Qin Yize¡¯s imposing aura.


    It had nothing to do with experience.


    Because Qin Yize¡¯s presence was cultivated from a young age, it was intrinsic to him, and coupled with his habit of leading medical teams to the most dangerous of places, his personality carried both the compassion of a medic and the cold ruthlessness of human nature.


    Having lived together for three years in her past life, naturally, she knew him best.


    At this moment, a sense of apprehension and unease rose in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart¡ªshe felt as if she were being targeted by Qin Yize.


    Like a wolf, merely waiting for the right moment to pounce and snap her throat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head vehemently; if it came to it, she would rather he remained as indifferent as he had been in the past.


    Clang, clang, clang¡­


    The sudden knocking scared Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Her face turned a bit pale. Besides Shen Manru, no one else would knock on her door.


    ¡°`


    Because Qin Xuan would never come.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned, but instinctively called out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Shen Manru pushed the door open.


    Standing at the doorway, she looked at the graceful Gu Qiaoqiao inside the room, feeling a complex mix of emotions and a sense of unwillingness.


    But more than anything else, it was a feeling of helplessness.


    Her son, cold in nature, was taken by Old Grand Master Qin by his side when he was just five years old.


    Only after that did he return for school.


    However, during the summer and winter breaks, she rarely saw her son, who spent more time with Old Grand Master Qin.


    He had even spent a few years in the Special Preparation Team, and after coming out of it, he acquired good skills to protect himself, which she approved of, as her son was eventually to inherit the Qin family business.


    Despite the Qin family¡¯s vast enterprises, almost all were controlled by the old master and his second son.


    Her own son excelled in his studies, attended the best university, and then went abroad for further education, a path she also favored.


    But unexpectedly, after completing his Ph.D., her son organized a medical team and always rushed to the most dangerous places. Later, he went to a research base to work on scientific research, which she really didn¡¯t like.


    Old Grand Master Qin also was not in a hurry for him to take over and let him have his way.


    She was displeased.


    But she simply didn¡¯t dare to confront the old master head-on.


    Her son showed her nothing more than the respect due to a mother and was not close to her.


    Before she could resolve the frustrations within her, her son went on to marry a village girl who had not even completed high school.


    Timid, weak, and someone who approached others in a cringing way, spending money recklessly to the point of contempt¡­


    This only added insult to injury for her bottled-up feelings.


    Not to mention the foolish accident on New Year¡¯s Eve, which landed her in the hospital. Now, when she went out, people were still eagerly asking about the incident that day.


    So, she really disliked her.


    She even harbored hatred towards Gu Qiaoqiao.


    However, these past few days, the Gu Qiaoqiao she saw could not be ignored; patiently massaging Grandma Qin every day. Whether it was to curry favor or not, this persistence even made Qin Xuan feel ashamed when he saw his mother walking with a cane instead of relying on a wheelchair.


    As Grandma Qin¡¯s son, he had not achieved this.


    He only thought that as long as Ah Ze was there, they wouldn¡¯t need to bother.


    Just now, Grandma Qin had handed her Five Hundred Yuan, asking her to deliver it to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She initially did not want to come, but after hearing what Grandma Qin said, though she didn¡¯t want to admit it, she felt there was some truth to it.


    So she came, albeit reluctantly.


    In addition, these past few days, Gu Qiaoqiao had been well-behaved, a far cry from before, and she cooked delicious meals and kept the house tidy. Standing there, she even looked a bit like a daughter-in-law of the Qin family, which eased her resentment somewhat.


    But when she saw Gu Qiaoqiao, she still felt a blockage in her heart.


    Thus, her expression was rather indifferent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mind at all. A smiling face would have been truly startling.


    Still managing the necessary politeness, Gu Qiaoqiao asked, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    It was then that Shen Manru remembered her task. She seemed not to notice the money on the coffee table and instead handed Gu Qiaoqiao the envelope, saying faintly, ¡°You¡¯ll be working at the mall tomorrow, and you¡¯ll need quite a few things for your trip to Border City. Buy everything you can in advance so you¡¯re not at a loss when the time comes. I heard Ah Ze say that place is very remote.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at the envelope, her eyes flickering slightly, and handed the envelope back to Shen Manru, ¡°You take it back. I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Shen Manru glanced at the money on the coffee table, her brows furrowed, ¡°That money is Ah Ze¡¯s salary, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It should be,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said noncommittally.


    Time was still too stretched out, and she did not remember every single detail clearly.

 Chapter 35 - 34 The Talks Failed (Added)

    Chapter 35: Chapter 34 The Talks Failed (Added)


    ¡°You won¡¯t know how many years it will be before you can come home again, and that money won¡¯t be enough. Besides, this is what we¡¯re giving you,¡± Shen Manru patiently explained, frowning.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her lips into a smile as she looked at the uncomfortable Shen Manru, but then suddenly asked, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shen Manru replied, displeased.


    ¡°I want to divorce Qin Yize, will you support me?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked bluntly.


    Shen Manru¡¯s eyes widened in shock, then she looked at Gu Qiaoqiao carefully and seriously. After seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s equally serious expression, she clenched her teeth and asked, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely true, I swear,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao even raised her hand.


    At this moment, Shen Manru¡¯s expression was extremely complex.


    It kept changing, and Gu Qiaoqiao found every emotion present, seemingly with the sole exception of joy.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Shouldn¡¯t she be overjoyed?


    Gu Qiaoqiao had thought about it in the morning; there was no need to keep the matter of the divorce a secret any longer.


    Firstly, telling Shen Manru directly would definitely gain her support.


    Although she knew that Qin Yize wasn¡¯t someone who just obeyed his parents, it was still better than nothing.


    But what did Shen Manru¡¯s expression signify?


    The usually graceful lady now looked somewhat ferocious due to anger, her breathing rapid and uneven.


    Her hands were even trembling slightly.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao knew she shouldn¡¯t have any heart conditions, she shut her mouth upon seeing such anger. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a long while, Shen Manru bit her teeth and said with a voice both angry and full of hatred, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, this is not how it works. You marry if you want to marry, you leave if you want to leave; what do you take my son for? You want my outstanding son to become a divorced man, let me tell you first, I won¡¯t agree!¡±


    How could she let her precious son become a divorcee?


    It didn¡¯t matter for others, but for her perfect and flawless son, it was a blemish.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Your words are a bit extreme. Isn¡¯t divorce quite normal now? Whether it¡¯s the powerful and noble or the ordinary folks, it¡¯s not a shameful matter. You¡¯re a university professor, how can you be so old-fashioned?¡±


    Shen Manru laughed out of sheer rage, ¡°Don¡¯t try to press me with your grand talk. Other people are other people; they have nothing to do with me. Gu Qiaoqiao, since you¡¯ve decided to marry into this family, you need to learn how to be a daughter-in-law of the Qin Family. As for the rest, I consider you never mentioned it today.¡±


    Shen Manru turned and left.


    ¡°What if your son agrees too?¡±


    Shen Manru turned around once more, a smile on her lips Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t comprehend. She said with certainty, ¡°My son won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°Are you so sure?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao frowned.


    ¡°I know my son!¡± she said, and left without looking back.


    When the door closed, it was louder than usual because of her anger.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought this whole family was crazy!


    Of course, that excluded Grandma Qin.


    She never imagined that getting a divorce would be this difficult.


    In her mind, Shen Manru was supposed to be the most supportive, yet the reaction was unexpectedly intense.


    A blemish?


    Is divorce a blemish?


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t understand.


    How had she divorced in her previous life?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression dimmed. In her previous life, her divorce went smoothly, was it because of the sentence she said to Qin Yize?


    ¡°Qin Yize, never let me see you again.¡±


    Back then, her family members died one after another, her brother was arrested for intentional homicide, almost leaving her with nothing. The Qin Family wasn¡¯t faring any better. Qin Xiaoyu was lying in the hospital, Grandma Qin had passed away, Mr. Qin¡¯s hair turned white overnight, the old master had a stroke out of anger and died within a year¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face darkened as she thought that even without that sentence, their families had already become enemies.


    In such circumstances, divorce was inevitable.


    But what about this lifetime?


    These tragedies would absolutely never occur again in this lifetime.


    Not only did they not happen, but she even gained the Old Master¡¯s favor.


    Grandma Qin was getting stronger by the day, and it was expected that within three days, she could throw away her cane and walk on her own.


    And she would never suffer from leg pain in this lifetime.


    These past few days, Gu Qiaoqiao, like a pearl covered in dust, was quietly blooming with the radiance unique to her.


    Even when Gu Qiaoqiao caused quite a few incidents in her past life, Shen Manru never suggested her son divorce her.


    So, who would consider divorce in this lifetime?


    But who could have known she was reborn with her memories intact? The regret and pain carved into her heart, she simply couldn¡¯t shake them off.


    Gu Qiaoqiao angrily threw the envelope onto the ground and swept all the money from the coffee table onto the floor as well.


    They scattered about, covering the ground.


    At that moment, the door was pushed open again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes glowed red as she stared intently at Qin Xiaoyu. Without waiting for her to speak, Gu Qiaoqiao scolded coldly, ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu, just as she stepped in, froze in place. The hairpin in her palm pricked her, infuriating her, but upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cold and reddened eyes, her heart skipped a beat in terror.


    Her eldest brother was someone she had admired since she was little, and she had always listened to him. Especially when accompanying Grandma Qin for walks, seeing the relaxed and joyful mood of her grandmother, she realized what Gu Qiaoqiao had done.


    If her brother said something was amiss last night, then it surely was.


    Therefore, she wouldn¡¯t mention it again, and upon Grandma¡¯s reminder, she took out her favorite hairpin to give to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    In Grandma¡¯s words, it was important to distinguish between those close and those distant.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected to be coldly turned away by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Angry, she ran into her own room.


    Yet, with a start, she looked behind, worried that Gu Qiaoqiao would come after her to hit her. Qin Xiaoyu immediately shut her room door tightly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao crouched down and picked up all the money from the floor.


    She put Shen Manru¡¯s money into the envelope, and along with Qin Yize¡¯s salary, placed it in the study¡¯s drawer.


    She would not use their money.


    Moreover, she would return the five thousand yuan dowry to the Qin family after the divorce.


    To break it off, it had to be done thoroughly.


    But thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao felt there was still a lump of air trapped in her heart.


    Divorce, it turned out, was not as simple as she had imagined.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, took a deep breath, and felt as if some of the frustration bottled up inside was relieved.


    She stopped thinking about these matters; after all, where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out the carving knife from the wardrobe.


    After washing her hands, she sat at the desk, which had several walnuts on it.


    She realized that what was most urgent was to have money in her own hands.


    Being penniless truly made things difficult.


    It was a pity there was no jade; she could only use the readily available material¡ªwalnuts.


    She could carve food, but she was most skilled at carving jade.


    Of course, her grandfather had also taught her nucleus carving.


    In both her past life and this one, she had an extremely high talent for carving.


    When her grandfather discovered her gift when she was young, his face bore an indistinguishable mix of sorrow and joy.

 Chapter 36 - 35 Nucleus Carving

    Chapter 36: Chapter 35 Nucleus Carving


    At that time, Grandma was still alive, watching her deft little hands, tears streaming down drop by drop.


    Time was too distant, and Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t remember what they had said.


    It seemed that Grandpa didn¡¯t teach her wholeheartedly, yet he also wanted her to learn everything.


    She could feel Grandpa¡¯s contradiction, as if he hoped she would inherit his mantle, yet he didn¡¯t want Gu Qiaoqiao to enter the industry.


    Her parents did not like their daughter learning anything about carving, so, under this on-and-off state, Gu Qiaoqiao miraculously learned to master everything.


    She also easily mastered Grandpa¡¯s unique nucleus carving skills.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was very grateful for this kind of teaching from Grandpa, whether it was accidental success or following his own whims, in any case, this was the foundation for her future livelihood.


    Especially in the days that followed, these things became increasingly valuable.


    However, her skills were not enough yet.


    No matter how skilled, without fame, the value would be greatly diminished.


    But, exchanging them for a little money was still good.


    Gu Qiaoqiao finally selected a walnut suitable for nucleus carving.


    She slightly closed her eyes, meditated for a while, and then slowly opened her eyes.


    A brilliant light streaked across her clear eyes at that moment; she moved her fingers to let her mind go blank.


    Then, holding the walnut in her left hand, she took up the carving knife with her right, and on the walnut, made the first cut.


    With this first cut, Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised to find that her fingers, imbued with Spiritual Energy, seemed to be touched by Divine Power, which then passed through her fingers to the carving knife.


    The strength and flexibility were perfect, just as she had imagined.


    Gu Qiaoqiao began to carve the outline.


    She remembered studying about nucleus boat during high school, which after learning, her interest in nucleus carving increased even more, and she also tried to carve one.


    Grandpa was very happy, though the piece was somewhat immature and rough, full of flaws, but he had to admit, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s nucleus carving was full of Spiritual Energy.


    Then Grandpa cherished the nucleus carving and kept it safe.


    Only later did she have to go to school, and she also found that holding the carving knife made her hands callous, so she began to like it less.


    What truly captivated her was what came after¡­


    It was also during those years that her skills improved by leaps and bounds, finally reaching the state Grandpa had hoped for.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pulled back from her somewhat melancholic thoughts; initially, it was about carving the outline, now she needed to be fully focused.


    She was also surprised to find that, due to the continuous flow of Spiritual Energy in her fingers, her carving speed was more than ten times faster than before.


    After a few cuts, Gu Qiaoqiao entered the zone.


    After making several phone calls in the study, Qin Yize left the Qin Family¡¯s grand courtyard.


    After closing the heavy iron gate, he walked towards the KTV.


    His pace seemed unhurried, but his speed was actually quite fast.


    At the corner, Qin Yize stopped.


    His sword-like eyebrows slightly knitted together as he looked at the woman in front of him.


    The weather was cold, she was not dressed warmly, and, for the sake of beauty, only wrapped a silk scarf around her neck, her cheeks and nose were red from the cold.


    It was Lin Qinghuan.


    ¡°Ah Ze,¡± Lin Qinghuan called out softly.


    But upon seeing that handsome face that captivated souls, her heart already ached as if pricked by a needle.


    Last night, she had just greeted Qin Yize and they had stood together for less than a minute when that woman came out.


    Even though she had a thousand words she wanted to say to him, the moment she saw that woman emerge, Qin Yize timely turned his head and called out to her.


    She had only been abroad for a year, so why had Qin Yize already gotten married by the time she returned?


    When she first heard the news, it struck her like a bolt from the blue, and she was completely dumbfounded.


    At that moment, it felt as if her world had collapsed.


    She cried for three days and nights, until her voice went hoarse.


    She had once thought that maybe she was that special someone because of the Old Grand Master of the Qin Family, and also because of the days she spent at the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard.


    Qin Yize¡¯s coldness and indifference were well-known to everyone. His disregard for girls¡¯ advances was blatant, and sometimes he would coldly tell someone to scram.


    Although that was his youthful arrogance, it didn¡¯t get much better later on, seeming to emanate a bone-chilling coldness and aloofness.


    She wisely never confessed her feelings, nor did she entangle herself with him. She desperately hid her feelings, cut her long hair, and acted like one of the guys alongside him and Chu Chengfeng. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, Qin Yize occasionally speaking to her kindly was rare.


    But what she never expected was that he, who seemingly had no interest in women, had actually gotten married.


    And his partner was a village girl.


    She didn¡¯t know the reasons behind this, but none of it overcame the fact that he was already married.


    The dream of growing her hair long and undergoing a stunning transformation to dazzle him and confess her love was shattered.


    She couldn¡¯t accept it.


    So, after lunch, she found herself lingering outside the Qin family¡¯s gate.


    Just as she hesitated whether to go in or not, to her surprise, Qin Yize actually came out.


    Seeing Lin Qinghuan¡¯s face, reddened from the cold, Qin Yize was suddenly reminded of Gu Qiaoqiao who liked to bury her little face in her scarf.


    Only those clear eyes would be visible, truly resembling a little squirrel.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Qin Yize saw Lin Qinghuan just staring at him without speaking, and he grew somewhat impatient.


    ¡°Ah Ze, I want to talk to you,¡± Lin Qinghuan said gently.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lin Qinghuan hesitated.


    She thought, if she told him that she liked him, that she loved him, would he accept her and then get a divorce?


    If not, would they even be able to remain friends afterwards?


    Qin Yize lifted his wrist to check his watch, lowered his head, and said, ¡°You have five minutes, speak.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan opened her mouth, glanced around, and said, ¡°Ah Ze, can we find a place to talk?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze darkened, ¡°You have four minutes left.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan didn¡¯t dare to press any further and looked up at the face that made her heart flutter, ¡°Ah Ze, I was only abroad for a year of study, why did you get married so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Does your studying abroad have anything to do with my marriage?¡± Qin Yize responded indifferently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, why would you marry her? There are so many good girls in the Imperial Capital, why would you marry a village girl?¡± Lin Qinghuan blurted out without a care.


    A trace of severity passed through Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, and his usually serene brows and eyes suddenly frosted over, his voice carrying a chill that seemed to freeze the heart, ¡°Lin Qinghuan, the ¡®village girl¡¯ you¡¯re talking about is my wife. Since I married her, she is the best girl. I¡¯m giving you face today for the sake of my Great Grandfather, but remember, you have no right to meddle in my affairs.¡±


    After speaking, he glanced at his watch and said coldly, ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±


    He had a lot to do today, and since he had promised in front of Gu Qiaoqiao to solve everything within two days, it was as good as making a military pledge. That little woman clearly wanted to see him make a fool of himself. How could he possibly let her have her way?


    Qin Yize finished speaking and walked away without looking back.

 Chapter 37 - 36 Lin Qinghuan

    Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Lin Qinghuan


    Lin Qinghuan froze.


    Tears escaped uncontrollably.


    She suddenly spoke in a low voice, her voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°Qin Yize, stop!¡±


    Qin Yize continued to stride forward.


    Yet, annoyance was rising inside him.


    Because of his face, because of his family background, because of his excellence, he was always hounded by bold girls.


    From childhood, it was simply exasperating.


    It made him want to avoid girls at all costs!


    For a while, Chu Chengfeng even thought he was gay, which quite alarmed him for some time.


    He had thought Lin Qinghuan was somewhat different, but last night when he saw her, he knew that everything before had been a pretense.


    If Lin Qinghuan had not sought him out today, it might have ended like that, and he would not have had to embarrass her to make her give up.


    But she had come anyway.


    This woman really liked to masquerade one thing as another.


    Bai Yun was like this, Lin Qinghuan was also like this, they were far behind Gu Qiaoqiao in this aspect.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, that little woman, when she liked you, she would marry you no matter what; when she didn¡¯t like you, she would insist on divorce no matter what.


    Even looking at him seemed tiresome!


    Thinking about this, a cold glint passed through Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao made it too simple to think of him.


    By this time, Lin Qinghuan had already run up in front of Qin Yize, blocking him, and said hurriedly, ¡°Ah Ze, I¡¯m sorry, I misspoke just now, I really didn¡¯t mean anything else, can you not be angry with me?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows showed impatience, ¡°Misspoke?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I really misspoke,¡± said Lin Qinghuan, swallowing her broken teeth and blood, forcing a smile and said, ¡°Ah Ze, you aren¡¯t really mad at me, are you?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Yize retorted.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t talk recklessly anymore,¡± said Lin Qinghuan playfully raising her right hand.


    Her eyes nervously focused on Qin Yize, terrified he would truly turn hostile.


    Qin Yize raised his eyebrows unemotionally and then said nonchalantly, ¡°We¡¯ve both grown up, it¡¯s not appropriate for you to call me Ah Ze, I have to go, there¡¯s something else I need to attend to.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, he didn¡¯t wait for Lin Qinghuan to respond, and strode towards the direction of the KTV.


    His silhouette was straight, tall, and distinguished, walking through this snowy landscape as if he was a solitary god traversing the mortal world.


    Lin Qinghuan didn¡¯t chase after him, merely staring blankly as the tall, slim figure disappeared around the corner.


    It took a long while before she felt the icy sting on her face.


    Her hand slowly clenched, and only then did she feel the howling wind, her body shivering with cold.


    But all these could not outweigh the coldness in her heart.


    She had seen him behave this way with others before, and had felt a little thrill and pride, but when it was directed at her, she found it to be despairingly unbearable.


    She didn¡¯t think she was stubborn because even after a year abroad, she hadn¡¯t seen anyone more outstanding than Qin Yize; there might have been some, but when your heart and eyes were filled with him alone, no one else could fit in.


    What was that woman¡¯s name, Gu Qiaoqiao?


    A simple village girl from the countryside, uneducated, without family background, plain¡ªwhy did she become Ah Ze¡¯s wife?


    What secrets lay behind all this?


    Hiding the fierce glint in her eyes, Lin Qinghuan took a deep breath and walked in the other direction.


    When Qin Yize arrived at the KTV, Brother Hao wasn¡¯t there, and without thinking, he knew he had dodged out.


    He sat on the sofa in Brother Hao¡¯s office, his posture relaxed, and said indifferently to Brother Hao¡¯s underlings, ¡°Tell your Brother Hao I will only wait for him one hour.¡±


    The voice wasn¡¯t loud, but the terrifying invisible pressure still made the underling swallow his saliva.


    This man was someone he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke.


    Didn¡¯t you see Brother Hao was so scared that he ducked out?


    After Qin Yize finished speaking, he started to make tea for himself and didn¡¯t look at the somewhat doubtful young brother again.


    The young brother hesitated for a long time but eventually agreed with a smile plastered on his face.


    He then hurriedly left Brother Hao¡¯s office.


    More than half an hour later, Brother Hao, with his face covered in sweat, pushed the office door open.


    Then, feeling guilty, he quickly shut the door again.


    Brother Hao¡¯s two underlings, both big and burly men, didn¡¯t follow him in, but stood at the door like two iron towers.


    After a long while, a muffled grunt came from inside the room, followed by a sound like a heavy object hitting the floor. The two men exchanged glances. Though they wanted to go in, they recalled Brother Hao¡¯s earlier instructions and reluctantly stayed at the door.


    No one was allowed to disturb them.


    About an hour later, the door pushed open.


    Qin Yize appeared at the doorway, as if illuminated by a splendid moonlight.


    His handsome face, though seemingly calm, harbored a brewing storm in his eyes.


    His lips tightly pressed, he was as cold as Satan from Hell.


    He glanced back coldly, then straightened his coat and walked leisurely down the stairs with his long strides.


    A young brother quickly escorted Qin Yize out.


    While the other one hurried into the room.


    Upon entering, he saw their boss, Brother Hao, sitting on the sofa, bent over, pressing a handkerchief to his mouth.


    The young brother was shocked. There indeed had been a fight.


    Despite being a refined gentleman, Qin Yize was even more ruthless than they were.


    Brother Hao looked up and saw the young brother, his face stoic. ¡°Go tell Xiao Zheng to shut down for a month.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, shut down, but why?¡± the young brother asked doubtfully, knowing it was the peak time for business.


    ¡°Damn it, why all the nonsense, just go!¡± Brother Hao roared angrily.


    Frightened, the young brother hurried out to find the hotel¡¯s assistant manager, Xiao Zheng.


    Brother Hao clutched his stomach and grimaced. Qin Yize had been too brutal, targeting the weak spots.


    It was excruciatingly painful.


    Yet his eyes could not contain the sinister threat; Bai Yun and Ning Yuli, those two vile women, dared to deceive him.


    Turns out, the person they intended to harm was Qin Yize¡¯s wife.


    He may be seeking death, but they shouldn¡¯t drag him down too.


    This was a grudge he could not swallow.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize, who had left, reached the newsstand. The old man, smiling, put down the newspaper and handed Qin Yize the phone.


    Qin Yize made a call to Chu Chengfeng, got Zhu Jianguo¡¯s home number, had no time to respond to Chu Chengfeng¡¯s incessant chatter, hung up, and then called Zhu¡¯s house.


    But he was told Zhu Jianguo had left early in the morning.


    Even Zhu¡¯s family didn¡¯t know where he went.


    After hanging up, a cold smile appeared on Qin Yize¡¯s lips. Had the thief, struck by guilt, run away early?


    He made a few more calls, then stood in front of the newsstand window, waiting for a reply.


    The old man was delighted.


    The young man looked even better than a movie star; simply by standing there, he attracted several young girls to buy newspapers and magazines.


    Only, his expression was a bit colder.


    The old man wanted to strike up a conversation, but seeing the young man¡¯s furrowed brow and thoughtful face, he did not disturb him.


    Instead, he picked up his tea pot and continued to read his newspaper.

 Chapter 38 - 37: The Light Boat Has Passed Ten Thousand Heavy Mountains

    Chapter 38: Chapter 37: The Light Boat Has Passed Ten Thousand Heavy Mountains


    About half an hour later, the phone rang, and the old man picked it up, then happily handed it to Qin Yize.


    After listening to the other party, Qin Yize said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay, I got it, I¡¯ll treat you to hot pot at Lao Liu Square another day.¡±


    A rough voice faintly transmitted through the phone, ¡°Young Master Qin, you are too polite, it should be me treating you.¡±


    ¡°I have other matters, we¡¯ll talk another day.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Qin,¡± the other party said urgently, ¡°Do you need me to send some people to help you?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± After saying that, Qin Yize hung up the phone.


    He gave the old man ten yuan and strode toward the roadside.


    ¡°Young man, wait a moment, I haven¡¯t given you your change yet¡­¡± the old man called out as he poked his head out.


    Unfortunately, before he had finished speaking, Qin Yize had already got into a taxi and then disappeared in the traffic.


    About an hour later, a military jeep sped toward the northern suburbs of the Imperial Capital.


    Qin Yize was driving, with Chu Chengfeng sitting next to him.


    With the speed too fast, Chu Chengfeng yelled, ¡°Where are you going driving so fast? Don¡¯t you know I get car sick?¡±


    Qin Yize frowned, looked at Chu Chengfeng beside him, ¡°Going to Lihe Village to find Zhu Jianguo.¡± He then slowed down slightly, slightly displeased he said, ¡°Really should throw you in the Special Preparation Team to toughen up, fix all those bad habits.¡±


    Chu Chengfeng waved his hand lazily, ¡°I won¡¯t go, I like my life of luxury and splendor. By the way, you aren¡¯t looking for Zhu Jianguo because of last night¡¯s issue, are you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bai Yun and Ning Yuli got a kind of drug from Brother Hao, and the effects were the same as Bai Yun¡¯s reaction. Zhu Jianguo must be one of the instigators, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have left so early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go directly to Bai Yun and Ning Yuli?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Yize looked at Chu Chengfeng as if he were looking at an idiot.


    Chu Chengfeng slapped his forehead as if he suddenly understood, but felt he still hadn¡¯t grasped the whole picture, ¡°Is it because you¡¯re worried about tipping them off or because you fear those two women will cry and make a fuss, refusing to admit anything?¡±


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s both¡­¡± After saying that, Qin Yize fell silent, gripped the steering wheel tighter, his eyebrows showed a trace of severity, and he stepped on the gas, turning onto a mountain road on the right.


    The swiftly passing wheels kicked up the snow on the ground, and a cold wind blew, scattering it around, as if it were snowing again.


    At that moment, a slanting sunset hung in the Qin family¡¯s courtyard on the tip of a crabapple tree, the remaining glow of the sun painted the tree and the large courtyard a magnificent pale golden color.


    Though it was the deep of winter, one could seemingly see the hope of spring.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked extremely satisfied with her creation, an exquisitely beautiful and ingeniously crafted nucleus carving.


    In one corner of the boat, she engraved seven characters ¡ª ¡°The light boat has passed through thousand mountains.¡±


    This was an ancient small boat.


    The bow and the stern slightly curved upward.


    In the middle was the cabin, with a roof patterned with clear bamboo leaves. A gentleman in a long gown stood facing the wind at the bow, his facial features clear, his eyebrows and eyes graceful.


    On both sides of the cabin were four windows, two of which could be opened and closed freely.


    The window patterns were intricately cloud-shaped, and the cabin interior was also unique, featuring a tiny tea table the size of a green pea, beside which sat a woman, her hair lightly twisted into a bun, skewered with a wooden hairpin, her arched eyebrows and the corners of her mouth bearing a hint of a smile.


    Her left hand held a book, seemingly reading to a pair of children sitting across the tea table.


    At the stern, an old man was merrily holding the oar, his head slightly tilted back, as if checking whether the weather would bring rain.


    Though Gu Qiaoqiao did not want to be proud, she was indeed very pleased.


    Her nucleus carving¡¯s figures were lifelike, each sitting or standing with their own posture.


    It seemed even better than those in the textbooks.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao was not confident because she really wasn¡¯t clear about whether nucleus carving had a place in the antique market of 1986.


    But she would know by tomorrow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the time; it was time to cook.


    However, there were still some details that needed fine tuning, and she needed to decide on a name for herself.


    She stood up, placing the engraving tools and the nucleus carving in the closet.


    She didn¡¯t want Qin Yize to see them.


    After tidying up, Gu Qiaoqiao went to cook.


    Since the thirtieth, when she first entered the kitchen, Gu Qiaoqiao had generally taken over all three meals a day for the Qin family. She didn¡¯t mind, and she neither enjoyed nor wanted to eat the meals prepared by Shen Manru.


    In the kitchen, Shen Manru was washing vegetables.


    Usually, she and Shen Manru each did their own thing.


    They occasionally exchanged a few words, merely inquiring about something. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Shen Manru saw Gu Qiaoqiao come in, her expression momentarily froze, but quickly returned to normal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tied her apron; the Qin family¡¯s kitchen was spacious, and she went about her work as if she hadn¡¯t seen Shen Manru at all.


    Shen Manru glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, her coldness over the past six months expressing her dissatisfaction.


    She felt that only by acting this way could she find some emotional balance.


    Yet, she still couldn¡¯t deny that this girl from the countryside had become her daughter-in-law.


    Like a fishbone stuck in her throat, it could neither be swallowed nor spat out.


    She had no choice but to slowly digest it.


    Yet her feelings remained difficult to settle.


    Sometimes, seeing her distressed, aggrieved appearance and the unease in her eyes made her feel guilty, but every time she thought about her son¡¯s future tied with her, she felt it was self-inflicted.


    The blisters on one¡¯s feet are from the paths one chooses themselves.


    People are selfish, and she was no exception.


    She had no say over her son¡¯s future and marriage, so at least her attitude and thoughts were hers to control, right?


    She had thought Gu Qiaoqiao would cling to her son for a lifetime.


    But when Gu Qiaoqiao stated the word ¡°divorce¡± indifferently, without a hint of emotion, there was no joy, only fury.


    Why bother in the first place!


    She was a person extremely concerned with face. Marrying Gu Qiaoqiao had already been humiliating, and then getting a divorce less than half a year later, how could she hold her head up in front of her colleagues?


    Moreover, those gossipy people would say she was being pretentiously virtuous, despising poverty and loving wealth.


    Shen Manru harbored hatred in her heart, but what could she do now?


    She put two plates on the dining table, suppressing the churning thoughts in her heart, and said lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s make minced meat with eggplant tonight. I¡¯ve already prepared the eggplant and minced meat; your grandmother loves it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just leave it there, I¡¯ll get to it in a bit,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said without looking up.


    Shen Manru remained silent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced dismissively at the sullen-faced Shen Manru and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    Shen Manru paused for a moment, a hint of coldness touching the corners of her mouth, before finally voicing her question, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you are clearly capable and a good cook, so why was everything a mess before this?¡±

 Chapter 39 - 38 Rose

    Chapter 39: Chapter 38 Rose


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand holding the kitchen knife paused.


    Then she lifted her eyes and seriously scrutinized Shen Manru.


    Slightly curly medium-length hair, an oval face, and a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, which not only did not make her look old but added a bit more charm.


    The pampered lady looked much younger than the mother in her memory.


    Yet, the superiority exuding from her heart made Gu Qiaoqiao smirk with a hint of sarcasm.


    She looked out the window, where under the sunset¡¯s afterglow, the garden behind the kitchen appeared somewhat hazy.


    It seemed like the wind had picked up outside.


    The branches of the rosebush shivered in the cold wind.


    In both her past and present lives, before she turned eighteen, she, too, was a treasured child of her parents; although not wealthy, her mother never allowed her to do kitchen chores.


    The two daughters of the Gu Family were both raised delicately.


    Very happily!


    But once they lost their mother¡¯s protection, they were like the rosebush in the cold wind, with no one to shield them from the elements, relying only on their own strength to survive the harsh winter.


    Therefore, she later endured hardships, while her younger sister¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped thinking about it, took a deep breath, hid the moisture in her eyes, and asked Shen Manru, ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    Shen Manru nodded.


    ¡°Remember when I first came here, although I didn¡¯t cook, I wanted to help you wash the dishes, but do you remember what you said to me in this kitchen?¡±


    Shen Manru was stunned.


    When she first arrived, Shen Manru was not at all satisfied with Gu Qiaoqiao, even disgusted, and she was very harsh when alone with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The harsh her, when not facing Gu Qiaoqiao, felt like a villain inside and regretted it, but upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, the demon inside her was unleashed again.


    Her face changed.


    Her brow furrowed, as if she was truly recalling the words she had spoken.


    ¡°The rules and taboos you told me about made me feel as if I had entered the Imperial Palace, so naturally, I was timid and messed everything up.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s tone was mocking, yet her brows carried a hint of an elusive smile.


    In the past, she really was clumsy and unable to do anything right, but who would know what was real and what was fabricated?


    Shen Manru indeed really remembered the words she had once said, most frequently saying: ¡°Are your hands washed¡­ This isn¡¯t your countryside¡­ Don¡¯t bring those dirty rural habits to the Qin Family¡­¡±


    Of course, there was more.


    The tone naturally was contemptuous and disdainful.


    Shen Manru grit her teeth, but her face clearly turned a bit red; she angrily asked, ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled sweetly, ¡°I suddenly realized that your Qin Family isn¡¯t the Imperial Palace, so naturally, I relaxed¡­¡±


    Sharp-tongued.


    Shen Manru turned and left angrily.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t bother to look and started chopping vegetables again.


    Qin Xuan was watching a rerun of Journey to the West with Grandma Qin, laughing heartily as they did.


    At this moment, although Grandma Qin had a walking stick by her side, it was almost for show.


    Shen Manru had not expected that the country girl had some real skills.


    But when she thought about how she had just mocked the Qin Family as being like a royal palace, she couldn¡¯t calm her rage.


    She sat on the sofa with a dark expression.


    Grandma Qin didn¡¯t seem to notice and still focused on the television with a smile on her face.


    Qin Xuan glanced at his wife and then looked toward the kitchen before quietly asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Shen Manru thought for a moment that she should tell Qin Xuan about Gu Qiaoqiao wanting a divorce, but not now, better to wait until evening.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s impression of Gu Qiaoqiao had increasingly improved.


    The TV drama was extremely interesting, and the neighbors were all discussing this ¡°Journey to the West,¡± but at that moment, Shen Manru couldn¡¯t get into it.


    She stood up and went to the dining room.


    Meanwhile, Grandma Qin, watching her daughter-in-law¡¯s retreating figure, said to Qin Xuan sitting next to her, ¡°A harmonious family makes everything prosperous. Qiaoqiao is becoming more sensible and more lovable by the day. Even if you don¡¯t like her, she is still a bride who entered the Qin Family through a proper marriage. If there¡¯s nothing serious, try to care more about her; despite her young age, she has her own views.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Mom, don¡¯t worry,¡± Qin Xuan earnestly promised.


    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s leaving with Ah Ze in a few days and won¡¯t be back until after New Year¡¯s,¡± Grandma Qin¡¯s voice sounded somewhat low.


    ¡°That¡¯s about right, the base is not only busy with work but also has rules. It¡¯s not like you can return whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I really don¡¯t want Qiaoqiao to leave¡­¡± Grandma Qin sincerely expressed.


    Qin Xuan chuckled and joked, ¡°Mom, are you saying that you¡¯re willing to part with your eldest grandson then?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s almost always been with his Great Grandfather since he was little. He hasn¡¯t spent much time at home, coming and going, so I¡¯m used to it,¡± Grandma Qin honestly stated.


    ¡°I actually really want him to leave everything behind and come back to take over the Qin Family¡¯s business. I don¡¯t have the capabilities, and although Ah Ze is a Doctor of Medicine, he also earned PhD degrees in Economics and Business. The Qin Family¡¯s future would be safest in his hands. But I really don¡¯t understand Grandpa and Ah Ze¡¯s thoughts¡­¡± Qin Xuan¡¯s voice carried a hint of sorrow.


    Grandma Qin sighed and waved her hand at Qin Xuan, ¡°Ah Ze has been decisive from a young age. You shouldn¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s good that Qiaoqiao is going; perhaps I can hold a great-grandson next year.¡±


    As she spoke, a look of joy spread across Grandma Qin¡¯s face. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That would be five generations under one roof.


    By this time, Gu Qiaoqiao had finished cooking the meal.


    Qin Yize hadn¡¯t come home, and Qin Xiaoyu had been unusually quiet that evening.


    She kept glancing at Gu Qiaoqiao, clearly intimidated by the fierce, red-eyed Gu Qiaoqiao from the afternoon.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found it both funny and somewhat contemptuous; bullies always picked on the softest targets.


    This sixteen-year-old little girl, who used to bully her, was now subdued.


    It seemed her courage wasn¡¯t that great after all, especially compared to her older brother.


    She abruptly remembered the scene she had once seen in a previous life: Qin Xiaoyu on the street.


    Unconsciously bending at the waist, hiding behind Shen Manru, her eyes brimming with fear and unease.


    Clearly, her brother¡¯s knife had become her nightmare.


    Her impulsive, easily angered only brother ¨C this time, she would do well, and then help her brother grow into an upright and honorable man.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her head to hide the thoughts in her eyes.


    The night deepened, and Qin Yize still hadn¡¯t returned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed the last finished nucleus carving into a small paper box, planning to explore the market tomorrow. Regardless of the price, it was just a matter of time for her.


    And all plans had to wait until after selling the nucleus carvings.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t worried, as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

 Chapter 40 - 39: Inviting You into the Urn

    Chapter 40: Chapter 39: Inviting You into the Urn


    The fifth day of the New Year arrived.


    From afar and near, the sounds of firecrackers rose and fell in succession.


    The fifth day is also known as ¡°Breaking the Fifth,¡± signifying ¡°sending off the New Year.¡± After this day, the New Year was essentially considered over, and everything would return to its normal state.


    Businesses opened, and some workplaces resumed work.


    Qin Yize had not returned home all night, and the Qin family was somewhat displeased early in the morning. Nevertheless, firecrackers had to be set off, and dumplings had to be eaten.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s dumpling fillings were so deliciously fresh and aromatic that, along with the dipping sauce, they almost made one want to swallow their tongue.


    Qin Xuan had heard from his wife last night about Gu Qiaoqiao wanting a divorce, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Though slightly displeased, he didn¡¯t show it. They were leaving in a few days anyway, so why stir up unpleasantness?


    Besides, this matter absolutely couldn¡¯t be let known to the old mother.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s culinary skills were indeed remarkable. His son would be fortunate in the future.


    Shen Manru, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s demeanor, felt slightly more at ease.


    She was also considering that her mother-in-law, husband, and daughter all loved the dumpling fillings made by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She should buy some fillings before Gu Qiaoqiao left and have Gu Qiaoqiao help prepare them. That way, they could enjoy them for a longer period.


    However, she had no intention of learning herself. Having to learn from Gu Qiaoqiao, whom she had once looked down upon, would be humiliating.


    The breakfast on the fifth morning ended under these varying thoughts.


    After cleaning up, Gu Qiaoqiao placed a walnut in her pocket.


    At this time, the people of the Qin family were busy with their own affairs.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood by the side of Duobao Pavilion, quietly looking through the window toward the direction of the main gate.


    If the trajectory of events in this life did not go awry, Bai Yun would come to ask her out to play.


    In her previous life, after an embarrassing night, she had locked herself in her room, with only Grandma Qin bringing in her meals.


    New Year¡¯s Eve, the first day of the New Year, and the third day¡ªshe had caused trouble consecutively during these three days, and Shen Manru wished she could kill her.


    The Qin family¡¯s New Year was indescribably difficult.


    And her already insecure heart had become somewhat confused after successive setbacks.


    After the dramas of New Year¡¯s Eve and the first day, the incident on the night of the third day was seen by the Qin family as Gu Qiaoqiao getting what she deserved.


    No one asked what exactly had happened, so Bai Yun appeared again, becoming her only savior.


    She then took her out, and they encountered Sun Yingke and Ning Yuli¡¯s group at the mall, where Gu Qiaoqiao was ridiculed once more.


    That time, Gu Qiaoqiao truly became furious.


    She rushed forward and began fighting with Sun Yingke and Ning Yuli.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never known she had such fierceness in her, and she almost strangled Ning Yuli to death.


    Of course, she ended up the worst off.


    It was so bad that Gu Qiaoqiao forcefully suppressed the memories, avoiding self-torment.


    Sun Yingke and Ning Yuli were mere accomplices.


    The most deserving of death was Bai Yun.


    However, that scene would never happen again in this life.


    And Bai Yun was someone she could not let go.


    If she did not come, she would have to take the initiative.


    As it turned out, Bai Yun did not disappoint her expectations and pushed open the gate of the Qin residence.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was the only person in the vast living room.


    Bai Yun immediately saw Gu Qiaoqiao standing by Duobao Pavilion.


    A surge of hatred emerged, ¡°This bitch, why didn¡¯t she just die.¡±


    She masked the maliciousness in her eyes and slowly broke into a smile. Just as she was about to speak, she keenly noticed that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was somewhat panicked.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao saw Bai Yun, her hand clutching the walnut hastily shoved it into her trouser pocket.


    Then, looking at Bai Yun in a flustered panic, she even stuttered, ¡°Bai¡­ Yun, you¡¯ve¡­ arrived, I¡¯ll go back to my room first.¡±


    Saying this, she hurried towards her room as if chased by ghosts.


    Completely unlike her usual self.


    In that instant, Bai Yun¡¯s eyes caught sight of something resembling a walnut that Gu Qiaoqiao stuffed into her trouser pocket.


    Bai Yun looked suspiciously at the spot where Gu Qiaoqiao had just been standing, her eyes suddenly widening. She often visited the Qin Family, and though she dared not touch the items on Duobao Pavilion, she knew what they all were.


    On the third layer of the grid, there should have been a nucleus carving.


    A rather ordinary shape of a cicada, but since it was an artefact from the Qianlong era, it was also a significant antique. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao, now dressed in a down jacket, hurried out again.


    With evasive eyes, she seemed very flustered as she said, ¡°Bai Yun, go hang out with Xiao Yu. I need to step out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, where are you going? Can you take me with you?¡± Bai Yun seemed to have forgotten her purpose of coming and also overlooked the embarrassment from the day before.


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao raised her voice in refusal and then frantically explained, ¡°I¡¯m going out to buy some daily necessities, also need to pick up some things for my family¡­¡±


    ¡°Buying things¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, not buying things for my family, you heard wrong, okay, I need to go¡­¡±


    Saying this, Gu Qiaoqiao stopped looking at Bai Yun, pushed the door, and hurriedly walked towards the yard.


    Bai Yun immediately realized, looking in the direction of Duobao Pavilion, she knew Gu Qiaoqiao had no money on her.


    What would she use to buy things for her family?


    Could it be that she had stolen the nucleus carving?


    It must be so.


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes suddenly became intensely determined.


    What a perfect opportunity.


    She was determined to make Gu Qiaoqiao unable to stay in the Qin Family any longer.


    Decisively, she ran out and upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s retreating figure, she quietly followed her.


    From the corner of her eye, Gu Qiaoqiao caught a glimpse of that sneaky, secretive figure and her lips curled into a cold smirk.


    Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao boarded the bus, and Bai Yun squeezed through the crowd to follow her aboard.


    The fifth day of the Lunar New Year was crowded; blending into the crowd she was not easily noticed.


    They then arrived at the famous Antique Street in the Imperial Capital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out a box, looked around pretentiously guilty, and then entered the largest antique shop in the Imperial Capital¡ªYubao Square.


    Once she entered, she instantly became composed and calm.


    At this moment, Bai Yun must be waiting outside.


    She would only leave after confirming that Gu Qiaoqiao had indeed sold the nucleus carving.


    At this time, there weren¡¯t many people inside Yubao Square, but those present were indeed well-dressed, either rich or noble.


    Though it was the 1980s, and China had opened up, there were still many poor people; having a good New Year was already a blessing; who would have spare money to come here?


    Even if they were just window shopping, they lacked the confidence.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked around and headed towards a wooden counter that was both wide and large.


    In her eyes, the counter seemed to be made of red sandalwood.


    Behind the counter was a middle-aged man wearing glasses, about forty years old.


    Frequently mingling in this line, his eyes could be called discerning.


    Thus, cheerfully greeting, ¡°Miss, do you have any treasures to sell?¡±

 Chapter 41 - 40: A Master Among the Common Folk?

    Chapter 41: Chapter 40: A Master Among the Common Folk?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and looked toward the person behind the counter, asking in surprise, ¡°How do you know? Shouldn¡¯t you be asking me what caught my interest?¡±


    The middle-aged man chuckled maliciously, pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his smile deepening, but he did not contradict Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s statement and seriously asked instead, ¡°Young comrade, could you please tell me what caught your eye?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s suppressed emotions began to improve bit by bit amid the middle-aged man¡¯s teasing yet relaxed questioning.


    At the same time, she also despised her own stupidity for regarding Bai Yun as her only friend, then being led by the nose by her.


    Although the world might be overcast, there was sunshine everywhere as well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes turned slightly, thinking that since the middle-aged man had already asked what treasure she wanted to sell, there was no need for further questions.


    So, she took out a box from her down jacket pocket, opened it, and casually handed over the nucleus carving to the middle-aged man with a smile that bent her eyes and eyebrows, ¡°Boss, would you consider buying this item?¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s previously amused gaze became abruptly fixed when he saw the nucleus carving in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s palm.


    Even the air around them seemed to stop for a moment.


    He was the deputy manager here, who had helped the Old Patriarch manage Yubao Square for thirty years. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And during those turbulent years, he had been a constant companion by the Old Patriarch¡¯s side¡ªhis eye for detail was not ¡°fire-eyed golden vision,¡± but it was certainly refined to perfection.


    He was familiar with and understood many things within this line of work.


    At first glance, he could tell that the nucleus carving had been freshly carved, no more than three days ago.


    What shook him was not something else, but the realization upon his first glance at the nucleus carving that its exquisite craftsmanship was like nothing he had ever seen before.


    The middle-aged man carefully took the nucleus carving and noticed the paper box Gu Qiaoqiao had used to carry it, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, feeling that it was disrespectful to such a fine craftsmanship.


    In the many decades he had been in this trade, he had handled countless treasures. Speaking of nucleus carvings, he had seen innumerable ones.


    He had seen carvings of small bridges and flowing rivers beneath sweet osmanthus trees, and he had even seen depictions of the one hundred and eight warriors of Liangshan carved onto a walnut.


    Logically, he should not be so shocked, and moreover, such expressions are a big taboo for a shop keeper.


    But he had truly never seen such a perfectly exquisite and spiritually energized nucleus carving.


    The young master standing at the bow of the boat wore a leisurely expression with a hint of a smile at his lips, and even his gaze carried a languid air.


    The woman in the cabin was gentle and beautiful, with a wooden hairpin in her hair beneath which hung five small pearls that lightly swayed with her movements.


    The two children sitting opposite the woman¡ªa boy and a girl¡ªthe boy looked somewhat mischievous, his eyes seemingly sneaking peeks at the scenery outside the boat, while the girl appeared to be listening intently, holding a cup of tea in her small hand as if forgetting to drink.


    The middle-aged man had all but forgotten to attend to the other customers, as he picked up the magnifying glass and looked carefully once again.


    For a master of nucleus carving, carving a person onto a walnut was simple.


    However, what was not simple was making those characters come alive, and the people on this carving seemed as if they might step off the boat at any moment.


    The texture of their clothing was clearly visible, with the woman¡¯s skirt spread out on the floor, resembling an osmanthus flower.


    The clouds on the eight window panels were of the same size and perfectly symmetrical to each other.


    Below the ¡°light boat past ten thousand mountains,¡± there lay a signature with ¡°Qiao Sheng¡± inscribed on it.


    An epitome of exquisite beauty, a breathtaking work of art!


    ¡°Boss, boss¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao, seeing that the middle-aged man seemed to be spellbound, felt assured and therefore quietly reminded him.


    The middle-aged man then came back to his senses. He did not attempt to conceal his reaction; in their line of work, integrity and transparency were paramount¡ªeven if they didn¡¯t open shop for a year, when they did, it would sustain them for a decade.


    He didn¡¯t know when a master of such caliber had appeared in the country.


    Could this be what they say about the ¡°true masters dwelling among the folk¡±?


    The middle-aged man introduced himself to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯m the second boss here, my name is Zhang Yi.¡±


    ¡°Boss Zhang¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao amiably agreed.


    ¡°May I ask what the young comrade¡¯s name is?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that today she was just testing the waters and did not have a perfect plan for the future yet. She pointed at the nucleus carving, ¡°Qiao Sheng¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that a family member¡¯s name?¡± Zhang Yi¡¯s probing gaze shifted to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine, I carved it. I want to exchange it for some money, would you be willing to buy it, Boss Zhang?¡±


    ¡°You carved it?¡± Zhang Yi raised his voice involuntarily, which drew the attention of others around them.


    ¡°Yes, I carved it.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao still answered obediently.


    Zhang Yi hesitated no longer, leading Gu Qiaoqiao into a side living room and instructing a young attendant to make tea. He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, still seemingly disbelieving, ¡°Miss Qiao, may I ask who your master is¡­¡±


    ¡°My grandfather taught me.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes dimmed, and she spoke softly, ¡°But he has already passed away¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, my apologies, I didn¡¯t mean to upset you¡­¡± Zhang Yi quickly apologized.


    In his mind, he wondered who Miss Xiao Qiao¡¯s grandfather was?


    He almost knew all the masters in the country.


    It seemed there was none with the Qiao surname.


    ¡°Boss Zhang, do you take this nucleus carving? If not, I need to take it to look elsewhere¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, we take it¡­¡± Boss Zhang saw that Gu Qiaoqiao looked like she would go elsewhere if his place was not an option.


    Although it wasn¡¯t the work of a famous artist, the exquisitely superb nucleus carving would definitely sell well.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°A fixed price, six hundred yuan!¡± Zhang Yi was very straightforward too.


    Buying and collecting were different.


    Both involved getting it for a low price and selling it high.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself, this six hundred yuan was nearly the same as her father¡¯s annual salary.


    Yet this was the first piece she had carved since she had been reborn, although it hadn¡¯t cost her much effort.


    But it still held a meaning unknown to others.


    However, this was 1986.


    Six hundred yuan was already quite a sum.


    It was equivalent to the living expenses of a normal rural family for two years.


    Actually, Gu Qiaoqiao had not planned to haggle; she had agreed to it in her heart.


    But still, she picked up the nucleus carving, held it in her palm, and reluctantly scanned it with her gaze.


    However, this gesture, when seen by Zhang Yi, took on a different flavor.


    Even though it was not carved by a famous artist, the highest realm of carving was to create something so fine that it seemed divinely inspired.


    And this nucleus carving fitted that description perfectly.


    Therefore, this experienced old-timer from the Itinerant World who had taken a liking to the nucleus carving at first glance once again spoke up, ¡°Miss Xiao Qiao, eight hundred yuan, that¡¯s the limit I can offer.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, but without a change in her expression, she handed the nucleus carving to Zhang Yi, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal!¡±


    Zhang Yi laughed heartily and said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Miss Xiao Qiao does business straightforwardly. In the future, if you have any good items, come directly to me, or I can come to you instead.¡±


    He also wanted to have a chance to meet the real master carver of the nucleus carving.


    He actually didn¡¯t believe that it was carved by Gu Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 42 - 41 The Real Reason for Choosing Yubao Square

    Chapter 42: Chapter 41 The Real Reason for Choosing Yubao Square


    When he spoke those words, he had already considered that maybe the girl would not agree.


    Sure enough, Gu Qiaoqiao rejected him, her voice crisp as she said, ¡°No need to look for me, I can come to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s settled,¡± Zhang Yi did not hesitate, but instead instructed his assistant to get the money.


    The money was thoughtfully prepared in two denominations, with fifty-one five hundred yuan bills and the remainder in ten yuan bills.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put the money in her down jacket¡¯s pocket, the first money she had ever earned in her life; she was very happy, and thus generously handed the cardboard box to Zhang Yi, ¡°Boss Zhang, the box is for you.¡±


    Boss Zhang¡¯s mouth twitched; such exquisite nucleus carving in this battered box was truly a waste of its beauty.


    However, he would never let Gu Qiaoqiao know that her nucleus carving was currently the foremost piece in Yubao Square¡¯s collection.


    If there were any regrets, it was that the piece wasn¡¯t carved by a famous artist, nor did it have any historical provenance or backstory.


    But a flaw does not hide the jade.


    Good things never lack people who truly appreciate them.


    Seeing Boss Zhang¡¯s face smile like a sly fox, Gu Qiaoqiao also curved her lips upward.


    The reason she had come straight to Yubao Square on Antique Street was something she had heard about in her past life.


    Especially about Boss Zhang Er from here, who started following the Old Patriarch at ten and became the second manager by fifteen.


    It wasn¡¯t because of the Old Patriarch¡¯s deep affection, but because this person had a discerning eye and an open nature, giving a fair price whether buying or selling.


    He wouldn¡¯t depress the price just because the other party was anxious to sell, nor would he inflate the price just because the other party genuinely loved the item.


    In the end, it was always a win-win situation.


    Therefore, the people who came here never had to worry about being cheated or deceived.


    Yubao Square was originally in Jinling City and had withstood several hundred years, including multiple wars, but rather than declining, it had continued to grow and develop.


    But no one knew why, eighty years ago, it closed all its shops in Jinling City and moved to the Imperial Capital.


    Even so, Yubao Square still maintained an unshakable status as a leader in the Imperial Capital.


    Zhang Yi murmured in his heart, but did not neglect his tasks, smiling warmly as he said, ¡°Thank you then, Miss Xiao Qiao.¡±


    He took the box and carefully placed it on the table.


    ¡°Boss Zhang, goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Miss Qiao, take care on your way.¡±


    As Gu Qiaoqiao walked out of the main entrance of Yubao Square, sure enough, she saw Bai Yun¡¯s dodging figure in the corner of the wall.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, clear as spring water, flickered with a dark light. She carefully looked around, then took out several ten yuan bills from her pocket, her eyes shining joyously as she stared at them for a long time before reluctantly putting them back.


    Then she walked towards Bai Yun.


    Bai Yun was startled and hastily turned and mingled into the crowd.


    When she turned her head back, she could no longer see Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figure.


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes were fierce, and she let out a cold laugh, then quickly walked toward the bus station.


    She wanted to go to the Qin Family immediately to expose Gu Qiaoqiao when she returned, and then Gu Qiaoqiao would not only be driven out of the Qin Family, but might even be sent to detention, which would really be satisfying.


    After Bai Yun had gone, Gu Qiaoqiao came out from behind a sign. She was just about to turn the corner when she saw a young man a few steps away, his eyes smiling as he looked at her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and before she could react, the man quickly walked over, greeting her with a smile, ¡°It really is Qiaoqiao. I thought I had recognized the wrong person for a moment.¡±


    It was Luo Fan, Luo Zhenyu¡¯s grandson.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected to run into him, so had he seen her holding the money earlier?


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, ¡°Hello, Mr. Luo.¡±


    ¡°What Mr. Luo, call me Big Brother Luo¡­¡± Luo Fan clearly wasn¡¯t pleased with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s distant form of address.


    Luo Fan, unlike Qin Yize¡¯s cool demeanor, liked to smile a lot, his peach blossom eyes also brimming with mirth.


    He seemed very warm and affable. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wasn¡¯t pretentious, ¡°Big Brother Luo¡­¡±


    Then she continued to ask, ¡°How is Grandpa Luo¡¯s health?¡±


    ¡°Much better, he¡¯ll be able to leave the hospital in half a month,¡± Luo Fan was very happy to hear this address of Big Brother Luo.


    He didn¡¯t know why his grandfather had instructed him to treat Gu Qiaoqiao with such high regard, but as the designated heir, he knew his grandfather had his reasons.


    However, his grandfather had also instructed him not to disturb her unilaterally.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t have a watch and wasn¡¯t sure of the time, she looked at the sun and said to Luo Fan, ¡°Big Brother Luo, I have other matters, I need to leave now.¡±


    Luo Fan knew she was married and had many inconveniences.


    He didn¡¯t try to hold her back, but instead said cheerfully, ¡°I came by car, how about I drive you back?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao politely declined, ¡°I still need to look around the store.¡±


    Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at Luo Fan, turned, and walked towards the store.


    The smile remained on Luo Fan¡¯s face, but his gaze deepened significantly.


    He turned his head towards the grand door of Yubao Square, recalling the scene he had just witnessed, and walked towards Yubao Square.


    Zhang Yi found a beautiful stand made of Bai Yu, then carefully took out a nucleus carving, his eyes reflecting his admiration.


    Once this nucleus carving entered Yubao Square, its value was no longer just eight hundred yuan.


    However, he hadn¡¯t planned to sell it just yet.


    After nurturing it here for a year or so, its value would definitely multiply several times over.


    At that moment, Luo Fan strode in.


    Smiling before he spoke, he greeted, ¡°Uncle Zhang, happy New Year.¡±


    Zhang Yi saw Luo Fan, who had grown into a handsome young man since they last met.


    The two naturally exchanged pleasantries.


    Then Luo Fan didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly asked, ¡°That girl in the beige down jacket who came here earlier, what was she here for?¡±


    Hearing this, Zhang Yi sized up Luo Fan, picked up his teacup, smiled, and said, ¡°With customers coming and going here, I can¡¯t really tell who you¡¯re referring to.¡±


    Luo Fan weighed his words, knowing this was the store¡¯s rule, and then shared with Zhang Yi the incident that had occurred on the night of the third day of the New Year involving his grandfather.


    Zhang Yi was very surprised, and it was only when he heard that Elder Luo had turned from danger to safety that he relaxed, ¡°I will visit Elder Luo in the hospital in a bit.¡±


    Then he asked Luo Fan, ¡°Are you sure that girl is the wife of Elder Luo¡¯s life-saver?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, we greeted each other outside earlier, but I didn¡¯t have the heart to ask what she was doing here.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yi narrowed his eyes and took out the nucleus carving, ¡°This girl came here to sell this.¡±


    To his surprise, Luo Fan, seeing such a beautifully exquisite nucleus carving, asked, ¡°Is this a family heirloom?¡±


    Zhang Yi shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯s newly carved, not even three days old.¡±

 Chapter 43 - 42 Silent Night Cicada

    Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Silent Night Cicada


    ¡°`¡±Who did she say carved it?¡± Luo Fan asked in surprise.


    ¡°The girl said it was her own work, wanting to exchange it for some cash,¡± he replied.


    Luo Fan frowned at the exquisitely carved nucleus, took out a check from his pocket, and without asking how much Zhang Yi had bought it for, he wrote a number on it directly.


    He then handed it to Zhang Yi and said earnestly, ¡°Uncle Zhang, those two are my Luo Family¡¯s great benefactors. Such a heaven-sent nucleus carving would not have been sold unless something pressing had come up. We had originally prepared a thank-you gift, but her husband declined it. He is a very upright man, and both my grandfather and I didn¡¯t feel it right to persist. I ask you, Uncle Zhang, to part with this nucleus carving and let me complete this gesture of gratitude, would that be all right?¡±


    Zhang Yi concentrated for a moment and glanced at the number on the check. He had no choice but to applaud Luo Fan¡¯s forthrightness. Thirty thousand yuan¡ªthe price was one he could not refuse. Moreover, he respected Luo Fan¡¯s wish to repay his benefactors.


    Privately and publicly, he felt compelled to make it happen.


    And so, the nucleus carving was taken away by Luo Fan.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was completely unaware that her nucleus carving, which she thought was sold at a high price, had changed hands for thirty thousand yuan in a blink.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao walked toward Jinghua Department Store, she pondered. By now, Bai Yun must be nearly home. Yet such an incident had never occurred in her past life, it was a trap she had entirely devised.


    She wasn¡¯t even sure Bai Yun would fall for it.


    After all, to some extent, Bai Yun was much more shrewd than her.


    However, there¡¯s a saying that cleverness can lead to one¡¯s own downfall.


    If she dared to follow herself, how could she let go of such a rare opportunity?


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t rush but leisurely entered Jinghua Department Store. She hadn¡¯t yet decided what to do about the divorce, and her parents, not knowing the truth, might not even agree to it.


    So, judging by the situation, she might still have to leave the Imperial Capital with Qin Yize after all.


    With only a week left, she needed to start buying gifts for her family.


    It wouldn¡¯t be practical to carry large items, but she could buy some things not available back home. She had calculated that she could sell one nucleus carving for eight hundred yuan. Before departing, she could carve at least seven.


    And none of them would be duplicates.


    Even if they sold for six hundred yuan each, the total for seven would be four thousand two hundred.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. With this money, her family could cover their expenses for two years.


    Although how they spend might differ, back home the area was still quite remote, and sometimes, there really was nowhere to spend money even if you had it.


    And most importantly, the raw materials were extremely cheap.


    She planned to buy some olives and then go buy woolen sweaters for her family. They were light and easy to carry, and in the North, they could be worn for three seasons a year.


    As noon approached, Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying her bags, returned to the Qin Family home.


    The front gate of the Qin Family house was half open, with Dahei on one side of the entrance. On seeing Gu Qiaoqiao come in, the dog joyously pounced forward, spinning around in front of and behind her.


    It was at this moment that the main room¡¯s door opened.


    Shen Manru¡¯s face was stern as she stared fixedly at Gu Qiaoqiao and the bags in her hands.


    Behind her was Bai Yun, with a smug smile playing at the corners of her mouth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao seemed somewhat baffled, yet she entered the house unhurriedly.


    Inside the house, Qin Xuan paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, visibly anxious.


    The Silent Night Cicada from Duobao Pavilion was missing.


    Though small, it was the most meaningful item in the Pavilion.


    It was left behind by his father, a work from the Qianlong era by the master Shan Shan.


    These things, in truth, were not worth his agitation.


    He was born to a scholarly family that had been exposed to countless antiques and calligraphy from a young age, and with guidance from his maternal grandfather, he did not much care for these treasures that others coveted.¡°`


    But this Silent Night Cicada was different.


    This Silent Night Cicada had always been a beloved toy of my father¡¯s. After he passed away, I put it away.


    However, a few days ago, I took it out and placed it on the shelf at Duobao Pavilion to care for it.


    But I never expected¡­


    Qin Xuan¡¯s suspicious gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao who had just walked in, and the bag she was carrying in her hand.


    Could it be that Gu Qiaoqiao had stolen and sold it?


    Deep down, I didn¡¯t quite believe it.


    Everything in the Duobao Pavilion is very valuable. My wife had already explained this to her when she first came. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then again, did she take it because it was valuable?


    But why take the Silent Night Cicada, my father¡¯s favorite of all things?


    Grandma Qin wasn¡¯t home, Qin Xiaoyu was sitting quietly on the sofa, occasionally sneaking glances at Gu Qiaoqiao with obvious disdain in her eyes.


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could set down her bag, Shen Manru repressed her anger and asked in a low voice, ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the few people in the room, frowned, but still responded, ¡°I went to Yubao Square.¡±


    ¡°What did you go to Yubao Square for?¡± Shen Manru¡¯s voice suddenly rose.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao began, then seemed to hesitate. She looked down at her own bag and didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Did you go to Yubao Square to sell something?¡± Shen Manru asked through clenched teeth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao fell silent for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did you sell?¡± Mr. Qin asked, starting to lose his composure.


    ¡°It was my own stuff.¡±


    ¡°Your own?¡± Shen Manru laughed angrily. ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, why don¡¯t you tell us what ¡®your own stuff¡¯ is?¡±


    ¡°Nucleus carving,¡± she said.


    Nucleus carving?


    Isn¡¯t that exactly right?


    Bai Yun wasn¡¯t going to play the good sister to Gu Qiaoqiao this time. She looked at Gu Qiaoqiao and said painfully, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve gone too far. The Qin Family has been so good to you, how could you be so heartless and steal from them to sell?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. She glared at Bai Yun and demanded loudly, ¡°Bai Yun, don¡¯t falsely accuse me. Which eye of yours saw me taking the Qin Family¡¯s belongings?¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, did you or did you not take the Silent Night Cicada from the Duobao Pavilion?¡± Shen Manru asked with a dark expression.


    ¡°I did not,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao denied flatly.


    ¡°Then what did you sell?¡± Qin Xiaoyu challenged, standing next to Mr. Qin.


    ¡°Why should I tell you? Is there a law that says I have to?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied sarcastically.


    Qin Xiaoyu was taken aback.


    And her face began to turn red.


    Humph, even if she had done something wrong, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth was still so annoying.


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes darted around, and she coaxed softly, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, just tell the truth. The Silent Night Cicada is a relic from Grandpa Qin. No matter how much you sell it for, it will be a loss. There¡¯s still time now. My father knows the owner of Yubao Square, and we can redeem it. If we wait any longer and someone else buys it, it will be too late¡­¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s words were like adding fuel to the fire.


    Shen Manru walked up to Gu Qiaoqiao, her eyes blazing. She stared intensely at Gu Qiaoqiao, holding back the urge to reach out. Her words seemed to be squeezed out through her teeth, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, tell us how much you sold it for and how much you spent. I¡¯ll cover the difference, and we¡¯ll go buy back that item.¡±

 Chapter 44 - 43 The Harlequin Jumps

    Chapter 44: Chapter 43 The Harlequin Jumps


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Shen Manru, this woman didn¡¯t ask anything but directly convicted her.


    In her eyes, Shen Manru and Bai Yun were like two clowns jumping on the beam. Thinking about the face slapping that would come later, a trace of pleasure welled up in her heart.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared fixedly at Shen Manru and emphasized again, ¡°I did not sell your Qin Family¡¯s Silent Night Cicada. Would you rather believe Bai Yun and not believe me?¡±


    Bai Yun suddenly opened the bag that Gu Qiaoqiao had placed on the floor. Qin Xiaoyu also stepped forward, exclaiming, ¡°So many wool sweaters, and cosmetics¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao coldly watched Shen Manru and Qin Xiaoyu in front of her, a mockingly cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth.


    In this family, she would always be an outsider.


    Whenever something happened, these people immediately turned her into an enemy.


    Shen Manru, with trembling fingers, pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°The salary that Ah Ze gives you, and the money I give you, isn¡¯t it enough for you? You actually dare to sell the family¡¯s belongings, Gu Qiaoqiao, you are too arrogant.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t use the money from Qin Yize and you, nor did I sell the possessions of your Qin Family.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao said word by word.


    Qin Xuan frowned, sizing up Gu Qiaoqiao, and began to feel uncertain in his heart.


    Looking at her demeanor, without a trace of panic or guilt, could Bai Yun have been mistaken?


    However, he had searched all around Duobao Pavilion for that Silent Night Cicada and hadn¡¯t seen it.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, for the sake of Grandma Qin, please quickly tell Uncle Qin how much you sold it for. If you wait any longer and someone else buys it, there really will be no hope,¡± Bai Yun seemed very anxious.


    Indeed, once the item entered Yubao Square and was sold by them, there would be no way to know who the new owner was.


    ¡°Bai Yun, by what right do you frame me?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao questioned loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not framing you, this morning when I came in, I saw you standing beside Duobao Pavilion, looking flustered. I didn¡¯t think much of it at the time, but later when I was out shopping, I happened to see you coming out of Yubao Square, counting money in your hand, looking very happy. Sister-in-law, I¡¯m truly doing this for your own good. You hurry up and say how much you sold it for. After all, once the item is gone, it can¡¯t be bought back for the original price. You sold it for a hundred, Aunt Shen might have to pay one hundred thousand yuan to perhaps not even get it back,¡± Bai Yun seemed to be considerate of the Qin Family.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s brows knotted into an irritated ¡®Sichuan¡¯ character as he looked at Bai Yun, feeling that something was off.


    This child from the Bai Family, wasn¡¯t she very close to Gu Qiaoqiao? Why today¡­


    At that moment, the shopping bag of Gu Qiaoqiao had already been torn open by Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao forcefully pushed Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu away, her clear eyes filled with icy light, as her whole being seemed to be ignited by anger, ¡°What right do you have to rummage through my things?¡±


    ¡°This is not your stuff; it¡¯s bought with the money from selling the Silent Night Cicada. Of course we have the right to look,¡± Qin Xiaoyu said excitedly.


    ¡°Qin Xiaoyu, shut your mouth.¡± Just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to retort, she unexpectedly heard Mr. Qin¡¯s voice.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s face turned grim. Bai Yun could say whatever she wanted, but Qin Xiaoyu should not.


    This matter had no evidence, although he was not very satisfied with Gu Qiaoqiao, he couldn¡¯t wrong her.


    He gave Shen Manru a warning glare and rubbed his forehead, ¡°Bai Yun, you go back first, you shouldn¡¯t get involved in this matter.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Qin, if the Silent Night Cicada really entered Yubao Square, you might not be able to buy it back even with one hundred thousand yuan, and you also know the rules of Yubao Square,¡± Bai Yun gently reminded.


    The Deputy Manager of Yubao Square, Zhang Yi, is Bai Yun¡¯s maternal cousin once removed.


    Old Grand Master Qin and the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square used to have a very good relationship, could be called sworn brothers.


    But because of an incident over thirty years ago, the two families broke off contact.


    If the Silent Night Cicada really was at Yubao Square, then, if it was said to be a belonging of the Qin Family, it might not really be possible to buy it back.


    Qin Xuan hesitated.


    But Shen Manru could no longer wait, containing her anger, she asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°How much did you sell the Silent Night Cicada for? We need to prepare ourselves mentally. If it¡¯s any later, the bank will be closed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it, I didn¡¯t sell the Silent Night Cicada,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said angrily.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, just admit it. The Qin family is generous, and they won¡¯t blame you. As long as you return the item, it will be fine,¡± Bai Yun pleaded earnestly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t sold the Silent Night Cicada, please believe me,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Mr. Qin and Shen Manru.


    Mr. Qin and Shen Manru were startled, and just as Mr. Qin was about to speak, Bai Yun hastily interjected, ¡°Sister-in-law, I saw everything, there¡¯s no use denying it. Who else could it be but you?¡±


    ¡°Besides me, there are all of you! Everyone in this room is a suspect, especially you Bai Yun, you¡¯re not above suspicion. Why would you suspect only me?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao retorted as she stared at Bai Yun.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t make baseless accusations,¡± Shen Manru said, her embarrassment turning to anger.


    ¡°Yes, sister-in-law, those are serious allegations. If you¡¯re framing me, I will report this to the police,¡± Bai Yun threatened.


    ¡°Bai Yun, say that again,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao demanded sharply.


    ¡°You¡¯re framing me, and I¡¯m going to report this to the police.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you cannot throw dirt on Bai Yun. If this continues, we really will have to report this to the police,¡±


    Shen Manru¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it carried a thinly veiled threat, aimed at intimidating Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After all, the price of the Silent Night Cicada had already reached six digits, and Station C could certainly open a case about it.


    She was convinced it was Gu Qiaoqiao, so she hoped that Gu Qiaoqiao would confess on her own.


    Qin Xuan addressed Shen Manru sternly, ¡°Shen Manru, what nonsense are you and Bai Yun talking about?¡±


    Then he dismissed Bai Yun, ¡°Bai Yun, don¡¯t make unfounded statements in the future. You¡¯re not suited to meddle in the Qin family¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Qin, I saw with my own eyes Gu Qiaoqiao putting something into her trouser pocket. I¡¯m not making this up,¡± Bai Yun said, somewhat desperately.


    For all her intelligence, she was only eighteen years old this year.


    ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t Gu Qiaoqiao?¡± Qin Xuan suddenly asked Bai Yun.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t her, who could it be?¡± Shen Manru, her heated brain cooling slightly, regained some sense.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not me, it could very well be Bai Yun. When I left today, she was the only one in the living room,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t cry ¡®thief¡¯ when you¡¯re the thief. If you keep making these false accusations, I¡¯ll report you to the police right away,¡± Bai Yun¡¯s voice was shrill. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Fine, Bai Yun, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll report to the police for you!¡± Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao quickly made her way to the living room phone.


    She had been waiting for Bai Yun to say just that.


    Her hand was incredibly fast, and before anyone could react, she had already connected with the police station.


    It was too late for Qin Xuan to stop her.


    Bai Yun, on the other hand, had a triumphant smile on her face.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao gave the address, she hung up the phone, her gaze clear as water as she looked toward the differently expressive faces in the living room.


    A silent, cold smile spread quietly across her lips.

 Chapter 45 - 44: Have You Been Reading to the Dogs?

    Chapter 45: Chapter 44: Have You Been Reading to the Dogs?


    Qin Xuan finally realized that the situation might have gotten out of hand.


    And it seemed like today, he was being led around by two girls.


    He looked at Bai Yun, then turned to Gu Qiaoqiao, his face as grim as still water.


    Shen Manru¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t great either; it was embarrassing to have involved the police.


    But items worth over a hundred thousand had indeed been lost.


    However, due to the missing Silent Night Cicada, Bai Yun¡¯s accusation, and even more so because of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s forceful denial, the house was filled with noise and chaos, and these two highly educated university professors had lost their usual calm and reason.


    No one even thought to stop it.


    Soon, two officers arrived.


    Upon entering the living room and recognizing familiar faces, they first politely greeted Qin Xuan and Shen Manru, then asked seriously, ¡°Teacher Qin, could you please tell us the details of what happened?¡±


    Before Qin Xuan could speak, Gu Qiaoqiao pointed at Bai Yun, her voice filled with anger, ¡°Officer, our family¡¯s Silent Night Cicada worth over a hundred thousand is missing, Bai Yun is framing me for the theft, I definitely didn¡¯t take it, so I suspect that Bai Yun is playing the thief who cries ¡®catch the thief,¡¯ fabricating evidence and framing me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you are despicable and shameless for spouting such slander. It was clearly you who took it, how dare you pin it on me. You are utterly shameless¡­¡± Bai Yun said as tears began to fall, she then turned to Shen Manru, heartbroken, ¡°Aunt Shen, how could I possibly take Uncle Qin¡¯s most treasured item?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s possible. You kill two birds with one stone. First, you make sure that I¡¯m labeled as a thief, then have your father step in, the Qin Family spends a huge sum to buy back the Silent Night Cicada from you, you gain favor, get the money, and eliminate a thorn in your side. Bai Yun, you¡¯re killing three birds with one stone.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke very quickly, so fast that the officers with their notebooks could not get a word in.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡¯ve gone mad, how dare you falsely accuse me, you will face legal responsibility.¡± Bai Yun shouted angrily.


    ¡°Stop arguing, both of you. Teacher Qin, can you tell us what exactly happened?¡±


    One of the officers quickly interjected.


    At this moment, Grandma Qin, who had been out for a walk, hurried back home because someone told her that two officers had come to her house. She was unaware of what had happened.


    She smiled at the two officers, ¡°Children, please excuse me for a moment. Xiao Yu, go make some tea.¡±


    After being scolded by her father, Qin Xiaoyu didn¡¯t dare to interject anymore.


    Her mind was a mess, and at the mention of her grandmother¡¯s orders, she swiftly went off to make the tea.


    Grandma Qin stared intently at Qin Xuan and asked in a deep voice, ¡°What exactly is going on?¡±


    Qin Xuan opened his mouth but suddenly felt it was difficult to speak up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Grandma Qin, ¡°Grandma, our Silent Night Cicada is missing, Bai Yun is accusing me of stealing it, I can¡¯t admit to something I haven¡¯t done, and since Bai Yun is also a suspect, she insisted on reporting it to the police, so I made the call for her.¡±


    Grandma Qin looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, and after a moment, her eyes were filled with trust and warmth that made Gu Qiaoqiao want to cry.


    She felt weak, a glance made her so heart-wrenched, showing just what the Qin Family had brought to her.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, Grandma believes you.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Grandma Qin spoke with extra seriousness, she suddenly raised her walking stick and struck toward Qin Xuan, cursing angrily, ¡°You¡¯ve gone and put all your learning into the belly of a dog. Besides me, you are the eldest in this house, with the highest education, but do you have the demeanor of an elder?¡±


    Only then did Shen Manru come back to her senses, feeling that the words were also criticizing her; she was embarrassed and lowered her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, do you have any evidence?¡± Grandma Qin asked sternly.


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Qin Xuan replied quietly.


    Grandma Qin struck down with her cane again, and Qin Xuan winced in pain, feeling humiliated. Just as he was about to refute, Grandma Qin asked sharply, ¡°Without any evidence, how could you make such a fuss and report this to the authorities, Qin Xuan? You really are a good son of mine!¡±


    At this moment, Qin Xuan¡¯s face was tinged with a hint of purple. Here he was, the eldest and most educated, yet how had he stooped to filing a report?


    He looked towards Gu Qiaoqiao.


    At that time, her eyes seemed to be brimming with tears, a look of grievance on her face, yet even so, her spine remained straight as an arrow.


    Next to her lay a torn bag with its contents messily spilled out.


    He regretted it immensely.


    How had he been so foolish as to blow a minor issue out of proportion?


    What was meant to be a problem solved behind closed doors had escalated to involving the Public Security.


    The face he had just managed to save was lost again.


    Grandma Qin sat down on the sofa, not even glancing at Shen Manru, but instead staring at Bai Yun, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Bai Yun, what is going on here? Why did you insist on reporting this matter to the authorities?¡±


    ¡°It was Gu Qiaoqiao who stole things to sell, yet she managed to shift the blame onto me. Silent Night Cicada is worth a lot, and I dare not take the fall for this, so I had to suggest reporting it. It¡¯s the fairest approach,¡± Bai Yun said as she wiped away her tears, her voice laced with an air of grievance.


    ¡°Bai Yun, since you claim I took something, what evidence do you have?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked.


    ¡°You were skulking around near Duobao Pavilion, and after you left, the item was gone. If not you, then who?¡±


    ¡°After I left, there was still you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied lightly, a smile on her face but her eyes carried a hint of chill, ¡°I notice something in your pants pocket. Could it be that you hid Silent Night Cicada, planning to frame me with it? Otherwise, how come you happened to see me on the street? Imperial Capital is so big, isn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence that you ran into me?¡±


    Bai Yun was taken aback by this, aware that there were loopholes in how she had handled things later on, but her eyes shifted quickly, and she burst into tears, looking pitifully at Shen Manru. She knew that Shen Manru was likely the only one who would listen to her.


    She sobbed, ¡°Aunt Shen, I had good intentions. Silent Night Cicada is so precious, it would be such a shame if it fell into someone else¡¯s hands. I was thinking of Aunt Shen and your family¡¯s best interest. If I knew it would end up like this, I would have kept silent no matter what I saw.¡±


    It must be said that Bai Yun¡¯s tears really did come on cue.


    Furthermore, with her gentle features, her weeping naturally evoked pity.


    But at that time, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed like an unsheathed sword, exuding a bone-chilling coldness all around her.


    Therefore, the atmosphere inside the room was somewhat strange.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t cry; in her past life, she had shed too many tears.


    ¡°Bai Yun, take out whatever is in your pants pocket. It looks so much like the shape of Silent Night Cicada,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, not wishing to beat around the bush and pointed straight to the matter.


    Everyone turned their gaze towards Bai Yun.


    At the time, Bai Yun was wearing a knitted coat, and her trousers were coffee-colored. At the pocket area, there indeed seemed to be something the size of a nut.


    Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes on her, she became flustered and angrily responded, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, are you suggesting a body search, what a joke! Do you have the right to do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t have the right to search you, but if you have nothing to hide, you would naturally take it out and let everyone see for themselves,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, purposely looking down at Bai Yun from a position of superiority.


    Bai Yun was furious.


    Her hand reached into her pants pocket and when she touched the object, her whole body froze, her face turning pale with horror.

 Chapter 46 - 45: The Battlefield of Two Girls

    Chapter 46: Chapter 45: The Battlefield of Two Girls


    Bai Yun¡¯s hand, touching that object, actually started trembling slightly.


    Grandma Qin¡¯s eyes flashed a sharp gleam, and she spoke lightly, ¡°Bai Yun, take it out and let¡¯s have a look. If it isn¡¯t what we think, Grandma will personally apologize to you. Otherwise, if you leave like this, you will never clear your name.¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s heart thudded loudly, as if it would jump out of her chest at any moment.


    She bit her teeth tightly, looking at Grandma Qin¡¯s incisive gaze, then turned her pleading eyes towards Shen Manru.


    Unfortunately, Shen Manru was also staring at her, eyes filled with suspicion.


    ¡°Bai Yun, Grandma is right. Since you¡¯ve already filed a report, if you walk out like this, it will always be unclear. Let everyone have a look,¡± Qin Xuan said in a low voice, which carried barely restrained anger and a sense of oppression.


    Bai Yun, holding onto her last hope, slowly took out the object from her pocket. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he exclaimed in shock, ¡°Silent Night Cicada.¡±


    He quickly walked up to Bai Yun and, facing the stunned Bai Yun, reached out his hand.


    Bai Yun, in a daze, handed the Silent Night Cicada to Qin Xuan.


    Qin Xuan took it, saw that it wasn¡¯t damaged, and looked at Bai Yun with an ashen face and tightly knitted brows. ¡°Bai Yun, can you tell me why this Silent Night Cicada is in your pocket?¡±


    Indeed, why was it in her pocket?


    Bai Yun¡¯s mind buzzed loudly, and for a moment, it even went blank.


    She stood in the center of the living room, looking around. Shen Manru appeared utterly incredulous, Qin Xiaoyu was covering her mouth in shock, Grandma Qin¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a sword, and the two police officers were looking at her keenly.


    At this moment, Bai Yun felt both humiliated and helpless.


    Her last glance fell on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao still stood beside the scattered items, with an erect stature, a chilly gleam in her eyes, and a mocking smile on her lips.


    All of a sudden, as if coming back to her senses, Bai Yun yelled at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°It must be Gu Qiaoqiao, she definitely sneaked the Silent Night Cicada into my pocket, she stole it, not me!¡±


    ¡°Bai Yun, our country¡¯s law values physical evidence and testimony, and you have both,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a meaningful glance at Qin Xuan and Shen Manru. ¡°Even if some want to blatantly lie, the two officers are still here.¡±


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru turned pale, obviously understanding her point.


    They used to find Gu Qiaoqiao embarrassing, but today they felt utterly disgraced in front of her.


    They didn¡¯t even dare meet Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze and hastily averted their eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me, really not me. If it were me, how could I expose you to Aunt Shen and the others? If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t brazenly keep the item in my pocket. I would have hidden it long ago so you couldn¡¯t find it. Aunt Shen, this doesn¡¯t make sense at all,¡± Bai Yun desperately explained to everyone in the room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao truly admired Bai Yun¡¯s ability to remain composed in crisis, coming up with so many explanations in the blink of an eye.


    If it were some other girl, she would have been scared stiff by now.


    ¡°Bai Yun, this matter is very simple. If I were still as timid and weak as before, your scheme today would have truly succeeded.¡±


    ¡°They say that a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. After all these years, I¡¯ve gained a year, and I¡¯ve suffered so much from you; it¡¯s time I learned something.¡±


    ¡°So, not only did I vehemently deny it, but I also helped you report it, and I saw the abnormality in your pocket,¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t mentioned it, who would have known about the Silent Night Cicada in your pocket? You were confident, thinking no one would notice. Once you framed me, you¡¯d just walk out of the Qin Family¡¯s front door with the Silent Night Cicada.¡±


    ¡°After making a round outside, you¡¯d then appear as a hero to the Qin Family. At that time, not only would the Qin Family give you a large sum of money, but they would also regard you as a benefactor, so you¡¯ve extorted money and sold favors, Bai Yun, does that seem reasonable to you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice was clear and forceful, logical and coherent, her eyes shimmering with a different kind of gleam, even causing a brief pause in the room.


    Bai Yun¡¯s face turned pale, her eyes wide with fury, she barked in a frenzied low growl, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you are slandering me. I have never thought like that, nor would I ever do so. Although the Bai Family isn¡¯t wealthy, we lack nothing. Being neighbors with the Qin Family for decades, how could I extort money from them? Your accusation is absurd.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so affluent, why haven¡¯t you returned my eight hundred yuan?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao pressed fiercely.


    At this moment, the Qin Family¡¯s living room had become a battlefield between the two girls.


    Grandma Qin used her stern gaze to signal Qin Xuan and Shen Manru not to interject.


    Now that the police had entered the Qin residence, the fig leaf had already been torn away. Whether or not it was embarrassing had long ceased to matter.


    When Shen Manru heard Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, she hesitated. Hadn¡¯t Bai Yun said that Gu Qiaoqiao had squandered all her own money?


    How could she have lent eight hundred to Bai Yun?


    ¡°When did I ever borrow money from you?¡± Bai Yun exclaimed in shock, vehemently denying it.


    She wouldn¡¯t admit it without a written agreement and no witnesses.


    ¡°It was last October, you and I went to the bank together to withdraw it, the withdrawal date is on the passbook. Though there¡¯s no written agreement, you won¡¯t admit it, but I dare swear on the lives of my family members, do you dare to swear on the lives of your family members?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked coldly.


    Bai Yun looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a new perspective, and in that moment, she had to admit that Gu Qiaoqiao was no longer the foolish, timid farm girl.


    Would she dare to swear?


    Even though she didn¡¯t believe in spirits, could she risk her family members¡¯ lives with an oath?


    Even if she did take an oath, there was another significant issue waiting for her.


    It was as if thousands of venomous snakes were gnawing at Bai Yun¡¯s heart, her malign gaze like the flicker of a snake¡¯s tongue.


    As if ready to tear Gu Qiaoqiao to shreds.


    Though her mind was a mess, she was still trying to figure out how that thing got into her pocket.


    If she took it or not, she knew best herself.


    Seeing the slight smile on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips, she seemed to have an epiphany and screamed, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, it was you, it was definitely you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What have I done?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked with a laugh.


    ¡°It was you who stuffed the Silent Night Cicada into my pocket, right?¡± Bai Yun¡¯s expression turned fierce, gone was her usual gentleness.


    ¡°Bai Yun, you really are stubborn as a dying duck. If I stuffed something into your pocket, would you not know? Besides, today I wasn¡¯t even close enough to touch you¡ªI was at least five or six steps away from you. Everyone present saw that, right¡­¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes then turned to Bai Yun¡¯s jeans; girls love to look sharp, and their pants are usually tight-fitting.


    To stuff something into the pocket of tight jeans would require some effort, let alone from five steps away by Gu Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 47 - 46 Qin Yize is Back

    Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Qin Yize is Back


    Qin Xuan¡¯s expression grew increasingly ashen, he used to think that Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit foolish, but today he felt that he was even more foolish than Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He had actually been fooled by a young girl.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words were right; the child used to be timid and weak, barely daring to speak.


    It was just that over the past few days she had grown bolder and had also become smart and generous.


    If it had been her in the past, facing such a situation, she would not have been able to defend herself with such clear logic.


    Most likely she wouldn¡¯t have been able to say a word, only knowing how to wail and cry.


    The final outcome goes without saying, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to explain anything clearly, while Bai Yun would¡¯ve walked out of the Qin family¡¯s door with Silent Night Cicada¡¯s swagger.


    When coming back in, he and Shen Manru would not only have to hand over a huge sum of money but would also have to be grateful to this child.


    Having realized all this, Qin Xuan¡¯s gaze became complicated.


    But at the same time, he hesitated, did he really have to send Bai Yun to the police station today?


    Send her, he must send her!


    He gritted his teeth, he had to teach Bai Yun a lesson; if she could calculate him, in the future she might just reach for the sky.


    Moreover, it was she who had suggested filing the case.


    She really was convinced that Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t dare to confront her.


    Suddenly, Bai Yun began to cry softly. Just as she was about to continue her sobbing, she heard Grandma Qin¡¯s cane thump on the floor as she said indifferently, ¡°Bai Yun, today is the fifth day of the New Year; there¡¯s no reason to be crying and sniffling in someone else¡¯s home. Haven¡¯t your parents taught you this?¡±


    Her voice, neither too heavy nor too light, made Bai Yun¡¯s crying come to a sudden halt.


    Her face also turned exceedingly awkward as her confused brain tried to sort out a clear line of thought to extricate herself from the current predicament.


    And just at that moment, the door of the Qin family was pushed open, a gust of biting cold wind ushered in a tall and slender figure into the living room.


    Following him, several other people entered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback.


    It was Zhu Jianguo with a swollen face, Ning Yuli with a deathly pale complexion, Chu Chengfeng who looked triumphant, and Father Bai and Mrs. Bai, who seemed unaware of what had happened.


    As if sensing something in her heart.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze from afar settled on Gu Qiaoqiao, his eyes sparkling with a chilly light under the sun, conveying a determined expression.


    It was telling Gu Qiaoqiao that he had investigated the events of the night of the third day of the New Year and had brought the people involved.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pursed her red lips tightly.


    She had never doubted this man¡¯s capabilities.


    In both her past and present life, this young man, only twenty-two years old, possessed terrifying powers of action unknown to others.


    In her last life, she was knocked unconscious and abducted, then sold to a remote village in the Southwest Great Mountain, more than two thousand kilometers away from the Imperial Capital.


    Yet Qin Yize found her in just five days.


    He traversed Desperate Cliff and entered the village alone.


    That day, the villagers of the mountain village, who had always been barbaric, ignorant, and lawless, finally learned what a nightmare was¡­


    He rescued her from the Great Mountain.


    The last glimpse she caught before she fell unconscious was her final sight of Qin Yize in her past life.


    It was only later that she learned that, after taking her to the hospital, Qin Yize was taken away by the Special Preparation Team of the Imperial Capital. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he came out, he was faced with the cataclysmic disaster that had turned the Gu Family and Qin Family upside down.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands clenched together, gripping tightly before slowly releasing.


    Suppressing the stormy thoughts rolling in her eyes, she indifferently shifted her gaze away.


    When Bai Yun saw Zhu Jianguo and Ning Yuli, panic set in, and her legs gave out, causing her to collapse to the ground.


    The following events naturally went smoothly.


    Zhu Jianguo, perhaps frightened by Qin Yize or maybe because he was caught with leverage against him, disregarded the murderous glares from Father Bai, Mrs. Bai, and Bai Yun, and recounted what had happened.


    In the end, he said apologetically to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was confused at the time and didn¡¯t stop their nonsense. Blame me, please forgive me just this once.¡±


    When Qin Yize heard the word ¡°nonsense,¡± he abruptly kicked out, sending Zhu Jianguo flying to the ground, and coldly asked, ¡°Is it nonsense?¡±


    Zhu Jianguo dared not make another sound.


    The way things unfolded completely surpassed Qin Xuan¡¯s and Shen Manru¡¯s expectations.


    Grandma Qin¡¯s face was as still as water, her teeth clenched, but she did not speak, for it wasn¡¯t her turn yet.


    Indeed, the Bai Family had gone too far!


    Ning Yuli, with her head bowed, was also terrified. She hated Zhu Jianguo¡¯s betrayal, despised Bai Yun¡¯s incompetence, and hated Gu Qiaoqiao even more.


    But she dared not raise her head.


    This matter would certainly come to Grandpa¡¯s knowledge, and she couldn¡¯t bear to imagine the consequences.


    Father Bai and Mrs. Bai had not expected the true facts to be such.


    Mrs. Bai stepped forward to help her daughter up and slapped her on the back, hissing with a tone of disappointment, ¡°You silly girl, how could you be so foolish, you and Qiaoqiao are so close on normal days, how dare you cause such a commotion, go quickly, apologize to your sister-in-law¡­¡±


    Mrs. Bai was a clever woman; upon hearing Zhu Jianguo¡¯s words, she knew that the situation could be big or small.


    And the key lay with Gu Qiaoqiao, as long as Gu Qiaoqiao said she forgave, then all would be well.


    In the end, she¡¯d attribute it all to a minor squabble between sisters.


    So while she pretended to scold Bai Yun with a show of anger, she secretly gestured to her daughter.


    Bai Yun was naturally not foolish, or else how could she have manipulated the former Qiaoqiao so perfectly. She didn¡¯t dare look at Qin Yize¡¯s frosty face, knowing what she must now mean in his eyes.


    Since there was no hope from Qin Yize, minimizing the major issue and dissolving the small one was the wisest course of action for today.


    She quickly grasped her mother¡¯s intentions, and Bai Yun changed her face swiftly, came before Gu Qiaoqiao, and with a thump, knelt down to her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blanked for a moment, looking at Bai Yun kneeling before her, reminiscent of her own past humiliation when she knelt before Sun Yingke.


    A flicker of satisfaction inevitably rose in her heart.


    A moment later, as if waking from a reverie, she shifted aside, and looking at the various expressions in the room, she frowned and said, ¡°What are you doing? With so many elders in the room, you kneel before me, trying to force me to agree to something?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words added to Bai Yun¡¯s humiliation.


    Her kneeling had been in vain.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had preemptively blocked her excuses.


    Neither kneeling nor standing would do, Father Bai sharply rebuked, ¡°Bai Yun, stand and speak, what kind of behavior is this?¡±


    Bai Yun stood up and, bowing deeply to Gu Qiaoqiao, lifted her head earnestly and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it was a moment of confusion. Remembering our past closeness like sisters, please forgive me this once. In fact, I regretted it at the time, so I drank the orange juice with medicine myself. Please let me off this time for my timely repentance.¡±


    Timely repentance?


    Truly a joke.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Bai Yun. ¡°If you regretted it, you should have poured out the juice. Why drink it? Are you that foolish? Moreover, you knew the person in that private room was your cousin, yet you insisted it was Qin Yize, tricking me to go in, because you thought I had drunk the juice with something added, right?¡±

 Chapter 48 - 47 She Had to Bow Her Head

    Chapter 48: Chapter 47 She Had to Bow Her Head


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bai Yun opened her mouth, unable to find words to respond, but she couldn¡¯t give up. She masked the malice in her eyes and pleaded bitterly, ¡°I know, no matter what I say you won¡¯t believe me, but I truly realize my mistake. Please, for the sake of me being your only good friend in the Imperial Capital, forgive me this once. I will definitely treat you better in the future.¡±


    This Bai Yun, who could bend and stretch so adaptably, truly chilled Gu Qiaoqiao to the bone.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was spineless; it was because Bai Yun was only eighteen years old this year.


    And yet, she could read the room better than those in their thirties or forties.


    Such a woman was a character to be reckoned with.


    What was she like in her past life?


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned and thought hard, seeming to remember that ever since her accident, she had never heard any news of Bai Yun.


    It seemed that even news of the Bai Family was scarce.


    But such a person, coupled with an illustrious family background, surely lived a good life.


    She stared intently at Bai Yun and suddenly laughed scornfully, ¡°Bai Yun, I dare not keep you as a friend anymore. First, I have no money now; I can¡¯t treat you to meals when we go out, nor lend you money to spend. And you¡¯re too scheming; we can no longer be friends.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not mention the words Bai Yun had used to egg her on and the things she had done.


    Though it could have proven once again Bai Yun¡¯s malicious intentions.


    It would have also provided others with evidence of her own foolishness.


    Some people wouldn¡¯t just lack sympathy for her, they¡¯d turn around and ridicule her: If you¡¯re told to do something, you just do it, and if you¡¯re told to die, you¡¯ll die too?


    So, being foolish once in a lifetime was enough; she wouldn¡¯t give anyone a handle on her this time around.


    Bai Yun¡¯s complexion turned from green to white. When had she ever endured such challenge and humiliation? But the circumstances were stronger than her will, forcing her to lower her head.


    She clenched her teeth and continued to beg, ¡°Sister-in-law, in the end you didn¡¯t suffer much, whereas I brought consequences upon myself. It¡¯s God teaching me a lesson. I¡¯ll never dare again. Please, let me off this time for your great kindness.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao snorted with laughter, ¡°Bai Yun, when you commit murder, if you don¡¯t kill your victim, does that mean you are not guilty?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to continue talking with her. She looked at Bai Yun¡¯s pale face, and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Just do one thing for me, and I won¡¯t pursue the matter.¡±


    Bai Yun looked at Gu Qiaoqiao suspiciously and murmured, ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°I know you like Qin Yize, and your heart is set on marrying him. You framed me because you couldn¡¯t bear it. So, if you can convince your Brother Ze to divorce me, I promise I won¡¯t pursue these two matters!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words were like a huge stone thrown into a lake, causing a massive surge of waves.


    For a moment, the room was terrifyingly quiet, as if even the sound of a needle falling to the ground could be heard.


    Everyone looked at Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize.


    Before Grandma Qin could speak, Qin Yize¡¯s handsome face grew cold, as frost layered over his features, cold as ice, chilling to the bone, causing even Father Bai beside him to shiver uncontrollably.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    He stepped toward Gu Qiaoqiao within a few strides.


    Before coming here, he had already alerted the police in the west district, estimating they would arrive within a few minutes.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s glib tongue, he also intended for her to recognize Bai Yun¡¯s true colors and learn from this, so he had been observing from the sidelines.


    But then Gu Qiaoqiao said such a thing to Bai Yun.


    Wouldn¡¯t his entire night¡¯s efforts become a joke?


    Qin Yize could not tolerate this.


    He grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand abruptly, and said in a cold voice to the two policemen in the living room, who hadn¡¯t found a chance to interject, ¡°The officers from your station will be arriving soon. Take these three away. Whether it¡¯s illegal or criminal, I trust you will handle it well.¡±


    Then he quickly turned to Chu Chengfeng and commanded, ¡°Leave the rest to you.¡±


    Without even glancing at the others, Qin Yize pulled Gu Qiaoqiao, whose complexion had drastically changed, and strode towards their room.


    With a bang, the door closed.


    Hearing Qin Yize¡¯s words, Bai Yun could no longer hold back and burst into loud sobs.


    He was truly ruthless, not caring the slightest bit for the relationship between the two families, blatantly saying she should be put in jail just like that.


    She threw herself at Shen Manru, about to plead earnestly, but was interrupted by Grandma Qin¡¯s sharp voice, ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Turning to Father Bai and Mrs. Bai, she said sternly, ¡°There are state laws and family rules. Knowing full well that Gu Qiaoqiao is the granddaughter-in-law of the Qin Family, you still dared to drug and frame her, and even dared to steal from the Qin Family to slander Qiaoqiao; do you think the Qin Family is without support?¡±


    Each word from the old lady was sharp, filled with anger, and also with regret; she had been careless.


    How could she have allowed Qiaoqiao to play with such a viper-hearted woman?


    Bai Yun looked at Shen Manru, crying heart-wrenchingly, ¡°Aunt Shen, save me, you¡¯ve always been the kindest to me. Let me off this time, I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡±


    Grandma Qin let out a cold snort at Shen Manru.


    Shen Manru finally came to her senses at this moment, looking at Bai Yun in front of her who was crying her eyes out, with shock and disbelief in her eyes.


    This child just turned eighteen at the New Year, how could her heart be so venomous, so calculating?


    All these events had become a series of scheming plots.


    It was truly terrifying.


    She must not allow Xiao Yu to be with her anymore.


    Her daughter was naive, even easier to deceive than Gu Qiaoqiao. She might even help count the money for someone else after being sold in the future.


    Although Shen Manru was haughty and proud, and still looked down upon Gu Qiaoqiao, she knew whose side she ought to stand on at this moment.


    She coldly pushed Bai Yun¡¯s hands away, ¡°Bai Yun, your thoughts are too deep and too horrifying. Don¡¯t call me Aunt Shen anymore and don¡¯t come to my house again.¡±


    Mrs. Bai came in front of Grandma Qin, pleading, ¡°Old madam, for the many years our families have been neighbors, please let Xiao Yun off this time. She¡¯s just started her first year of university. If she goes in, whatever will she do afterwards?¡±


    ¡°You only think about what your daughter will do, but did you ever consider what would have happened to my granddaughter-in-law if she actually suffered at the hands of your daughter? Mrs. Bai, one cannot be so selfish!¡±


    Grandma Qin¡¯s voice was not loud, yet it carried a chill.


    This was something Mrs. Bai had never seen before. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the people from the police substation arrived.


    Bai Yun, Zhu Jianguo, and Ning Yuli were taken away.


    Father Bai and Mrs. Bai also followed them to the substation.


    The living room of the Qin Family returned to silence, Grandma Qin¡¯s face was cold, and without looking at Qin Xuan and Shen Manru, she spoke to Qin Xiaoyu, who was a bit bewildered, ¡°Who messed up the things your sister-in-law bought back?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, it was¡­¡±


    ¡°Who was it?¡± Grandma Qin suddenly raised her voice.


    ¡°It was Bai Yun and me,¡± Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly answered, frightened.


    ¡°Tidy it up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandma.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly went to pick up the woolen sweaters and cosmetics scattered on the floor, carefully placing them in the bag.

 Chapter 49 - 48: Do you take marriage as a childs play in your eyes?

    Chapter 49: Chapter 48: Do you take marriage as a child¡¯s play in your eyes?


    Qin Xuan held the Silent Night Cicada in his hand.


    Today¡¯s events happened one after another, leaving his mind still somewhat in chaos.


    Grandma Qin looked at her son and daughter-in-law, who were bowing their heads in silence, and let out a long sigh, her eyes filled with disappointment.


    The air in the room was tense and oppressive.


    It was as if a heavy stone weighed on the hearts of Qin Xuan and Shen Manru, leaving them breathless.


    They had never dreamed something like this would happen.


    ...


    It was just a girl, yet she had stirred up such a storm.


    Grandma Qin looked at her son and daughter-in-law and thought about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words earlier, feeling a sense of powerlessness and concern swell in her heart.


    ¡°Qin Xuan, I am very disappointed in you.¡±


    Grandma Qin tapped the floor with her cane as she spoke, her voice not loud but carrying a hint of mockery, ¡°Qin Xuan, I always thought you were full of wisdom and stability, but I never expected that you and your wife, together nearly a hundred years in age, would be so easily duped by an eighteen-year-old girl.¡±


    The couple¡¯s faces flushed red, as if they had been slapped.


    Especially coming from their usually gentle mother, it made them feel utterly disgraced.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao is young and inexperienced. I can understand her being deceived by Bai Yun, but I can¡¯t fathom how you two got conned like this.¡±


    Qin Xuan bowed his head, indeed not daring to look at his mother. Truth be told, in the eyes of others, he had really played the fool today.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry, I was confused today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not confusion, it¡¯s because you already had biases against Qiaoqiao. Aside from her rural background, what is wrong with that child that you would join outsiders in falsely accusing her as soon as trouble arises?¡±


    Grandma Qin suddenly raised her voice, ¡°And even if she weren¡¯t flawless, she is still a member of the Qin Family, Ah Ze¡¯s wife. Even if she did take that thing, it should have been dealt with behind closed doors, but you¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Grandma Qin stood up, pointing her cane at her son and daughter-in-law who also stood up, scolding them for not having faith, ¡°You don¡¯t believe your own daughter-in-law but believe Bai Yun¡¯s words instead, and then you join outsiders in framing her, even going so far as to involve the police. Thank goodness Gu Qiaoqiao was clever enough to find out the item was with Bai Yun. Otherwise, would she have been sent to the police station by you?¡±


    ¡°Mom, things were a bit chaotic at that time, no matter what, I never thought of filing a report, I¡­¡± Qin Xuan stumbled over his words.


    ¡°What¡¯s with ¡®I¡¯? In the end, the police still came. Now, the Bai Family is losing face, but you are even more disgraceful than the Bai Family. Two university professors joining outsiders to target your own daughter-in-law¡ªit¡¯s laughable. It¡¯s not Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face that you¡¯ve lost; it¡¯s your own!¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all my fault. I will go and apologize to Qiaoqiao in a minute. Please, don¡¯t be angry. If it harms your health, your son will be even more without a place to hide his face.¡±


    Qin Xuan looked at his mother¡¯s excited expression and trembling hands; he was truly frightened.


    Grandma Qin¡¯s piercing gaze turned to Shen Manru, speaking firmly yet evenly, ¡°Shen Manru, I know you favor Bai Yun and want her to be your daughter-in-law. Today, I am telling you seriously that even if Gu Qiaoqiao does divorce Ah Ze, Bai Yun will not be stepping foot into the Qin Family¡¯s door in this lifetime!¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡­¡± Shen Manru was extremely uncomfortable, as she had never been reprimanded by Grandma Qin like this before¡ªand after such an incident, how silly she would be to still favor Bai Yun, yet she couldn¡¯t refute.


    Qin Xuan felt a sinking feeling. If this incident caused his son and daughter-in-law to divorce, Old Grand Master Qin would not let him off lightly.


    Moreover, with his foolishness, he wouldn¡¯t be able to lift his head in front of his brothers.


    ¡°Mom, they won¡¯t get divorced,¡± Qin Xuan said hastily.


    It hadn¡¯t reached an irreparable point. Qiaoqiao was soft-hearted, and if he humbly apologized to her, everything would clear up after the storm.


    Grandma Qin looked at the two people with disappointment, these two, because of their prejudice against Qiaoqiao, simply failed to see how the child had changed.


    She had become completely different from before.


    And today¡¯s talk of divorce wasn¡¯t just said in anger.


    She knew Qiaoqiao was serious.


    She sighed deeply, seeming to age several years in an instant, and murmured, ¡°I really regret it, I shouldn¡¯t have given you time to get along slowly, nor should I have indulged your mistreatment of Qiaoqiao. Ah Ze is naturally cold by temperament, and with in-laws like you, Qiaoqiao can only grow increasingly disappointed with this family. I can¡¯t even imagine how you treated her when I wasn¡¯t looking. I am also to blame, I am an elder of this family, yet I let Brother Gu¡¯s granddaughter suffer endless grievances here. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±


    Grandma Qin, leaning on her cane, pushed past Qin Xuan, walking towards her own room with a staggering step.


    Qin Xuan collapsed onto the couch, drained of strength.


    Shen Manru stood there, watching her daughter timidly standing in a corner, her heart also in utter turmoil.


    But Grandma Qin was right about one thing; they had been foolish to be used by Bai Yun to frame their own daughter-in-law.


    She still had that much sense.


    Even if apologizing to Gu Qiaoqiao was what she ought to do.


    But then again, if Gu Qiaoqiao had not married into the Qin Family, would all these things have happened in the first place?


    She knew this line of thought was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t control her emotions.


    Meanwhile, in the room of Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize¡¯s hand gripped Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s all this time, causing a slight pain in her wrist. She struggled for a long time but couldn¡¯t break free from his grasp, which felt like iron tongs.


    Heat seemed to radiate from the palm of his hand, while hers was cooler, the contrast making her skin shiver.


    ¡°Let go of me¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao growled angrily, ¡°It hurts.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Qin Yize abruptly released her hand.


    But as he let go, he moved closer, his tall frame cornering Gu Qiaoqiao against the door, making her feel almost suffocated.


    Qin Yize¡¯s thin lips formed a cold, straight line, the frosty gleam in the corner of his eyes flickered for a mere moment but still made Gu Qiaoqiao tremble.


    She tried to remain composed, raising her eyes to glare fiercely at Qin Yize, biting her red lip. A few breaths later, she still ended up pathetically diverting her gaze.


    Qin Yize¡¯s chest heaved as if he were breathing deeply, his voice even raised, ¡°Marriage can be a condition, divorce can also be a condition, Gu Qiaoqiao, do you take marriage so lightly in your eyes?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly looked up, as if struck by lightning.


    Marriage is a joke?


    How dare he say that?


    What right does he have to say that!


    She fell in love with him in the most beautiful years of her life, a love so deep and yet so humble.


    Her love began with Qin Yize but ended with their marriage and also with the most splendid time of her life.


    And her heart, nowhere to settle, riddled with a thousand holes! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 50 - 49 Shes Not Worth It for Herself!

    Chapter 50: Chapter 49 She¡¯s Not Worth It for Herself!


    ¡°Qin Yize, in your eyes, is marriage not a matter of seriousness? If you didn¡¯t treat this as child¡¯s play, why did you disregard me? In this marriage, how did you act as a husband?


    What right do you have to say that I treat marriage as child¡¯s play? If you think marriage is sacred, why didn¡¯t you firmly refuse from the start?


    With your abilities, Qin Yize, you had a thousand ways to refuse, yet you did not. You married me, then treated me with indifference, leaving me anxious and restless day by day. Now that I have finally seen things clearly and initiated a divorce, this decision is the most solemn one for me and a respect for this unequal marriage. How can you say that I treat marriage as child¡¯s play?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes brimmed with mist and hatred as she roared softly.


    Qin Yize was stunned.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao intently, his dark eyes seemingly shadowed like ink.


    ...


    He finally realized that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s divorce proposal was not a whim nor a tactic to garner his attention.


    She was serious, so serious that she publicly proposed it in front of everyone.


    Not giving herself any room to retreat.


    It was indeed resolute and unwavering.


    He also saw the hatred in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes. Why did she hate him?


    Was it because of today¡¯s events?


    He wasn¡¯t sure and didn¡¯t have time to ask, as Gu Qiaoqiao and Bai Yun hardly gave anyone a chance to respond.


    However, if Gu Qiaoqiao insisted on divorcing, he would not cling stubbornly.


    He would willingly let go and give her freedom.


    All this time, he had never experienced falling in love or youthful infatuation.


    To date, at twenty-two years old, no girl had made his heart flutter.


    He had also never imagined like other boys what his future wife, with whom he would have children, would be like.


    In front of these girls, including Gu Qiaoqiao, his heart remained utterly still.


    Just like an ancient well for thousands of years.


    Chu Chengfeng mocked him for being heartless, but he knew it wasn¡¯t a sickness, just that there was no girl worthy of stirring his heart.


    Thus, he viewed romantic attachments with extreme indifference.


    Thinking that this would be his life, he agreed to marry her.


    She wanted to marry him, so he provided her with marriage; she longed for the glamour of the Imperial Capital, so he quickly brought her into the Qin Family.


    But now, she told him she had thought it through, and she wanted a divorce.


    A divorce?


    Fine!


    But some things need to be made clear.


    Qin Yize slowly began to speak, but his voice was somewhat hoarse, ¡°I understand now; you are indeed not acting on a whim or impulsively, but after careful consideration.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time.¡±


    A lifetime, which is indeed a long time.


    ¡°However, I need to clarify some things with you.¡±


    Qin Yize slightly distanced himself from Gu Qiaoqiao, but the chilly fragrance of bamboo leaves still lingered between them.


    It seemed mingled with a hint of a young girl¡¯s delicate scent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao cast her eyes downward.


    ¡°First, I want to tell you that agreeing to marry you is no child¡¯s play. If nothing major happens, we¡¯ll spend our lifetime together.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly clenched her hands, a hint of coldness spreading across her lips.


    ¡°Of course, the accident refers to the end of my life.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly looked up at him.


    Those eyes, brilliant as stars, held emotions she couldn¡¯t understand.


    A few moments later, Gu Qiaoqiao indifferently lowered her head as a voice gently began overhead.


    ¡°On the day of our wedding, due to special circumstances, I went to Diannan overnight. The nature of the job was confidential, and I couldn¡¯t call you, nor leave even a single word. By the time I had completed the task and returned, it was January. I went to the Northern Border City to continue setting up a research base, where only military phone lines were available, which were quite inconvenient.


    Moreover, there was a holiday a month later, so I didn¡¯t write a letter.


    The day I returned, I handed over all my allowance and the bonus from the mission to you. I thought, this was an obligation must be fulfilled as your husband¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    In both her past and present lives, she had thought that Qin Yize had gone to the experimental base in Northern Border City, which indeed was inconvenient, but letters could still be sent.


    Yet it turned out, he had only returned from Diannan last month.


    A bitter smile tugged at her lips, her thoughts churning like tumultuous waves.


    She felt unworthy of herself!


    Why didn¡¯t he say so? If he had told her, would she still be so tormented and pained that he didn¡¯t call or write to her?


    If she weren¡¯t so fixated, would she have been deceived by Bai Yun?


    However, there would never be an answer to this question.


    ¡°So, I wasn¡¯t ignoring you.¡±


    From Qin Yize¡¯s perspective, he could only see the top of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s soft, black hair, not the expression on her face.


    He could barely catch a whiff of a faint fragrance.


    He suddenly recalled their first meeting; Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying tea, had trembled surprisingly when she saw him. The tray holding four cups of tea nearly tilted to spill everything on the floor.


    This girl, quick in reaction, flipped and steadied the tray in her hands. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And his hand, awkwardly hanging in mid-air, stopped moving.


    Thinking of this, Qin Yize¡¯s gaze softened, his voice lightened, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, do you remember the talk we had at your home before I agreed to the marriage?¡±


    Talk?


    When was that?


    Without the icy chill from Qin Yize, she felt a trace of warmth and calmed down significantly. She remembered that Qin Yize indeed had a conversation with her, but at that time, she was so blissfully elated, like walking on clouds, floating about with only his pleasant male voice in her ears.


    But she hadn¡¯t really heard what he had said.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head hung even lower.


    Qin Yize seemed to understand, for back then Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t been listening attentively, but the radiance of her smiling face was so brilliant it was hard for him to bear looking directly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve forgotten, let me repeat it to you, I am a cold person by nature, sometimes harsh and unsympathetic¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°I told you, I couldn¡¯t guarantee being a qualified husband, couldn¡¯t provide the dream marriage you wished for, and you said you didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, vaguely remembering these words.


    ¡°I also told you, we had only met once, I had no feelings for you, not even liking, let alone love, yet you still said you didn¡¯t mind, as long as you loved me. You said the future was long, and you would desperately make me fall in love with you, as long as you could marry me, you didn¡¯t care about anything else¡­¡±


    These words from Qin Yize were like needles piercing her heart, shaking her soul, her complexion changed drastically, and she shouted, ¡°Stop talking.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 50 I Agree!

    Chapter 51: Chapter 50 I Agree!


    Gu Qiaoqiao frantically covered her face, sliding down against the corner of the wall as she remembered.


    She recalled the suppressed memories tormenting her for the remaining eight years of her past life.


    She once promised Qin Yize with fiery passion.


    In the days that followed, she indeed desperately tried to make Qin Yize fall in love with her, but in the end, she failed.


    She loved with all her might, only to drag her loved ones into losing their lives one by one, and in the end, she didn¡¯t survive either.


    How could she be so foolish!


    ...


    How can one love someone else so desperately?


    What kind of person is worth loving so desperately!


    Life isn¡¯t just about love!


    And her so-called laughable love for just one person was no match for death!


    She of her previous life, deserved her death!


    Qin Yize¡¯s handsome brows furrowed slightly, yet suddenly, he envisioned Gu Qiaoqiao uttering these words¡ªthat year, she was only seventeen, wasn¡¯t she?


    Her young face, still unshed of naivety, was filled with a bright and sunny smile, those clear eyes were dazzlingly brilliant and startling.


    Afterward, he didn¡¯t try to persuade her anymore, but nodded in agreement.


    In less than two years, had these words driven her to such pain and unbearable recollection?


    Was it really the recklessness of youth?


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t know.


    He only remembered that when he first came back, the way Gu Qiaoqiao looked at him was full of love.


    And then in the evening, she tried to throw herself at him.


    But all of this vanished without a trace on the afternoon of New Year¡¯s Eve.


    In those clear eyes, there was no longer a shadow of him.


    It wasn¡¯t about feeling disappointed, just somewhat perplexed.


    Could that one collision have enlightened her?


    From his superior vantage point, he looked down at the Gu Qiaoqiao covering her face, sighed so faintly it was almost inaudible, then squatted down, reaching out his hand only for it to halt mid-air.


    Then, without a sound, he slowly withdrew it.


    A cool and indifferent voice echoed in the room, ¡°If divorce can get rid of some of the hatred in your eyes, I agree!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly released the hands covering her face, her reddened eyes moist as if in disbelief, she murmured, ¡°You agree?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Qin Yize was silent for a moment, his expression returning to its usual cold detachment, seemingly relaxed all of a sudden, yet also as if his chest was a bit stifled.


    In his remote voice he began, ¡°I¡¯m currently in charge of the research base, so the divorce procedures are a bit complicated, I have to file a report beforehand, my immediate superior might want to talk to you, it¡¯s better if you can avoid it, but if not, just tell the truth, but let¡¯s not tell our families for the time being.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly stood up, took a deep breath, blinked hard, pushing the tears back, and said with a hint of relief, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone until I get the divorce certificate.¡±


    Qin Yize looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, who obviously seemed happier now, a dark shadow passing over his deep black eyes.


    So agreeing to the divorce actually made her this happy, huh?


    He straightened his coat, having stayed awake all night, and now he still needed to go out and ask what exactly had happened today.


    He didn¡¯t ask Gu Qiaoqiao because what puzzled him was how the report had been filed in the first place.


    He wanted to know the roles his father and mother had played in it.


    His hand rested on the door handle when Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked, ¡°Qin Yize, may I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°If I had drunk that glass of orange juice with the drug in it and had made a fool of myself, what would you have done? Would you have believed that I was set up? Would you have investigated?¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize fixed his gaze on Gu Qiaoqiao standing before him, noting her eyes still misty with determination, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is this question very important to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very important.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    Even though she knew it was meaningless now, she still wanted to know what Qin Yize would have done if it had actually happened.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression grew solemn as he thought for a moment, ¡°I arrived late, and if no one had alerted me, I wouldn¡¯t have known it was because of the orange juice. I might have thought you really drank alcohol, especially since Bai Yun and her group had already prepared their story. And Brother Hao, upon knowing the person Bai Yun wanted to harm was you, would have immediately aligned stories with Bai Yun and Zhu Jianguo, denying everything even until death. Xiao Yu is naive and can¡¯t see through these tricks. If you knew the problem lay with the orange juice, that¡¯s good. But if you didn¡¯t, then Bai Yun and Ning Yuli might really have gotten their way.¡±


    Hmph, just as I thought!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes showed a hint of coldness as she looked at Qin Yize with a mocking gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that; I¡¯m not a clairvoyant. The reason I felt something was wrong was because of Zhu Jianguo and Bai Yun¡¯s relationship, which has nothing to do with brandy or orange juice.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao let out a cold snort and looked away.


    Seeing the expression on her face, Qin Yize knew what she was thinking.


    His thin lips parted slightly as he spoke with an aloof, icy voice, as if laced with frost, ¡°Are you thinking that I¡¯m the root cause of the trouble? That if Bai Yun hadn¡¯t coveted me, none of this would have happened? I admit, there may be a connection, but I have to tell you that I did everything I could to distance myself and reject her¡­¡±


    As he reached this point, Qin Yize glanced at his right hand, ¡°You might not believe it, but I¡¯ve lived up to now and this is the first time I¡¯ve held a girl¡¯s hand, and that girl is you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly hid that hand behind her back.


    Qin Yize saw the small movement without a change of expression but slightly curled up the corner of his mouth, realizing he had said quite a bit today.


    Yet, he remembered something else that he felt he should explain to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    However, it was difficult to say. Yet, since they had already agreed to divorce, he couldn¡¯t let her leave with hatred in her heart.


    But as the words reached his lips, he found he could not speak them.


    Watching Qin Yize¡¯s expression, Gu Qiaoqiao was unsure of his thoughts, but she felt good nonetheless, now that he had finally agreed to the divorce.


    So she took the initiative to ask, ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Qin Yize looked into her eyes, clear as spring water, and was reminded of the last time they discussed this topic, remembering Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shyness and frustration.


    He felt it might be good to speak up, else that smile on her face was indeed a bit irritating.


    As Qin Yize who had once made his way through the fierce undercurrents appeared naive on the surface in these matters, he was in truth seasoned and scheming.


    His eyes dimmed as he studied Gu Qiaoqiao intently, his voice slightly hoarse yet meaningful, ¡°I haven¡¯t touched you for a few reasons; first, you¡¯re too young, second, I was afraid of scaring you, third, neither of us were ready to become parents. I was thinking we could wait another two years, it might be better. But luckily we did not. Otherwise, getting a divorce wouldn¡¯t have been so easy for you.¡±


    Having finished, he opened the door and closed it behind him with a slight squeeze of his hand, masking the wave of emotion in his eyes as he headed coldly towards the couch where his parents sat in a daze.

 Chapter 52 - 51 Apology

    Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Apology


    Gu Qiaoqiao finally reacted when she heard the sound of the door closing.


    For some reason, her face suddenly flushed red.


    Her eyes, filled with embarrassment and annoyance, were fixed on the wooden door, yet she didn¡¯t have the courage to open it.


    She instinctively looked down at her chest.


    Although her clothes were loose, she knew that the curves underneath were still gracefully outlined.


    Just like two ripe peaches.


    ...


    Small, huh?


    Worried about scaring her?


    What on earth could scare her?


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly froze, then she bit her lip in mortification.


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, did it mean that?


    In her previous life, although she hadn¡¯t reached thirty before her life ended, in that back kitchen dominated by middle-aged women, those ladies were always blunt, sparing no details.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. She thought she might be overthinking it.


    Qin Yize in this life was just in his early twenties, how could he possibly think that deeply?


    Calling her ¡®small¡¯, must¡¯ve referred to her age, right?


    Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed her wandering thoughts.


    Yet, she still felt surprised.


    It turns out that aside from being cold, Qin Yize had such expressions too.


    But whatever he meant, it no longer had anything to do with her.


    Meanwhile, a sense of happiness spread within her.


    That¡¯s great.


    She was about to divorce him soon.


    From then on, all these nightmares would forever stay away from her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao cheerfully took off her down jacket.


    It was noon in the collective heated west district, and the indoor temperature was at its highest.


    She started to plan seriously in her mind.


    The urgent task was to carve more items to sell at Yubao Square.


    Then to dispose of the useless clothes here.


    Everything that could be mailed would be taken to the post office, and those truly bothersome would be thrown away altogether.


    She would clear her traces here and leave the Qin family¡¯s dreaded place forever.


    However, she would still need to come to Imperial Capital.


    After all, the items she carved could only realize their value here.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, holding several olives and walnuts in her hand, was full of anticipation.


    Just then, the door quietly opened, a bag was handed through the crack, and then the petite hand swiftly retracted.


    It was Qin Xiaoyu, who didn¡¯t dare to come in.


    Because she noticed that her sister-in-law had a defiant stance like ¡®one man holding the pass, ten thousand unable to get through¡¯ when facing their family just now.


    Maybe this comparison wasn¡¯t right, but she couldn¡¯t think of a better adjective.


    But she didn¡¯t dare to provoke trouble.


    After all, they had all helped Bai Yun to wrong her.


    Yet she never expected Bai Yun to be so terrifying.


    Gu Qiaoqiao casually glanced at the door, soon they would be no more than strangers.


    She couldn¡¯t care less about her.


    However.


    Before she could finalize her plans and express her joyful emotions, there was a knock on the door again.


    Was it Grandma Qin?


    Thinking of the old woman, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a bit guilty, as Grandma Qin had always genuinely considered her a granddaughter-in-law, both in her past and present life.


    However, this time she was truly leaving and would never return.


    But the thought of Grandma Qin¡¯s healthy legs significantly eased her guilt.


    She quickly walked to the door and opened it.


    Then, the smile on her face froze.


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru.


    She did not want to see these two at all.


    What were they here for?


    To continue blaming her or to lash out at her for taking advantage of the situation to file a report?


    However, this was, after all, the Qin Family¡¯s house, and she, Gu Qiaoqiao, was also somebody with manners.


    She thought for a moment and then took out a piece of paper from her trouser pocket and handed it to Qin Xuan, ¡°Last night I carved a nucleus carving with a walnut, a small boat, and sold it to Yubao Square. Here¡¯s the receipt, please take a look.¡±


    Qin Xuan accepted the receipt in a daze.


    It was printed with the three large characters of Yubao Square.


    Below it was the name: ¡°A Light Boat has Cleared Ten Thousand Heavy Mountains.¡±


    Price: Eight hundred yuan.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s face turned red as if the receipt was burning his hands. He handed it back to Gu Qiaoqiao, glanced at his wife beside him, and said with determination, ¡°Qiaoqiao, we are here to apologize to you.¡±


    Apologize?


    That really was rare.


    Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyebrows slightly and then stepped aside from the door.


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru walked in. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closely looked and noticed that Qin Xuan indeed seemed sincere; there was also regret in his eyes.


    It was just like the year her father misunderstood her because of her exam results and scolded her. She had hidden in the backyard until her father had searched the entire village for her. When he finally saw her, his eyes had the same look.


    But Shen Manru¡¯s eyes clearly showed reluctance.


    Even a bit of transferred anger.


    However, perhaps because of Grandma Qin and because today she had been the most vociferous, she managed to suppress it.


    Even avoiding Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze.


    This really was rare.


    A flicker of interest crossed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    She put away the receipt and quietly watched Qin Xuan and Shen Manru.


    The she slightly lowered her head.


    Inside, disdain mingled with anticipation.


    Shen Manru, high and proud, apologizing to her¡­ She must have been inwardly cursing a storm.


    But still had to maintain elegance on the surface.


    Did she think that she, Gu Qiaoqiao, would not let them apologize and generously forgive them?


    What a joke?


    A brief silence filled the room, and Qin Xuan was the first to break the quiet with heartfelt words, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I¡¯m sorry, the fault was mine today. I not only doubted you but also wronged you, even preferring to believe strangers over my own daughter-in-law. I was very foolish today, unworthy of being an elder, and I am ashamed and have no place to hide, so I sincerely apologize to you¡­¡±


    Undoubtedly, Qin Xuan¡¯s apology was very sincere.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s previously disdainful and cold heart felt a slight warmth.


    She despised her own softening heart, yet couldn¡¯t control the mist in her eyes.


    Across two lifetimes, she truly had been very aggrieved and sad.


    All she had done was to marry Qin Yize, but why was it as if she had committed some unforgivable, atrocious crime?


    One by one, as if they wished to trample her into the mud so she could never rise again.


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru, speaking honestly, had they been even partially as kind to her as they were to Bai Yun, had they shown even a little bit of goodwill, she wouldn¡¯t have transformed from an upbeat, cheerful girl into a humble, resentful woman in less than a year.


    She too was the treasured daughter of a good family, the jewel in her parents¡¯ hands.


    Why did she seem less than a blade of grass in their eyes?


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was full of sorrow, yet didn¡¯t know how to ease it.


    When her tears began dropping on the floor, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly realized it.


    She turned her head and wiped away the tears.


    She didn¡¯t deliberately hide them.


    After all, it also counted as hitting the mark.


    The immensely wronged Gu Qiaoqiao, only nineteen after the New Year, crying was too normal.


    Not crying would be abnormal.


    As expected, Qin Xuan felt even more ashamed, ¡°Qiaoqiao, your mother-in-law and I don¡¯t dare ask for your immediate forgiveness, but please give us a chance. From now on, this will never happen again.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 52: Do not let this matter affect your marriage

    Chapter 53: Chapter 52: Do not let this matter affect your marriage


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked toward Qin Xuan and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault about today¡¯s incident. Bai Yun had a deep relationship with you and even though I¡¯ve been married into the Qin family for less than a year, I simply can¡¯t compare. Besides, it¡¯s easy to know people¡¯s faces but not their hearts. I was utterly deceived by her, not to mention you two who treated her like a daughter.¡±


    Her voice was not loud, but it was very clear, carrying a hint of grievance. However, to Qin Xuan and Shen Manru¡¯s ears, it sounded awkward no matter how they listened.


    The entire Qin family had been deceived by a young girl, and now Gu Qiaoqiao mentioned it in such a manner.


    They felt ashamed to the core.


    Shen Manru¡¯s face fell. She did truly care for Bai Yun, loved her deeply, and even wanted her to become her daughter-in-law.


    Her treatment of Bai Yun wasn¡¯t quite the same as treating her own daughter, but it was dozens of times more affectionate than how she treated Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ...


    Yet today, Bai Yun had publicly slapped her in the face in such a manner.


    Her face felt burning hot.


    Shen Manru had always felt superior in front of Gu Qiaoqiao, but now she found herself in the same deceived position.


    This made Shen Manru want to flee in desperation.


    But, she couldn¡¯t leave.


    It was a matter of attitude, not only for her mother-in-law to see but also to be used as a reason for the future.


    So, she must sincerely apologize to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, today I failed to discern right from wrong, and I was utterly confused, causing you to suffer this grievance. I¡¯m truly sorry. This is also a fault in my thinking. I admit I¡¯ve been biased against you, but today¡¯s incident taught me a lesson I will never forget. I will never do it again. I will care for you as dearly as I care for Xiao Yu. Please believe me.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao examined Shen Manru¡¯s expression, just as she was about to weigh the sincerity of these words.


    But suddenly, she felt she thought too much.


    For someone like Shen Manru, sincerity didn¡¯t really matter.


    What mattered was that she had lowered her head and apologized, something unimaginable in her previous life before she was reborn.


    But why wasn¡¯t she as pleased as when she saw Bai Yun kneeling before her earlier?


    Yes, besides having a satisfying moment verbally, what else could she do to Shen Manru?


    Suddenly, she felt incredibly hollow inside.


    She kept her head down and remained silent.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, it¡¯s all mine and your mother-in-law¡¯s fault. I only hope that what you said about divorce earlier was said in anger and that this incident won¡¯t affect your marriage.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was just about to say it wasn¡¯t said in anger when a second thought stopped her.


    It was better they didn¡¯t know, as they would definitely try to stop it.


    Moreover, because of the incident with the Silent Night Cicada, Mr. Qin and Mother Qin would spare no effort to prevent it.


    Bringing in Grandma Qin, they would be the first to call her parents.


    Then Old Grand Master Qin would inevitably get involved.


    With the divorce over the Silent Night Cicada incident, the Qin family would be at fault.


    One could imagine how much resistance there would be.


    However, her goal was achieved. The once insignificant Gu Qiaoqiao could finally walk out of the Qin family with her head held high.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the two in front of her and took a deep breath, said without forgiveness but softly, ¡°I believe.¡±


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru felt an immense relief.


    However, at that moment, Qin Xuan¡¯s mind suddenly lit up. He realized that recently, Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t called them ¡®dad¡¯ and ¡®mom¡¯ at all.


    His heart sank.


    He then gave Shen Manru a meaningful glance, spoke a few caring words, and then pulled Shen Manru out of the room.


    Qin Xuan stood in the living room, watching his son busy in the kitchen, and felt a pang of guilt arise.


    At this moment, Qin Xuan clearly knew that if it wasn¡¯t for his and Shen Manru¡¯s attitude towards Gu Qiaoqiao, Bai Yun wouldn¡¯t have dared to scheme against Qin Family¡¯s daughter-in-law.


    It was all because Gu Qiaoqiao had no status in this family.


    And at the beginning of the year, the public ridicule from his younger brother¡¯s wife, if it hadn¡¯t been for their own prejudices against Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Would that woman have dared to laugh at Gu Qiaoqiao like that?


    And he, he had even secretly resented it.


    An ice layer three feet thick does not form overnight.


    They were also one of the sources.


    He just hoped that Gu Qiaoqiao would give them a chance to make amends.


    He saw his mother coming out of the room and she had actually discarded her crutches.


    Qin Xuan was shocked and hurried forward to lend a hand but was deterred by a cold glare from Grandma Qin.


    ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t recklessly throw away your crutches, in case¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m old and a bit muddled, I still know my own body.¡±


    After saying this with underlying meaning, Grandma Qin pushed open Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s room door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao heard the door sound, looked up, and saw an extremely remorseful Grandma Qin.


    And indeed, she had discarded her crutches.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurried forward, ¡°Grandma, are you all right without the crutches?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I know my own legs.¡± Saying this, Grandma Qin actually started walking back and forth in the room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao immediately understood that Grandma Qin was too guilty and almost too ashamed to face her.


    So, she used discarding her crutches as a pretext to talk to her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart softened, and supporting Grandma Qin, she reproached, ¡°Grandma, didn¡¯t I tell you that you should at least wait a week before you can throw away the crutches? Please sit down. Let me check for you.¡±


    As Grandma Qin looked at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression, the guilt on her face deepened. She held Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and with a choked voice, she said, ¡°Qiaoqiao, Grandma is so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, this isn¡¯t your fault at all. Please don¡¯t blame yourself. I haven¡¯t even thanked you for your unconditional trust in me.¡±


    ¡°Good child, Qiaoqiao is a good child. Rest assured, such an incident will never happen again.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, Grandma, I¡¯ve also grown wiser and won¡¯t be deceived again.¡±


    Grandma Qin sighed deeply, ¡°How did Bai Yun turn out to be so ugly? It¡¯s completely unforeseen.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Grandma, let¡¯s not talk about her anymore. It¡¯s disheartening. Please sit down, and let me check your leg.¡±


    Saying this, Gu Qiaoqiao pulled Grandma Qin to sit down, her fingers pressing on Grandma Qin¡¯s leg, carefully sensing its condition.


    Then, pretending to give a massage for a while, she finally said to Grandma Qin, ¡°It looks a lot better, but it¡¯s still best not to put all your weight on your legs so soon. It¡¯s better to use the crutches for a few more days; there¡¯s only benefit in it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll listen to Qiaoqiao.¡± Grandma Qin nodded happily, then seemingly proudly whispered, ¡°I think Ah Ze should learn from you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback but didn¡¯t respond, and Grandma Qin didn¡¯t mind but looked on with eyes full of affection.


    This child, her heart is too soft.


    So soft that it pains her.


    Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao helped Grandma Qin out of the room and fetched her crutches, and by that time, it was already four o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Shen Manru and Qin Yize were cooking in the kitchen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not go inside again.


    Instead, she began to set the table.


    Qin Xuan thought for a moment and finally made up his mind. He called Gu Qiaoqiao over, as improving his relationship with Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t just talk; he truly wanted to make it happen.

 Chapter 54 - 53 Various Parties Plea for Mercy

    Chapter 54: Chapter 53 Various Parties Plea for Mercy


    Although there was still some embarrassment about meeting Gu Qiaoqiao, he knew he had to take the first step.


    Moreover, Qin Xuan still had something on his mind he couldn¡¯t let go of. He hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Qiaoqiao, is the nucleus carving you did of a small boat?¡±


    As he said this, he took out a nucleus carving.


    It was also a small boat, but compared to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s, there was still a significant gap.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the small boat and observed it closely. The cultivation technique was somewhat rough, the pattern on the door of the cabin was asymmetrical, the expression on the boatman¡¯s face was lifeless, and the proportions were slightly off.


    It¡¯s true what they say, you don¡¯t know how good something is until you compare it.


    ...


    Gu Qiaoqiao became more confident in her own work.


    She put down the nucleus carving, ¡°Mine is also a small boat, but both the shape of the boat and the figures are different.¡±


    ¡°Did Yubao Square give you eight hundred yuan directly?¡± Qin Xuan curiously asked.


    ¡°No, they initially offered six hundred. I hesitated for a moment, and to my surprise, when Boss Zhang saw my hesitation, he added another two hundred, and then I agreed,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Is it Boss Zhang, the second manager of Yubao Square?¡± Qin Xuan asked in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s how he introduced himself to me.¡±


    At this moment, Qin Xuan¡¯s heart was as itchy as if it had been scratched by a cat. What a pity, he hadn¡¯t even seen the thing Gu Qiaoqiao carved.


    Items that can prompt Zhang Yi to increase the price twice are truly rare in the Imperial Capital.


    It is said that Zhang Yi¡¯s offers are always fixed, whether he¡¯s buying or selling.


    Because his pricing eerily matches the other party¡¯s psychological threshold.


    That¡¯s why in the antique circle, he has another name called ¡°Zhang One-Price.¡±


    Qin Xuan seemed to have forgotten the Qin family¡¯s unpleasantness with Gu Qiaoqiao. Perhaps he also wanted to use this opportunity to ease their relationship. He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a voice full of pain and urgency, ¡°Qiaoqiao, your nucleus carving, you might have sold it for too little¡­¡±


    Sold it for too little?


    How could that be?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Xuan, puzzled, ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone say that Yubao Square is fair to both old and young? How could I have lost out?¡±


    She actually felt that the eight hundred yuan was quite a lot, especially in 1986.


    At that time, money was very valuable!


    Qin Xuan felt that he couldn¡¯t explain things clearly to Gu Qiaoqiao just yet. Since he hadn¡¯t seen the actual object, he couldn¡¯t be sure if Zhang Yi had taken advantage of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    What a pity, given the relationship between the Qin family and Yubao Square, it seemed unlikely they would even be able to see it.


    And the fact that Zhang Yi bought Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s item probably meant he didn¡¯t know about her relationship with the Qin family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Xuan¡¯s expression and knew he was very curious about her nucleus carving.


    But she didn¡¯t mind.


    If she had lost out, then so be it. Besides, she carved quickly. She could just carve a few more pieces, and it would make up for the loss.


    Moreover, she intended to collaborate with Yubao Square for the long term.


    Before Qin Xuan had time to regret, the meal was ready.


    Grandma Qin had been sitting quietly next to Gu Qiaoqiao, listening to her son and Gu Qiaoqiao talk, and finally felt a bit better.


    No matter what happened in the future, this was a good start.


    The atmosphere at the dining table was very quiet. Shen Manru ate her food listlessly.


    It had only been a few days, but how had her taste become so discerning?


    She always felt like the dishes she made lacked either oil or salt.


    She looked up stealthily at Gu Qiaoqiao and was surprised to find that the child looked quite appealing while eating.


    Modest and restrained, neither fast nor slow, graceful and content.


    No wonder they say that when one removes their prejudiced lenses to look at a person, the difference is like night and day.


    Yi Shu once wrote, when a man no longer loves his woman, her crying is wrong, her silence is wrong, her very breathing is wrong, even in death she is wrong.


    Similarly, when a person hates someone, whether she smiles or doesn¡¯t smile, it¡¯s wrong, even the way she walks and eats is wrong¡­


    However, at this time, Shen Manru couldn¡¯t help but think, how did she even compromise? In her heart, this Gu Qiaoqiao would not be presentable even after ten years of training.


    But now¡­


    She refused to think any further.


    The dinner had only just reached the halfway point when the ring of a telephone interrupted them.


    The few of them exchanged glances, and Qin Xuan gestured for Qin Yize not to move as he walked to the living room to answer the phone.


    It was the Old Master of the Bai Family calling.


    He pleaded with Qin Xuan to be generous and let go of his foolish granddaughter.


    And he claimed he would personally come to apologize.


    Of course, that was a lie.


    The Old Master Bai occupied a high position; how could he possibly come knocking on their door.


    It was merely an excuse.


    Qin Xuan had actually anticipated that today would not be peaceful the moment before.


    He quietly listened to everything the Old Master Bai had to say, then spoke in a gentle yet firm voice, ¡°This matter is no longer simply an issue between our Qin Family and the Bai Family. Whether it is unlawful or criminal, there are designated institutions to pass judgment on them, and I have faith in the law as well as in Public Security.¡±


    The caller hung up with a click.


    After that, several more calls came, all asking for favors, but Qin Xuan responded to them with the same reasoning as he did with Old Master Bai.


    However, Qin Xuan was very clear-headed when dealing with these external affairs, speaking softly and detailing the ins and outs of the situation clearly.


    He showed great respect for the facts.


    And, as expected, the callers were left speechless after hearing Qin Xuan¡¯s words.


    Qin Xuan had no choice but to do this, otherwise, the Bai Family could easily distort the facts, making it sound like a minor dispute between children.


    And he, of course, had long been prepared for this.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected the situation to blow up so big. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those who usually only appeared in newspapers and on television had all stepped in to play peacemaker.


    But after hearing Qin Xuan¡¯s tactful refusal, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s opinion of him somewhat improved.


    However, all of these, everything about the Qin Family, would soon have nothing to do with her.


    With this in mind, Gu Qiaoqiao found her appetite surprisingly good.


    Even though the flavor of the meal was quite ordinary.


    And it was a phone call from Old Grand Master of the Qin Family that abruptly ended the dinner.


    First, it was Qin Xuan being scolded, then Qin Yize; when Gu Qiaoqiao heard the old master¡¯s strong voice berating Qin Yize for stirring up trouble, she deeply empathized, yet Qin Yize listened quietly, his expression as calm as water.


    Only after the old master had finished scolding did he tell Qin Yize to bring his wife to the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard the next day.


    And he informed Qin Yize that he was not in a position to deal with the aftermath, as it was his turn to battle it out with the old head of the Bai Family.


    Then, with a huff, he hung up the phone.


    The Spring Festival of 1986 was destined not to be peaceful.


    In the North City District of the Imperial Capital.


    Here lies a courtyard that is even larger than the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard.


    The main building is a two-story house adorned with carved balustrades and columns on the eaves, surrounded by high walls constructed of green bricks.


    If one were to look down from above, they would realize that this area was actually a whole, yet it was forcibly partitioned by four tall walls.


    And inside one of the courtyards within these tall walls and large compound, surprisingly, there was a greenhouse.


    A strong scent of spring greeted those who entered.


    The greenhouse covered an area of about two hundred square meters, rectangular in shape, with the side facing the sun made up mostly of large glass panels.

 Chapter 55 - 54: No more collecting nucleus carvings from the Qin familys daughter-in-law.

    Chapter 55: Chapter 54: No more collecting nucleus carvings from the Qin family¡¯s daughter-in-law.


    ¡°`


    The warmhouse was supposed to be bursting with vibrant colors, but there was only one type of flower.


    It was the orchid.


    Large and small, they filled the entire warmhouse.


    An old man with white hair and beard sat in a wicker chair, took a sip of tea, then gently set it down as a man in his fifties hurried to refill his cup.


    This white-haired elder was none other than Elder Gu Qingfeng, the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square, now over eighty years old.


    ...


    Standing aside was Gu Cheng, his adopted son.


    The newly poured tea was steeping with aroma, but Elder Gu didn¡¯t drink, instead silently gazing at an orchid in front. After a moment, he finally asked, ¡°Did Zhang Yi really pay Eight hundred yuan for a nucleus carving?¡±


    The Old Patriarch found it hard to believe.


    Nucleus carvings were becoming less and less valuable.


    Except for works by masters.


    And the key issue was that fewer people were collecting nucleus carvings nowadays.


    People were flocking to collect antiques and jade, so it was surprising that the cunning Zhang Yi paid a high price for a nucleus carving by an obscure girl.


    To say it out loud, it¡¯s hard to believe, not just for others, but even for himself.


    Gu Cheng slightly lowered his head, hiding a glint in his eye, and respectfully said, ¡°Father, it¡¯s true. The carving was brought in by a young girl, and Zhang Yi even raised the price for it.¡±


    Elder Gu¡¯s usually calm expression finally showed a ripple. Zhang Yi had actually raised the price, which was a rare occurrence in his memory.


    This piqued his interest.


    He glanced at Gu Cheng standing by his side and said in a mild tone, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it. But you should restrain yourself in the future. Zhang Yi has been loyal to me, don¡¯t ruin the affection built over the decades¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father, I understand,¡± Gu Cheng replied with deference, achieving his intended purpose.


    After a few words of concern, Gu Cheng left.


    In a place where no one could see, Gu Cheng¡¯s expression turned as dark as water, he paused in his steps, then headed towards the main entrance.


    Inside the warmhouse, Elder Gu thought for a moment before picking up the phone.


    Zhang Yi answered quickly. Following customary greetings, the Old Patriarch directly inquired about his purchase of the nucleus carving.


    Zhang Yi wasn¡¯t surprised at all.


    Elder Gu¡¯s adopted son, Gu Cheng, had planted spies here too, but Zhang didn¡¯t mind.


    Gu Cheng had no talent for antiques.


    He couldn¡¯t even distinguish ordinary jade, let alone manage Yubao Square.


    Moreover, Zhang Yi had always been grateful to the Old Patriarch, so he enjoyed his unconditional trust as Shopkeeper Zhang.


    And Elder Gu Qingfeng had called simply because Zhang Yi¡¯s raising the price had intrigued him.


    After listening to Zhang Yi¡¯s account, Elder Gu said, ¡°Bring the carving over tomorrow for me to take a look.¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe it was carved by a young girl.


    But Zhang Yi¡¯s description had sparked some interest in him.


    Zhang Yi responded regretfully, ¡°Old Patriarch, the carving has already been bought by Luo Zhenyu¡¯s grandson for thirty thousand yuan, and there were compelling reasons.¡±


    After hearing the full story, Elder Gu frowned and asked Zhang Yi, ¡°The one who helped Elder Luo, was it someone from the Qin Family?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Yi hesitated for a moment, ¡°Yes, it was someone from the Qin Family in the West District.¡±


    Then the phone fell silent.


    As if to calm burgeoning anger.


    ¡°`


    And Zhang Yi held his breath; he knew that the Old Grand Master Qin and the Old Patriarch had old grudges, but he didn¡¯t know the particulars.


    Before this, he didn¡¯t even know that the young girl was a daughter-in-law of the Qin Family. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, he understood that even had he known, he would have kept the nucleus carvings.


    Because the craftsmanship was exquisitely peerless, with barely a flaw, and what was exceptionally precious was the faint luster emanating from the surface of the nucleus carving.


    It made even him, who had seen many treasures, feel it was miraculous.


    Therefore, he really wanted to know who was behind the young girl.


    But out of respect for Elder Luo¡¯s face, he had to reluctantly part with it.


    And he knew that since Luo Fan had encountered it, he naturally wouldn¡¯t leave empty-handed.


    After a moment of silence on the other end of the line, a voice, old and filled with malevolent energy, spoke up, ¡°If that Qin Family¡¯s daughter-in-law comes to sell nucleus carvings again, don¡¯t buy them. Don¡¯t have any contact with the Qin Family, and you¡¯re not allowed to interact with them either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Yi was silent for a moment, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°And the Bai Family isn¡¯t good either. Tell your wife to reduce her interactions with them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± With a bitter smile, Zhang Yi realized that Old Grand Master had become increasingly unpredictable over the years, and hearing the heavy breathing on the other end of the phone, he quickly nodded, ¡°Old Patriarch, I understand. Don¡¯t get angry, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    Afterwards, Old Master Gu hung up the phone.


    Looking at the lush orchids, the hand gripping the cane tightened.


    Because mentioning the Qin Family had suddenly unlocked memories sealed away for a long time.


    His gaze seemed a little clouded, as the dying sunlight gently draped over the vibrant greenhouse.


    And he seemed to see a sixteen-year-old boy stubbornly kneeling before him, his face filled with grief as he accused him of heartlessness.


    Back then, he was self-righteous, headstrong, and in a fit of rage, he had driven his only son out of the house.


    And he had left behind the ruthless words: ¡°If he lives, he gets no care from me; if he dies, I will not bury him.¡± But along with his fury, his legitimate wife also left.


    Since then, more than fifty years had passed.


    It took him three years to quell his anger. When he tried to find the mother and son again, the country had already plunged into over a decade of unrest.


    He had unique foresight and silently supported the country and the New Party with his wealth.


    He also befriended Old Grand Master Qin, who was dispatched by the New Party to the Imperial Capital and served as a covert operative, posing on the surface as the vice-chancellor of Imperial Capital University.


    Latterly, the New Nation was established, and he began a protracted search, but there was not a trace of the mother and son.


    He dared not move houses, afraid that if he did, what if the mother and child returned and couldn¡¯t find their home?


    He stood his ground under pressure, not allowing the work team to touch an inch of his land.


    As this issue was about to escalate, Old Lady Qin forcefully leveraged the military¡¯s strength to bring him under control and personally led a team to divide the courtyard once praised as Gu Garden in the Imperial Capital into dozens of small yards, which were rapidly allocated to individuals.


    Of course, the recipients of these courtyards were all people who had contributed to the New Nation.


    By the time he was released, Old Lady Qin had clearly demarcated her boundaries with him, and not long after, the incident was dug up again, and he was reassigned to a rural village in the suburbs.


    When he finally returned, everything had changed.


    Seeing Gu Garden no longer as glorious as in the past, the old master was filled with pain and sorrow.


    He could not say he hated the Qin Family, but he also did not want to see Old Lady Qin again.


    At this moment, the sun gradually disappeared below the west mountain.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s aged face appeared desolate; in fact, the person he hated the most was himself.


    Why did he have to utter those heartless words that he would neither support the living nor bury the dead?


    To this day, there was still no news of the mother and son, their fates unknown¡­


    Was this perhaps heaven¡¯s punishment for him?

 Chapter 56 - 55 Qiaoqiaos Hand Problem

    Chapter 56: Chapter 55 Qiaoqiao¡¯s Hand Problem


    At the same moment, in a hospital in the Imperial Capital, Elder Luo gripped the nucleus carving in his right hand with excitement.


    After closing his eyes and meditating for a while, he reluctantly placed the nucleus carving back into the jade box and said to Luo Fan, ¡°I believe Qiaoqiao carved this, she must have encountered some difficulties. Zhang Yi only saw the exquisite craftsmanship of this nucleus carving, but he doesn¡¯t know that this carving has other treasures within it too. We¡¯ll keep it safe for Qiaoqiao until there¡¯s an opportunity to discuss it¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandfather, I did hear something today¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it, let¡¯s hear it,¡± Luo Zhenyu said kindly, gazing at his beloved grandson.


    Luo Fan then shared what he had heard that afternoon about the Bai Family and Qin Family with Luo Zhenyu.


    After all, they were all part of the same circle.


    ...


    It was normal to get the news first-hand.


    After hearing this, Luo Zhenyu¡¯s expression darkened with anger as he bitterly said, ¡°The Qin Family people are foolish, to collude with outsiders to trap their own daughter-in-law.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard it¡¯s because Gu Qiaoqiao comes from the countryside; Shen Manru doesn¡¯t respect her at all. It seems Qiaoqiao¡¯s days have not been easy.¡±


    ¡°What about it if she is from the countryside? Our Luo Family is not much different in status from the Qin Family, and your third aunt also comes from the countryside, yet our Luo Family treats her very well¡­¡±


    Luo Fan hurriedly advised, ¡°Grandfather, please don¡¯t be angry. Grandma Qin is sensible, and her husband is very decisive, which is why they even sent several people to the police station.¡±


    Since being saved by the master, Luo Zhenyu felt grateful toward the people and events around him, so hearing about this matter, especially because Gu Qiaoqiao was the family¡¯s lifesaver, naturally upset him greatly.


    He gave Luo Fan a few more instructions, to which Luo Fan nodded repeatedly.


    Luo Zhenyu stared at the jade box, his gaze revealing deep thought.


    All this was unknown to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After sorting everything out, she returned to her room.


    Usually at this time, Qin Yize would not stay with her.


    He preferred to quietly watch TV with Grandma Qin.


    Yet, inside Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, the excitement was hard to conceal.


    She was genuinely happy.


    Bai Yun was the thorn in her heart; now watching her rendered speechless and taken to the police station, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if the thorn in her heart was finally removed.


    The way the Qin Family handled the situation left her speechless, and she was also at fault.


    Falling in love with the wrong person, entering a family she shouldn¡¯t have, it was her own fault.


    They say awareness of your own situation is precious, but being spoiled by her grandfather, she indeed was somewhat out of touch with reality.


    And she hardly understood the consequences of such disparate social statuses.


    That¡¯s why after less than a year of entering the Qin Family, upon seeing the clear distinctions, she became increasingly timid, weak, and even felt inferior.


    Perhaps because she cared too much, she had shackled herself.


    Actually, she hadn¡¯t always been like this.


    It was her love that cost her herself.


    However, all these were issues of the past now.


    The Qin Family, without her, would not face those disasters forthcoming.


    Grandma Qin remained healthy, and Qin Xiaoyu was still lively and bouncing around.


    And she would soon return to her parents¡¯ side.


    This was a situation where parting ways was best for both parties, for each to be content. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After washing up, Qin Yize had still not returned to the room, so Gu Qiaoqiao decided to take out an olive kernel and, holding her carving knife, went to the study.


    Sitting in a chair, she flexed her fingers just like she had done the day before, then closed her eyes in thought for a moment.


    Only then did she slowly open her eyes.


    She planned to carve the Eighteen Arhats on this olive kernel, then drill holes and thread it to make a pendant.


    Any Buddhist seeing it would naturally like it.


    She extended her hand and set the knife down.


    But the next moment, she suddenly startled; Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened as she stared unbelievably at her seemingly frozen fingers.


    Then she drew the knife down again, but her fingers remained completely still.


    The smooth olive pit bore no mark at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart thudded wildly; why couldn¡¯t her hand move suddenly?


    Her face turned ghostly pale; was there something wrong with her hand?


    Could she be becoming paralyzed?


    Doubting, Gu Qiaoqiao held the carving knife and tried to cut deeply again, yet it remained right where it started, immobile.


    Could she no longer use her hand?


    Then, had she become disabled?


    Forget about providing a good life for her family, she might have become a burden to her parents.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was on the verge of tears, her back breaking out in a cold sweat.


    Suddenly, she put down the carving knife and hurriedly started moving.


    Then she was shocked to discover that her fingers could move again.


    They were still flexible and moved freely.


    Gu Qiaoqiao experimented many more times.


    She ultimately found that as long as she didn¡¯t use the carving knife on walnuts or olive kernels, everything was normal.


    But when she placed the carving knife on the object to be carved, time seemed to eerily freeze.


    However, the spiritual energy in her fingers was still there.


    Touching her own chest, she felt a warm sensation.


    What exactly was going on?


    Was Heaven playing with her?


    This was too unfair.


    Why destroy her carving skills that she relied on to survive?


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind sharpened, and she quickly dismissed the idea.


    Heaven is fair.


    Otherwise, how could she have been given a second chance at life!


    Anyone could say Heaven was unfair, but she, Gu Qiaoqiao, could not.


    But, what exactly was going on?


    Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to cry but had no tears.


    She paced back and forth anxiously in the study.


    Her mind was in a complete mess.


    What exactly had happened?


    Why did such an inconceivable event occur?


    Gu Qiaoqiao, upset, grabbed her hair, regretting everything.


    If from now on she could no longer hold a carving knife, then she had really lost a fortune by selling the nucleus carving to Yubao Square.


    You see, that nucleus carving still retained spiritual energy; it was very beneficial for the body to hold and play with it.


    She had even planned to carve one for each, Old Master Qin and Grandma Qin.


    Because she was fast, she could almost carve one in a few hours.


    She had even calculated how much money she would bring home.


    Now, it was all gone, forget about speed, she couldn¡¯t even make a single cut.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered bitterly.


    From time to time, she moved her wrist.


    And just in that moment, a sudden insight flashed in her mind, and then her body stiffened.


    Could it be¡­


    She raised her right hand, and indeed, if she successfully threw Bai Yun to the ground, it was because of her hand.


    Bai Yun wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to steal Qin Family¡¯s belongings and blatantly keep them in her pocket.


    Even if she did, she would have hidden them early on.


    Exactly!


    The Silent Night Cicada was taken by Gu Qiaoqiao that morning.


    She wanted to give Bai Yun, Qin Xuan, and Shen Manru a chance to let them go, and let herself go too, because once she left the Qin Family, there would be no further involvement.


    She would let it all blow away with the wind.


    If upon her return from Yubao Square to Qin Family, Bai Yun had kept quiet about this matter, or perhaps Qin Xuan and Shen Manru had shown unconditioned trust in her like Grandma Qin, she wouldn¡¯t have planted the Silent Night Cicada in Bai Yun¡¯s pants.


    And she wouldn¡¯t have taken the opportunity to report the matter.

 Chapter 57 - 56: The Engraving Knife Made by the Pouring Steel Method

    Chapter 57: Chapter 56: The Engraving Knife Made by the Pouring Steel Method


    She would silently place the Silent Night Cicada into a crevice beneath the Duobao Pavilion, and then help them find it.


    Although doing so was somewhat unscrupulous.


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to return white with black when it came to Bai Yun.


    In her past life, she had been foolish, doing things that shamed the Qin Family, and they didn¡¯t believe she had any excuse.


    But since New Year¡¯s Eve, she had devoted herself to preparing three meals a day, and on the first day of the lunar year, she even showcased her special talent. She helped Qin Yize save people and also cured Grandma¡¯s rheumatism by massaging her every evening.


    Aren¡¯t these enough?


    ...


    Enough for them to trust her, to treat her kindly just once?


    Just once, she wasn¡¯t asking much.


    Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t!


    It was all right when nothing happened, but once there was an issue, they would immediately turn against her as if she were an enemy.


    Therefore, she had to teach them a lesson.


    Otherwise, even after the divorce, they might still slander her.


    Especially with people like Bai Yun who reveled in chaos.


    So, in a flash of brilliance, she acted on impulse. While Bai Yun and Qin Xiaoyu were rummaging through her bag, she angrily pushed Qin Xiaoyu away and slipped the Silent Night Cicada into Bai Yun¡¯s pants pocket.


    In the end, Bai Yun got a taste of her own medicine.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at her hand. How nimble her fingers were at that moment, just like a magician performing a wondrous trick.


    That feeling of having everything under her fingertip¡¯s control.


    As smooth and beautiful as flowing water in the clouds.


    Yet now, she could only give a bitter smile.


    Was this divine punishment for her unjust actions?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face grew solemn as she gradually calmed down, telling herself that the heavens always watch over us.


    She was a prime example.


    Her fingers possessed spiritual energy and naturally did not approve of her actions.


    So they punished her!


    Was that it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao wondered aimlessly.


    If that were true, it would be good, but she didn¡¯t know how long the punishment would last.


    Would it be one day or two days, or perhaps one month or two?


    Moreover, whether this was the actual reason, Gu Qiaoqiao had no way of knowing.


    What worried her was that she had spent over five hundred today shopping.


    If she continued to be unable to carve, all her plans would fall through.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood in front of the desk, slightly raising her head and lifting her hand, stubbornly wanting to examine it again under the light.


    But then she froze.


    Through the gaps between her fingers, she saw Qin Yize, arms crossed, leaning casually against the door frame, watching her with an almost amused expression.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t been talking to herself just now, had she?


    The man in the gaps seemed curious about her raising her hands towards the light. He seemed to wonder what she was trying to do.


    Thus, those typically deep eyes were unexpectedly clear tonight.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly lowered her hands.


    But Qin Yize didn¡¯t give her a chance to react, walking slowly into the study.


    He looked down at the carving knife on the desk and glanced over the walnuts and olives scattered around, seeming to understand.


    His father had said that the nucleus carvings Gu Qiaoqiao made looked expensive, but she might have been swindled by Zhang Yi.


    However, it was a pity that he hadn¡¯t seen what they actually looked like.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t make a judgment.


    But then again, if she really was swindled, she would just have to bear it.


    He glanced back at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°If you ever want to let go of your nucleus carving, I can introduce you to an antique shop run by a classmate of mine. They offer very fair prices.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her eyes in surprise. What did he mean by that?


    She opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After Qin Yize finished speaking, he stopped looking at her and lowered his head to the array of carving knives laid out in the small box.


    The more he looked, the more solemn his expression became.


    Finally, without lifting his head, he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°May I take them out for a closer look?¡±


    Could he?


    Or could he not?


    This polite Qin Yize, dressed in a white turtleneck sweater, had his long and straight legs encased in black trousers. His stance was as rigid and upright as a pine tree.


    But under the lights, he was like a piece of exquisite jade, warm and noble.


    And he truly was a gentleman.


    Although he looked closely, he didn¡¯t reach out to touch them until Gu Qiaoqiao agreed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t describe the feeling inside her heart; politeness actually signified distance.


    Still, she nodded, ¡°You may.¡±


    Qin Yize slowly picked up the biggest carving knife and examined it carefully.


    Perhaps men innately liked things related to knives and swords.


    In any case, Qin Yize¡¯s demeanor was mild, but there was still a hint of interest in the depths of his eyes.


    It took a while before he put down the knife and, unusually for him, he expressed his admiration, ¡°This isn¡¯t the white steel knife commonly used by carvers. This blade must have been made using a special ironstone with the pouring steel method. Its edge glimmers with a cold light. It must be at least three hundred years old, and to say it cuts through iron like mud is no exaggeration¡­¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao certainly knew that her grandfather¡¯s set of carving knives had some history, perhaps even a significant one.


    However, her grandfather had not told her much about it.


    And today, she didn¡¯t understand any of the things Qin Yize mentioned.


    She never expected him to know so much or even know about the pouring steel method. How had he figured it out?


    Yet Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Where had her set of carving knives gone in her previous life?


    If Qin Yize had gotten them, she believed that according to his character, he would try his best to return them to her hands.


    After all, according to what he had just said, he knew the value of the carving set.


    He certainly wouldn¡¯t covet what wasn¡¯t his.


    But she hadn¡¯t seen them up until her death.


    Thinking of this, she spoke lightly, ¡°Grandfather didn¡¯t say so much when he gave them to me.¡±


    Qin Yize wasn¡¯t surprised. He glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and, recalling today¡¯s incidents, he slowly said, ¡°Although my parents have already apologized, I still want to say sorry to you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved the corners of her mouth slightly.


    Today might be the day she had received the most apologies in her life.


    Was it funny?


    Honestly, it really was funny.


    In her previous life, she had been truly bullied by those people, with no one ever apologizing to her.


    But in this life, with just a bit of cunning, she had garnered so much guilt from others.


    She was somewhat confused.


    Yet it seemed she also knew that being human was the hardest part.


    This world might just be like this, a mix of truth and deception. In the end, who can really tell?


    Suddenly, she remembered someone telling her that only when a person is independent and strong will others respect you.


    Now she was no longer living in a fog; her mind was clear. She knew what she wanted and what she didn¡¯t. Was this what it meant to be independent and strong?


    And then, to receive people¡¯s respect.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize, her eyes cool and clear, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. I won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, Great Grandfather will ask you about these two matters. The old man hates evil as if it were his personal enemy, he is extremely protective, but he also makes a clear distinction between gratitude and grudges. You don¡¯t need to whitewash the situation for my parents; just tell the truth.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao inwardly disagreed.

 Chapter 58 - 57 Jade Pendant

    Chapter 58: Chapter 57 Jade Pendant


    She was, after all, an outsider, and even if Old Grand Master Qin was bias, it was Qin Xuan he was biased toward, not her.


    She hummed noncommittally without expressing agreement or disagreement.


    Qin Yize frowned, but he didn¡¯t offer any further explanations.


    Just as he was about to step away, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered the Jade Pendant and hastily opened the drawer below, pointing to the Jade Pendant while speaking to Qin Yize, ¡°I put the Jade Pendant Great Grandfather gave me here¡­¡±


    The rest of her words went unsaid; she thought Qin Yize would understand.


    Qin Yize halted in his tracks, glanced at the Jade Pendant, then his gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ...


    The desperation in her expression to assert her innocence made Qin Yize¡¯s brow furrow slightly.


    After a few moments, he said indifferently, ¡°You still don¡¯t understand Great Grandfather¡¯s character.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, she had to admit, ¡°Yes, I truly don¡¯t understand him.¡±


    In this life and the last, she had only seen Old Grand Master Qin three times; where was she to understand such a temperamental old man?


    ¡°Great Grandfather wouldn¡¯t easily approve of someone; him giving you the Jade Pendant has nothing to do with me, it was purely for you, and once he gives something, he won¡¯t take it back. You should keep it,¡± explained Qin Yize lightly.


    ¡°How could that be okay?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively raised her voice, then quickly quieted down, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving the Qin Family soon, so holding onto Great Grandfather¡¯s Jade Pendant wouldn¡¯t be right. I certainly won¡¯t take it with me.¡±


    Qin Yize looked seriously at that little face full of determination and thought to himself, this little girl, Gu Qiaoqiao, has always been a person of perseverance.


    Once she sets her mind on something, she won¡¯t give up until she¡¯s battered and bloodied.


    She might seem timid, but in reality, she¡¯s braver than most, as evidenced by her marrying him without any second thoughts.


    However, such people are the ones who tend to suffer the most losses.


    Hopefully, she will learn from her mistakes and be better off in the future.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t try to persuade her further, his gaze landing on the Jade Pendant before he suddenly said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But what now¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes swept over him, interrupting irritably.


    ¡°Wear it for one day tomorrow, otherwise, if Great Grandfather finds out about our divorce, believe me, the outcome will be something you don¡¯t want to see,¡± Qin Yize said unhurriedly.


    He was trying to scare her.


    She wasn¡¯t one to be frightened so easily.


    Nevertheless, she nodded her head, knowing that if the elders found out about the divorce now, they would definitely connect it with the two incidents involving Bai Yun.


    Especially Grandma Qin, who was still not fully recovered; Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want her to worry or feel guilty.


    Seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao agreed, Qin Yize¡¯s mouth curved into a discreet smile, his dark eyes shimmering with an entrancing glow under the light before the glow faded and he left the study as if nothing had happened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao saw that Qin Yize had finally left and unconsciously exhaled in relief.


    It appeared that no matter what, she felt a certain amount of mental pressure coming from Qin Yize.


    Being with him, she could never completely relax.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the items on the desk, furrowing her brows in worry again, then fidgeted with her fingers.


    Her mind became cluttered once more.


    She thought and thought, but couldn¡¯t definitively determine if it was because of the plot against Bai Yun.


    If that were the case, fate was being too harsh.


    But if not, she really couldn¡¯t find a good reason.


    Yet deep down, she felt that her initial intuition was correct. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lingered in the study for a while longer, but eventually tired from her exertions, she sighed, resigned to her fate, and packed up her carving tools and walnut olives, then left the study with her things in hand.


    Since she could not carve for the next few days, she would put everything away for now.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao stepped out of the study, she caught sight of Qin Yize, his back to her, walking and drying his hair with a towel.


    She was so startled she almost stumbled over the threshold and fell.


    In a panic, she grabbed onto the doorframe, clutching the items in her hands tightly and finally managed to steady herself.


    At this moment, Qin Yize seemed unaware of her presence behind him as he casually stopped in front of the sofa and wiped his hair a few more times.


    He was only wearing pajama pants, and with each movement, his fair but muscular body rippled with power, provocative and breathtaking.


    He had just taken a shower, and water droplets cascaded down the contours of his back muscles, exuding an irresistible sensuality.


    For a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if her breath was taken away.


    She was stunned for several seconds, right when Qin Yize seemed to sense her presence and was about to turn around, Gu Qiaoqiao darted back into the study like a startled rabbit.


    And she closed the door behind her.


    She leaned against the wall, her heart pounding.


    In both her lives combined, it was truly the first time she had seen Qin Yize half-naked so clearly.


    She felt a mix of embarrassment, anger, surprise, and annoyance.


    Embarrassment because he dared to walk around the house so boldly undressed.


    Didn¡¯t he know that they were about to no longer be husband and wife?


    Anger because in the past, before New Year¡¯s Eve, he was so guarded against her as if afraid of her seeing even an inch of his flesh.


    Surprise at the multitude of scars, big and small, that covered Qin Yize¡¯s back.


    Annoyance because her vision was very sharp, and given the proximity, she could clearly see that on Qin Yize¡¯s waist, there were three new scars.


    They stood out distinctly because of the fresh pink flesh that had formed over them.


    She didn¡¯t understand why he was injured.


    Or perhaps, there were secrets involved.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s feelings were complicated. She really didn¡¯t understand why Qin Yize, a young master from the wealthy family, would persistently head to dangerous places with an international medical team.


    And every time, it was shrouded in secrecy.


    It was just a medical team formed by doctors, was there a need for such confidentiality in their operations?


    He had a prestigious family background, diplomas from well-known universities, study abroad experience, and even dual doctorates. Not only did he have striking looks, but he also had a brilliant mind.


    A person like that didn¡¯t need to live life this way.


    What was he after?


    If he hadn¡¯t chosen this path, there would be so many other paths available to him. Whether in politics or business, his future would¡¯ve been bright and splendid.


    He wouldn¡¯t have had to bear a body full of scars.


    In her previous life, she truly did not understand, nor did she like it, and so after hearing the persuasion from Bai Yun, she did not hesitate to run to Old Grand Master Qin, begging him to order Qin Yize to give up these ventures and return home¡­


    And in this life, after enduring some of the most bitter experiences in the world, she truly felt that someone like Qin Yize might hold beliefs that ordinary people can¡¯t understand.


    And these beliefs were beyond her reach, but she had to admire and respect them!


    Gu Qiaoqiao had to admit that Qin Yize was an exceptionally outstanding man. After their divorce in her previous life, she didn¡¯t want to know anything about him, but his news was always on the TV and newspapers, making it hard not to know.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her head and stared blankly at the box in her hand for a while before finally letting out an almost inaudible sigh.

 Chapter 59 - 58 Aloof

    Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Aloof


    ¡°`


    She had no right to comment on anything about him anymore.


    Nor was she interested in knowing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around, quietly pushing the study door open a crack, and within her line of sight, Qin Yize¡¯s figure was no longer present.


    She pushed the door open.


    She saw that Qin Yize had already put on his pajamas and was laying out a blanket and pillow on the sofa.


    ...


    Before they agreed on the divorce, it didn¡¯t matter if they lay in the same bed, but since they had both agreed to divorce, lying together even without interfering with each other, still felt awkward.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao had planned to sleep on the sofa herself.


    But she had not expected that Qin Yize would think the same.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, first placing her things down, and then, feeling somewhat embarrassed, she moved in front of him. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Qin Yize¡¯s long legs somewhat awkwardly bent, Gu Qiaoqiao spoke softly, ¡°I should sleep on the sofa, I¡¯m shorter¡­¡±


    Qin Yize turned on the lamp beside the sofa, casually leaning against the armrest with an air of ease, and with a flick of his eyelid, he teased Gu Qiaoqiao, who dared not look him in the eye, finding the situation somewhat amusing.


    His actions just now weren¡¯t intentional.


    He had thought that Gu Qiaoqiao was carving something in the study, so he didn¡¯t put on his pajamas directly.


    It seemed that the scar on his back might have scared her just now.


    Qin Yize did not wish to explain further and spoke indifferently, ¡°Since you don¡¯t feel like carving, you should rest early.¡±


    With that, he resumed his usual distant and indifferent mode, bowing his head and beginning to read a book.


    The room quieted down.


    Only the rustling sound of Qin Yize turning pages could be heard.


    He was evidently searching for something in the book¡­


    His attractive eyebrows knit together almost imperceptibly, seemingly displeased with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s disturbance.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly picked up on this vibe, scoffed in her heart, and twirled away.


    Surprisingly, she slept through the night without dreaming.


    And when she entered the kitchen in the morning, Shen Manru actually flashed her a grin, and Gu Qiaoqiao was so startled she almost overturned the plate in her hand.


    She really wanted to say, you might as well not smile and keep your usual aloofness, which is just fine.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao still politely returned the smile, and Shen Manru quietly sighed with relief.


    She thought to herself that country people have their advantages, at least they don¡¯t put on airs and are straightforward.


    She began, ¡°I¡¯ve made some porridge, just make a few side dishes, the vegetables are all washed.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced over and nodded, ¡°Alright, leave this to me.¡±


    Shen Manru also felt a bit awkward, knowing that trying to ease the relationship within a day or two wasn¡¯t that easy.


    She quickly left the kitchen.


    No sooner had Shen Manru left than Qin Xiaoyu came in.


    She circled around behind Gu Qiaoqiao, trying to get her attention and start a conversation, so she could take the opportunity to tell her something.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t be bothered with her.


    This Qin Xiaoyu was actually a paper tiger, a typical person who bullies the weak and fears the strong.


    She had been naive before, not to have seen such behavior, thinking that kind words would probably never move her, but if you shouted at her a few times, she would definitely behave herself.


    This must be what they call a ¡°shameless thick-skinned person.¡±


    ¡°`


    Qin Xiaoyu waited for a long time, but Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t respond to her. Watching Gu Qiaoqiao skillfully stir-frying the greens and smelling the wafting delicious scent, she couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Your cooking really smells good.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyelids didn¡¯t even flutter, she just flipped her spatula a few times, then plated the vegetables.


    Once the first sentence was out, the second followed. Qin Xiaoyu swallowed a mouthful of saliva and naturally said, ¡°Shang Qing called you last night, Grandma didn¡¯t let me knock on your door.¡±


    Shang Qing?


    Who was that?


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered, that was the outspoken girl she had met at KYV on the same day they finished junior high.


    From what she said, it seemed like she held a grudge against Bai Yun.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Shang Qing found out so quickly since every social circle has its own channels of information, and the Qin Family hadn¡¯t made an effort to conceal anything.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao spoke up, ¡°What did she say on the phone?¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu was excited, feeling as if the sunlight had become much brighter at that moment just because Gu Qiaoqiao was talking to her, ¡°Shang Qing said that Bai Yun is no good, she got what she deserved, and also, she wants to go disco dancing with you on the night of the tenth.¡±


    Disco dancing?


    She didn¡¯t know how.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t have Shang Qing¡¯s phone number, you decline for me, I don¡¯t know how to dance any disco.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to call her. I¡¯ll give you the number, you call her yourself,¡± Qin Xiaoyu immediately refused.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked in surprise.


    ¡°Shang Qing mocked me on the phone last night for siding with Bai Yun, called me stupid. I don¡¯t want to talk to her at all.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao paused, glancing sideways at Qin Xiaoyu, ¡°What Shang Qing said wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu choked, her face flushed red in an instant as she pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°Then how are you any better than me? Didn¡¯t Bai Yun fool you completely in the past too? You¡¯ve only become a bit smarter these past few days.¡±


    After she said that, Qin Xiaoyu looked at Gu Qiaoqiao somewhat fearfully, worried that she would take a knife and chop her.


    Just as she was scared enough to think about fleeing, Gu Qiaoqiao laughed, ¡°Xiao Yu is right, I am actually even more foolish than you. At the very least, she didn¡¯t trick you into spending money nor did she borrow money from you.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu looked at Gu Qiaoqiao suspiciously, noting that there was no chill in her eyes like before, and finally she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Yet it also seemed like she had found an ally as she began to share her grievances.


    ¡°Actually, I used to always fight with her, and every time I ended up on the losing side. But these past few years she¡¯s been really nice to me, and I quite like hanging out with her, but I never expected her to be almost like those bad women on TV¡­¡±


    Conscientiously speaking, Bai Yun treated Qin Xiaoyu very well out of love for the whole family.


    And as long as Qin Xiaoyu didn¡¯t encroach on her interests, Bai Yun wouldn¡¯t scheme against her.


    But well, once bitten, twice shy. After these incidents, the Qin Xiaoyu in the future would not be swayed by a few instigating words to instantaneously become an eager pawn.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pointed to the plate, ¡°Take the dishes away. We¡¯ll talk about Shang Qing¡¯s matter later.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and hurriedly carried the plate out of the kitchen.


    After that, Gu Qiaoqiao finished cooking three small dishes and mixed a plate of sour radish, then carried a small pot of steamed buns into the dining room.


    The steamed buns Gu Qiaoqiao made contained milk and egg, and with their white, soft, and round appearance, they were truly irresistible.


    Perhaps seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t have much of a reaction and didn¡¯t dwell on the issue any longer,


    everyone seemed to quickly forget about yesterday¡¯s unpleasantness. At the breakfast table, the atmosphere was as harmonious as ever.


    Especially since good food has a way of bringing joy to the heart.


    Although Grandma Qin still felt very guilty, people always look forward, and since Gu Qiaoqiao had generously chosen not to mention it anymore, she too wouldn¡¯t be hard on herself.


    After all, what had happened had happened.


    The best thing she could do was to be extra kind to Gu Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 60 - 59 Breaking out of the Cocoon?

    Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Breaking out of the Cocoon?


    ¡°`


    Today, she had to visit Old Grand Master of the Qin Family, and Shen Manru had told her to leave early with Qin Yize so as not to waste time.


    So when the two of them came out, it wasn¡¯t even eight o¡¯clock yet.


    No one knew that last night, unexpectedly, it had snowed.


    At this moment, the land was a sheet of silvery white.


    Many homes hadn¡¯t had the chance to sweep the snow from their doorsteps.


    ...


    When the wind blew through the snow-laden pines and cypresses, it was as if another light snowfall had begun.


    The sun was exceptionally bright today, shining on the vast expanse of snow, somewhat dazzling.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked happily, her lips curving into a smile unconsciously.


    The Qin Family¡¯s home was only a few minutes away from the bus station, and the two of them walked forward, stepping on the accumulated snow on the road.


    Their long and short silhouettes on the snowy ground seemed a bit ethereal.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of danger in his gaze.


    He watched Gu Qiaoqiao without a trace of emotion.


    The contrast in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s behavior from before and after was too great.


    Especially around Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve.


    She was practically a different person.


    No, it should be said, three different people.


    In his memory, Gu Qiaoqiao, before marrying him, was very cheerful, loved to laugh, and had a pleasant laugh.


    The kind of silvery laugh described in books, he had thought only existed in novels, but later, he came to know that some people truly have such delightful laughter.


    Her gaze when looking at people was also bold and direct.


    It seemed as if all her emotions were displayed within those bright and lively eyes.


    And because of his good looks, girls liked him easily.


    So he was very calm in the face of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s undisguised love.


    Despite talking it through with her, she still insisted on marrying no one but him.


    Perhaps he couldn¡¯t bear to shatter that radiant smile on her face, coupled with Grandpa Gu¡¯s helpless yet firm persuasion.


    Eventually, he nodded in agreement.


    Unexpectedly, Grandpa Gu, who had recovered from his illness, passed away quietly in his sleep, and a year later, on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eighteenth birthday, they registered their marriage, followed by a wedding ceremony a month later.


    On the day of the wedding, he had to leave in a rush, not even having the time to say goodbye to his family or to her.


    Months later, he assisted the military in destroying a deeply hidden foreign biochemical research facility at the border, cleaning up the surrounding environment, and only then returning to Northern Border City with his team after ensuring everything was safe.


    After that, he returned to the Imperial Capital once more.


    Having been out of touch for months, his family had grown accustomed to it, but he didn¡¯t expect Gu Qiaoqiao to react so strongly.


    Perhaps it was because it was her first experience with this.


    He didn¡¯t explain, because this was the life Gu Qiaoqiao had chosen for herself, and he wanted her to get used to it, even to accept it.


    Call him heartless or cold, he felt that everyone had to take responsibility for their choices.


    But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that after a few months apart, Gu Qiaoqiao had changed so much, barely daring to look people in the eye, always looking troubled, often standing dazedly in one spot, seemingly oblivious to the busy figures of her grandmother and mother.


    Her face no longer bore a smile, appearing somewhat suppressed.


    The only constant was the fullness of love in her eyes when she saw him.


    Although he was on leave, he had many matters to attend to, leaving early and returning late, which meant he seldom saw Gu Qiaoqiao.


    And then there was Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve. In truth, he wasn¡¯t going to meet classmates; he had to go to the experimental base command center to report to his superiors.


    But on that day, she tried to stop him from leaving as if she were mad. It was meant to be a joyous New Year¡¯s Eve, yet Gu Qiaoqiao ended up crying hysterically and threatened him with death.


    He turned away indifferently, not expecting that Gu Qiaoqiao would actually throw herself fiercely against the wall.


    He had never thought Gu Qiaoqiao had such courage and strength.


    If it weren¡¯t for his quick response, catching her just in time, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s forehead would have been more than just bruised.


    Afterward, his mother, overwhelmed by anger, fainted.


    ¡°`


    And Gu Qiaoqiao was also in a coma.


    After which, she was taken to the Qin Family¡¯s hospital.


    Her mother woke up quickly, but Gu Qiaoqiao still remained in a coma.


    The examination results showed everything was normal; there wasn¡¯t even a slight concussion.


    But she just couldn¡¯t wake up from the coma.


    The attending physician¡¯s final words were that this was the patient¡¯s self-protection in response to stimulation, a sort of hibernation.


    He reviewed the report and basically agreed.


    So, he took her and her mother, who had already woken up, back home.


    By the time he finished reporting back at work and came home, he saw a transformed Gu Qiaoqiao, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.


    Her eyes no longer held a trace of affection; they looked at him with a certain distance and desolation, and with hatred.


    She no longer stammered when she spoke; she was neither humble nor overbearing, standing there, like plum blossoms blooming in the cold winter, or like bamboo after the rain, fresh and carrying that unique fortitude of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She no longer sought to please him or his family members, except for grandma; it seemed she hardly gave anyone else a proper glance.


    He hadn¡¯t even heard her call his parents ¡°Dad¡± and ¡°Mom,¡± as she had a few days earlier.


    Up to today, that bright smile that was hard to look at directly had never returned.


    Her smile was very shallow, very faint.


    It seemed that a gust of wind could scatter that smile completely.


    After that, she had secrets.


    Her secrets seemed to form a world of her own, the doors of which she had tightly shut, allowing no one a glimpse inside.


    The entire person appeared to have undergone a complete transformation.


    In her struggles with Bai Yun, she pressed Bai Yun down firmly.


    But she cleverly placed herself at the moral high ground.


    And chose such a time to bring up divorce again.


    When he realized that Gu Qiaoqiao was serious, he agreed promptly.


    A marriage without love, when the other half of the marriage scarcely even had time to stay by her side, it was better to let go.


    That way, he would have one less concern.


    And he, in turn, would compensate her during the divorce.


    After all, it was he who had married her.


    Thinking of this, Qin Yize watched the light-footed Gu Qiaoqiao walking ahead of him, his dark eyes shadowed.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was unaware that Qin Yize was pondering over her; she was in excellent spirits, like a bird that had flown out of its cage.


    Therefore, she found Qin Yize quite more to her liking.


    After getting off the bus, she obediently followed behind him, heading towards the entrance of the Qin Family Courtyard.


    This was a scattered estate, covering a large area; it was the family business of the Qin Family. Although it was called the courtyard, it was much larger than the Qin Family Old Residence.


    Here there was a garden and a natural lake, not big, but with clear water that sparkled in the sunlight during the summer.


    It was built by the father of the Old Grand Master of the Qin Family in his early years. The old grand master liked it here, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t want to live with his family.


    He had prepared separate houses for them while he lived here alone.


    Only a young male secretary was at his side, responsible for his everyday living; of course, the secretary was a boy. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The routine affairs of the residence were handled by the descendants of the Qin Family¡¯s old household.


    They lived in the back court.


    This was actually her first visit here.


    There were security guards standing at the entrance.


    After routine registration, she walked with Qin Yize toward the three-story building at the end of the road.


    The open space on the right should be a lawn, the snow from last night had already been swept clean.


    The same was true for the road.

 Chapter 61 - 60: A Slap Followed by a Sweet Date?

    Chapter 61: Chapter 60: A Slap Followed by a Sweet Date?


    The snow was not transported away but was neatly piled up into a snow wall.


    The rectangular lines were straight and distinct.


    Gu Qiaoqiao could barely hide her curiosity.


    She had grown up in the North and was familiar with snow from her childhood.


    Yet, she had never thought that snow could be used to form a snow wall.


    In the Imperial Capital, the snow on the roads, once swept up, was always carted away.


    ...


    However, such heavy snowfalls were becoming less and less frequent.


    Along the way, they encountered a few people, and Qin Yize greeted them politely.


    But he did not stop walking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was only responsible for smiling.


    Soon, they arrived at Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s small building.


    The interior was simple and austere, very different from the Qin family¡¯s old mansion.


    But it was very warm inside.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    There was only one secretary responsible for shopping and cooking, named Xiao Yuan.


    After all, only the old master lived here; it really couldn¡¯t be more spartan.


    This was something Gu Qiaoqiao had not expected.


    People often say that the elderly love lively atmospheres and enjoying family joy, but the old master was clearly not like that.


    He preferred peace and quiet.


    That¡¯s why he lived alone in the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard.


    However, seeing Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao coming in, the old grand master was still very happy.


    Xiao Yuan, about seventeen years old with a smiling face, curiously glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and swiftly placed the tea on the coffee table.


    Old Grand Master Qin instructed, ¡°Take out the fish and large shrimp from the refrigerator.¡± Then he unapologetically said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you cook lunch today. Great Grandfather wants to eat your braised prawns in chili sauce and sweet and sour fish.¡±


    This caught Gu Qiaoqiao off guard, and she instantly smiled, ¡°All right, Great Grandfather.¡±


    As she was about to get up and follow Xiao Yuan, Old Grand Master Qin stopped her with a wave of his hand, ¡°Xiao Yuan will assist you, no rush. Come, tell Great Grandfather about the third day of the new year and yesterday¡¯s events¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, who slowly started, ¡°Just tell the truth.¡±


    Thus Gu Qiaoqiao calmly recounted the events to the old master.


    She did not embellish nor display much personal emotion, as if she was narrating something that had nothing to do with her.


    Actually, this was because Gu Qiaoqiao had indeed let go.


    She had just begun her hard-earned new life and would not allow herself to be ensnared in pain and hatred.


    Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s eyes, shining with wisdom, surveyed Gu Qiaoqiao, and he nodded silently in approval.


    Yet he was still somewhat puzzled.


    But these doubts were not enough to make him overly concerned, and he did not scold Qin Xuan and Shen Manru further.


    He then addressed Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, your in-laws are certainly hateful, but your misjudgment of people, mistaking a jackal for a sheep, is also a big taboo. Even if you¡¯re not in the Qin family, you will always have to face this society, where no one will teach you how to behave in great detail, so the only one you can rely on is yourself. Being naive in the past can be excused as youthful ignorance, but going forward, you must analyze situations more and be more discerning. People only grow after experiencing life, and you are a good child¡­¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the sofa, expecting the old master to scold Qin Xuan and Shen Manru to show his stance.


    Since many elderly people do just that.


    But it seemed that the old grand master was rather teaching her a lesson, albeit in a very gentle tone, ending with a compliment.


    Was this a case of offering a slap followed by a sweet date?


    However, in comparison, she still preferred listening to the old master¡¯s admonitions.


    Life is just as the old master said; no one will always hold your hand to walk you through life, nor teach you how to conduct yourself step by step.


    The only one you can rely on is yourself.


    One must always keep their eyes peeled and stay alert to reduce the twists in their own life.


    ¡°Great Grandfather is right, I remember that,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said sincerely.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao with a hint of surprise, not expecting her to be so open-minded.


    Old Grand Master Qin was just about to say something with a smile when a brash voice came from the entrance, ¡°Great Grandfather, I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    She then looked toward the door.


    That¡¯s when she saw the girl she had met on the night of the third, smiling coyly as she walked in.


    Her name seemed to be Lin Qinghuan.


    The person following her, whom she had just met yesterday, was Chu Chengfeng.


    Lin Qinghuan evidently visited often, and the old man seemed even more affectionate towards her than towards Qin Xiaoyu.


    He even allowed Lin Qinghuan to playfully cling to his arm.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was indifferent, too lazy to watch Lin Qinghuan¡¯s affected behavior, a hint of scorn crossing her eyes.


    This old man was also naive; didn¡¯t he realize Lin Qinghuan¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t pure?


    But, that had nothing to do with her.


    As for Qin Yize, that tough nut to crack, let whoever wants to chew on it do so, as long as they don¡¯t mind breaking a tooth.


    Lin Qinghuan sat next to Old Grand Master Qin, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao. She addressed her as ¡®sister-in-law¡¯ just like Bai Yun would, smiling as brightly as spring blossoms, ¡°Sister-in-law, we met on the night of the third, I¡¯m Lin Qinghuan, do you remember?¡±


    She expected Gu Qiaoqiao to go along and say she remembered, but instead Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head directly, ¡°I generally don¡¯t remember people I¡¯ve only met once, so I truly forgot.¡±


    Chu Chengfeng looked at Gu Qiaoqiao in surprise, apparently not expecting her to be so direct.


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s smile froze on her face for a moment before she playfully blinked, ¡°Familiarity comes with seeing each other more than once; now you must remember, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan seemed to glance at Qin Yize nonchalantly, her eyes briefly twinkling, ¡°Ah Ze, there¡¯s a gathering tomorrow. You should come with your sister-in-law.¡±


    Qin Yize, who had been quietly sipping his tea with his eyes downcast, slightly lifted his gaze, a hint of impatience and annoyance flickering in his eyes.


    Had Lin Qinghuan grown a thicker skin, or had she really seen the light?


    He really couldn¡¯t tell.


    But one thing was certain, the little bit of a good impression he had of her had vanished like smoke after her confession that day.


    His gaze swept over everyone and then out the window; it was time to play ball with Chu Chengfeng.


    But as for Gu Qiaoqiao¡­


    Never mind, he would leave that for another day.


    Qin Yize leaned lazily back against the couch, ¡°I¡¯m busy tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Are you for real?¡± Chu Chengfeng exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re leaving again in a few days, and it¡¯s so hard just to hang out with us?¡±


    Qin Yize gave Chu Chengfeng a sidelong glance, ¡°I really am busy.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan concealed the disappointment in her heart, looking affectionately at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law, please come, Chu Chengfeng says you sing beautifully. Many of us really want to hear your voice¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt irritated.


    It used to be okay not to understand all this scheming and backdoor plotting, but now that she understood, she felt truly sick of it.


    It was as disgusting as greasy fat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, ¡°If Qin Yize isn¡¯t going, I¡¯m also busy. Besides, there are plenty of people who can sing; it really shouldn¡¯t be such a big deal.¡±


    Turning to the old man, she said, ¡°Great Grandfather, I¡¯m going to check the kitchen; Xiao Yuan is not sure how to handle some things.¡±


    With that, Gu Qiaoqiao stood up and walked straight towards the kitchen without looking sideways.


    Lin Qinghuan stiffened slightly, silently clenched her hand, and while Qin Yize and Chu Chengfeng talked to the old man, she smiled, ¡°Great Grandfather, I¡¯ll go help sister-in-law in the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead,¡± Old Lady Qin waved his hand, but his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

 Chapter 62 - 61: The Two Options Given by Lin Qinghuan

    Chapter 62: Chapter 61: The Two Options Given by Lin Qinghuan


    It always felt like Lin Qinghuan was a bit different today than usual.


    Hopefully, it¡¯s not another Bai Yun.


    But that should be unlikely. Before she went abroad, I had asked her if she was interested in Ah Ze, and at that time, the girl had firmly denied it and did not hesitate to go overseas.


    Moreover, it never seemed apparent normally.


    Perhaps it was all in my head.


    With this thought, the great grandfather shifted his attention and started chatting with Qin Yize and Chu Chengfeng.


    ...


    Qin Yize, watching Lin Qinghuan¡¯s retreating figure, a trace of darkness flitted across his eyes.


    This is the great grandfather¡¯s home. Lin Qinghuan wouldn¡¯t dare to pull any tricks here.


    With that thought, he quickly shifted his gaze away.


    In the kitchen, Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the pile of ingredients and quickly planned what to make.


    It seems like Chu Chengfeng and Lin Qinghuan won¡¯t be leaving. They will definitely stay for lunch.


    Chu Chengfeng is fine, but for Lin Qinghuan, Gu Qiaoqiao still felt somewhat uneasy. She soon thought to herself, just treat it as feeding Big Yellow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, composed, said to Xiao Yuan, ¡°We¡¯re out of white sugar. Go buy some white sugar or rock sugar will do too.¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Xiao Yuan happily went off.


    The great grandfather had mentioned that Qin Yize¡¯s new wife was an excellent cook, and compared to her, what they usually ate was nothing but pig feed.


    Xiao Yuan was not upset, instead, he thought his cooking skills were quite impressive already.


    Of course, it couldn¡¯t compare to those with high culinary skills.


    So, he had been looking forward to it ever since the great grandfather mentioned a few days earlier about Qin Yize bringing his wife over on the sixth.


    Xiao Yuan¡¯s figure soon vanished outside the door.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to sort the ingredients, she saw Lin Qinghuan walking towards her.


    Her face bore a smile.


    But the smile did not reach her eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bowed her head, seemingly not noticing Lin Qinghuan approaching, and began categorizing the ingredients.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m not good at cooking, but I can help out,¡± said Lin Qinghuan cheerfully.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at her and after a few moments, pointed at the potatoes and celery, ¡°You can peel the potatoes and pluck the celery.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan showed no surprise, having sensed in the brief exchange Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s straightforwardness.


    Hiding a trace of disdain in her eyes, Lin Qinghuan indeed sat on the stool and started peeling the potatoes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao began chopping vegetables.


    It was clear Lin Qinghuan had something to say, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so obedient in helping out.


    All she had to do was wait.


    Indeed, soon Lin Qinghuan¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Sister-in-law, I heard about you and Bai Yun. I¡¯m quite curious, how did you dodge that glass of orange juice back then?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused, put down the knife, turned around to look at Lin Qinghuan, ¡°You should ask Bai Yun about that, she was the one who gave me the juice to drink.¡±


    ¡°She picked the wrong glass in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°Possibly¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes shifted slightly as she spoke softly, ¡°That must be the best interpretation of shooting oneself in the foot.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan lifted her head, still smiling, ¡°Bai Yun, although quite scheming, is not cruel enough¡­¡±


    Not cruel enough?


    Gu Qiaoqiao knitted her brows and laughed, ¡°Lin Qinghuan, should I be grateful for Bai Yun¡¯s mercy in sparing my life?¡±


    Lin Qinghuan paused momentarily as she was holding something and then giggled, ¡°Sister-in-law, what you¡¯re saying sounds really fresh. Killing is illegal, of course, but I meant no other implication. I just think Bai Yun just wants to embarrass you to vent her spleen. She¡¯s liked Qin Yize since they were young, and Aunt Shen¡¯s ambiguous attitude gave her undue hope, so she became bold¡­¡±


    ¡°Being bold gives you the right to harm and embarrass others, Lin Qinghuan, do you know what happens after one is humiliated?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked indifferently.


    ¡°That depends on individual psychological quality. You saw how Bai Yun was disgraced that night in junior high, but the next day, she was bouncing about as if nothing happened. This time, coming out of the station, I can guarantee she will act as if it never happened. That woman has really thick skin.¡±


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao seriously start to examine Lin Qinghuan, finding her quite surprising.


    Seeing her usual demeanor, she knew, however, there was some truth in her words.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, actually, it¡¯s not entirely Qin Yize¡¯s fault for attracting the bees and butterflies. Do you know why so many girls in this circle like him?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled her lips, scorn flashing in her eyes, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Everyone is clear about his obvious traits, so I won¡¯t mention those, but I just want to say, if Ah Ze were as flirtatious as Chengfeng, he probably wouldn¡¯t attract so much attention. The key is, he¡¯s too cold. Going by old sayings, he¡¯s indifferent to women. I¡¯ve grown up with him since we were kids and never saw him talk to girls. Regarding their affection, he¡¯s either annoyed or indifferent, but do you know?¡±


    Lin Qinghuan paused here, noticing that Gu Qiaoqiao was not embarrassed but listening very intently.


    So she continued, ¡°Actually, human nature is really cheap. What¡¯s easily obtained is never cherished. But the harder to get, the better they seem to think it is. Just like Qin Yize, to Bai Yun, he¡¯s irreplaceable.


    However, if nobody could have him, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    But when he is gotten by someone who doesn¡¯t match him at all, you can imagine how imbalanced some people felt.


    They would think, what right does she have? Why did she marry Qin Yize?


    She¡¯s almost like a rural housemaid at home, worlds apart from Ah Ze.


    To let such a person possess Qin Yize is an insult and provocation to them.


    Therefore, troubles follow one after another. Even if the Qin family protects you, the cattiness and exclusion amongst girls are endless.


    Like now, I quarrel with you a few words. Even if Great Grandfather is on your side, he can¡¯t possibly lock me up. At most, he¡¯ll scold me a few times. So unless you forever leave the Imperial Capital, leave the crowd, leave the sight of certain people, there will always be many Bai Yuns waiting for you¡­¡±


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s long speech indeed shocked Gu Qiaoqiao. This person, a classmate of Qin Yize, was also in her early twenties, yet she felt inscrutable.


    And her words left Gu Qiaoqiao unable to discern whether they were meant kindly or maliciously.


    But she had to admit within her heart that her words made sense. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°According to you, it sounds like I have nowhere to go¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao masked her surprise with a joking tone.


    ¡°Of course, there are ways out, but only two¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao seemed genuinely curious, ¡°I¡¯m keen to hear more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, the first way is to make yourself strong. So strong that others can only look up to you. Not to mention squeezing in, they have to be very careful even when speaking to you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was shocked internally, compelled to see Lin Qinghuan in a new light.


    But in a flash of insight, she suddenly realized.


    This definition of strength was not realistic.


    These people were already superior to others.


    How could she possibly surpass them?


    Let alone her, even Lin Qinghuan present here couldn¡¯t do it.

 Chapter 63 - 62 Carving Can Also Be Slow Motion

    Chapter 63: Chapter 62 Carving Can Also Be Slow Motion


    ¡°`


    So, Lin Qinghuan must have been certain that a country bumpkin like me could never make it, huh.


    She asked slowly, ¡°And the second option?¡±


    ¡°The second option is less troubling, just leave Qin Yize and be free from all the hassles¡­¡±


    Finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan playfully stuck out her tongue, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m a straightforward person, having said so much, you better not tell Ah Ze.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell him. But you¡¯ve mentioned quite a lot, and it does seem to make sense. However, there¡¯s a saying, ¡®Where you marry is where you¡¯ll live.¡¯ I¡¯m destined to follow Qin Yize, and it¡¯s not likely that I¡¯ll return these few years. So, it¡¯s a pity that I won¡¯t be able to verify what you¡¯ve said for now¡­¡±


    ...


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s hand holding the potato peeler tightened, pulling up the corners of her mouth into a smile.


    However, that smile was very profound.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it said in martial arts novels that where there are people, there is an itinerant world? Trust me, sister-in-law, I¡¯m not trying to scare you.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s words were deeply meaningful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao picked up a fruit knife and weighed it in her hand, suddenly feeling as if her mind power and the knife had become one.


    There was something resembling a target on one wall of the kitchen, presumably for Xiao Yuan to play with while cooking.


    Without thinking, she threw the fruit knife at the target and discovered with surprise that the knife hit the bullseye perfectly, without the slightest miss.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s eyes suddenly widened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her with a smile that curved her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not someone who gets scared easily. You better not mess with me, or I definitely won¡¯t let you get away with it, no matter who you are!¡±


    After a long moment, Lin Qinghuan seemed to find her voice, which was somewhat dry, ¡°Sister-in-law, have you trained before?¡±


    ¡°Mm, Qin Yize personally taught me. How about that, pretty impressive, right¡­¡±


    Saying this, Gu Qiaoqiao walked forward, pulled out the fruit knife with a bit of force, wiped it off, and without giving Lin Qinghuan another thought, picked up a carrot. She wanted to see if she could carve the ingredient.


    Lin Qinghuan was silent for a moment before she slowly spoke up, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re truly impressive¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, ¡°I was just teasing you. This is a society governed by law, after all. We all have to abide by the rules and laws, and fighting and killing are not good.¡±


    After that, Gu Qiaoqiao made the first cut into the carrot.


    Immediately, boundless joy surged in her heart. It seemed she could carve, although she wasn¡¯t sure if she could use a carving knife.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was eager, wishing she could fly back home and try it right away.


    What followed could be described as harmony and joy.


    And Lin Qinghuan was someone even more astute and scheming than Bai Yun.


    How could she possibly court her own demise.


    Especially under Qin Yize¡¯s icy gaze.


    Therefore, the meal was a peaceful one, with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s culinary skills leaving Chu Chengfeng and Xiao Yuan sprawled in their chairs, not wanting to move.


    And Chu Chengfeng¡¯s gaze became incredibly eager; he even suggested that Gu Qiaoqiao open a restaurant in the Imperial Capital, assuring her that the business would flourish and make a fortune.


    However, this idea was promptly shot down by a few scolding words from Old Grand Master Qin.


    After finishing the meal, just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to clean up, Xiao Yuan stopped her.


    And in this regard, his actions were extremely quick and meticulously neat and tidy.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was happy to have the free time.


    When she got home, she couldn¡¯t wait to take out the carving knife, sat in front of the desk, and with a nervous heart, made her cut.


    A surge of ecstasy suddenly filled her heart.


    It moved, she could carve!


    She then hurriedly started carving the Eighteen Arhats according to her previous plan.


    But as she carved, she realized something was amiss.


    That was the speed was slow.


    Very slow, extremely slow, although with Heart and Mind as One and full of Spiritual Energy, each cut seemed as slow as the slow-motion scenes in movies.


    At this rate, it would be ages before she finished the carving.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao kept comforting herself, this was better than not being able to move at all.


    In the following days, Gu Qiaoqiao was pleasantly surprised to find the speed of her carving was gradually increasing.


    ¡°`


    Although the progress was painfully slow.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth day of the first lunar month.


    These past few days, Qin Yize had been quite mysterious, rarely seen during the day, and returning late at night.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao had mailed off the items that needed to be sent, and also prepared the gifts for her family.


    However, she had less than one hundred yuan left in her hand.


    Thankfully, after almost working tirelessly, the Eighteen Arhats were finally carved.


    Just like the first piece, they were exquisitely crafted and breathtakingly ingenious.


    The Eighteen Arhats were so lifelike they could make your heart tremble.


    Moreover, a spiritual energy that only Gu Qiaoqiao could see lingered on the surface.


    Wearing this thing could prolong one¡¯s life. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered over how exactly to sell it.


    With her skills in tow, Gu Qiaoqiao knew she had plenty of time ahead of her, and she would carve an amulet for every family member to wear.


    But now that she was short on money, she reluctantly had to sell it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao calculated the time; it took her six days, almost eighteen hours each day.


    By this calculation, selling it for eight hundred yuan would definitely be a loss.


    However, she still needed to test the waters.


    By now it was already past eight in the evening, so Gu Qiaoqiao simply carved two simple amulets out of olive pits to give to Grandma Qin and Old Lady Qin as a way of repaying their kindness.


    The next day, Gu Qiaoqiao once again visited Yubao Square.


    Seeing her enter, Zhang Yi was momentarily stunned, then smiled and asked Gu Qiaoqiao what brought her there.


    ¡°Boss Zhang, I¡¯ve carved an Eighteen Arhats pendant, please give me a price¡­¡± she said as she was about to take out the small box containing the olive pendant.


    Unexpectedly, Zhang Yi¡¯s expression changed, and through gritted teeth he said, ¡°Don¡¯t take it out, I won¡¯t look.¡±


    Huh?


    He won¡¯t look?


    What does that mean?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand holding the box froze, ¡°Boss Zhang, what do you mean? I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    A flurry of emotions ¡ª hesitation, struggle, reluctance ¡ª flashed across Zhang Yi¡¯s face, ending in helplessness, ¡°Miss Xiao Qiao, what I mean is I¡¯m not buying it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Not buying anymore?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Is it that no one here will buy it?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face grew cold as she took a meaningful look around.


    At that moment, some people were bargaining with the staff of Yubao Square over a piece of blue and white porcelain.


    Zhang Yi felt a pang of guilt, and looking at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s pocket, his heart felt as if it was being scratched by a cat.


    An Eighteen Arhats pendant, which means that he had carved Eighteen Arhats onto an olive pit.


    How did he do it?


    What would it look like?


    But he didn¡¯t dare to look, for fear that if he saw it and fell in love with it, what should he do then?


    Zhang Yi steeled his heart, ¡°I¡¯m not buying it, Yubao Square will not take your items anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit angry.


    ¡°Child, don¡¯t ask anymore, leave, go elsewhere, your things will sell,¡± he urged.


    ¡°But you should at least give me a clear reason,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t leave but pressed her emotions and asked calmly.

 Chapter 64 - 63: The Olive Seed

    Chapter 64: Chapter 63: The Olive Seed


    ¡°`


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just won¡¯t take it,¡± Zhang Yi quickly said with a serious tone.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you even take a look?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly brought out the box, ready to open it.


    Zhang Yi, however, turned away in fright, ¡°You mustn¡¯t open it, please don¡¯t let me see it¡­¡±


    Then he was waving his hands as if he found it very distasteful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slightly furrowed her eyebrows, seeing that Zhang Yi seemed eager to see yet couldn¡¯t look, she found it very inexplicable.


    ...


    As if he harbored an unspeakable secret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was not someone to make things difficult for others, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled about the whole situation.


    The Qin Family?


    Unlikely!


    In recent days, the atmosphere in the Qin Family had been exceptionally good; whether it was sincere or not, Shen Manru had become much closer to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao went with the flow and gave Shen Manru face.


    So, they wouldn¡¯t stop her, especially since Qin Xuan had looked ecstatic when he saw it this morning.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Once he got hold of it, he wouldn¡¯t let go.


    He put on glasses, examined it with a magnifying glass for a long time, and Gu Qiaoqiao was becoming somewhat impatient before he unwillingly put it down.


    But the eagerness in his eyes was so evident that it couldn¡¯t be hidden, and there was even a look of admiration.


    Making Gu Qiaoqiao feel somewhat embarrassed.


    Though reluctant, Qin Xuan had said nothing, nor mentioned keeping it to sell to him.


    She thought that must be what he was thinking.


    After all, Gu Qiaoqiao was his future daughter-in-law; there would be plenty of time and opportunities later, so after gritting his teeth, the olive pendant finally returned to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly placed it back in the box.


    In the end, Qin Xuan told her the minimum price was three thousand eight hundred yuan, not a penny less.


    So Qin Xuan could not possibly have called Zhang Yi to stop him from accepting her item.


    On this point, she still trusted Qin Xuan.


    But what exactly was the reason that Zhang Yi wouldn¡¯t even take a look?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Zhang Yi¡¯s behavior and grew angry.


    She had thought Shopkeeper Zhang was something special, but he turned out to be a petty man who did not keep his word.


    Hmph!


    In the Imperial Capital, Yubao Square wasn¡¯t the only antique store; there were plenty of others to choose from.


    Even if Zhang Yi wanted to buy it, it was too late; she wouldn¡¯t sell it to him no matter how much he offered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also felt a little temperamental.


    However, her sparkling, large eyes shifted as she suddenly opened the box and took out the olive pendant.


    The shop of Yubao Square wasn¡¯t very tall, and with a stretch, Gu Qiaoqiao raised the olive pendant in front of Zhang Yi, shaking it.


    Zhang Yi never expected Gu Qiaoqiao to pull such a move.


    Hence, completely unprepared, he caught sight of the olive pendant dangling before his eyes.


    The olive seed wasn¡¯t very big, but through the lens, he could see it was carved full of Arhats.


    Each one with a unique expression, much simpler than the ones you¡¯d find in temples, yet they appeared so lifelike, especially the one he was intently focusing on, those eyes almost made his heart tremble.


    This was a good charm against evil spirits.


    Zhang Yi unwittingly followed the olive pendant with his eyes, and he unconsciously took out his magnifying glass from his Zhongshan suit pocket.


    Seeing her objective achieved, Gu Qiaoqiao quickly withdrew the pendant and, lifting one arched, delicate eyebrow, she sneered, ¡°So much for Yubao Square. I won¡¯t come again even if you beg me, hmph!¡±


    Zhang Yi looked at Gu Qiaoqiao regretfully, thinking to himself that this girl was too cunning.


    But at the same time, his eyes gleamed.


    If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the master behind this girl must be a Mount Tai Level sculptor.


    To carve eighteen Arhats onto a small olive seed.


    And this was different from micro-carving.


    It was done under normal circumstances.


    If he missed it, would he ever come across it again?


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    But when he thought of the Old Patriarch¡¯s warning, he could only clench his fist with regret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to leave.


    She didn¡¯t expect to be stopped by a man in his sixties.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was truly startled.


    The old man¡¯s gaze was terrifying. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sharp, as if it could pierce through one¡¯s soul.


    His expression was stern, perhaps because of constantly keeping a straight face, the corners of his mouth drooped slightly, and under his hat was greying hair.


    Clothed in a black thick wool coat, he appeared somewhat gaunt, his complexion sallow¡­


    But his posture was straight, exuding a fierce aura.


    It was as if¡­


    He was the head of a great family from a TV show!


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could clear her thoughts, the old man started coughing violently, and a young man hurriedly unscrewed a thermos and handed it to him.


    After drinking a few sips, the old man managed to calm down a bit.


    But his chest heaved with continuous gasps for air.


    It seemed like the old man was quite annoyed, but even though he once commanded great influence, in front of disease, he was still helpless.


    Zhang Yi¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious.


    He naturally recognized the elderly man, the current family head of the Shen Family, Shen Yu, known as Elder Shen.


    This was a legendary figure.


    He had once donated most of his wealth to New Nation to support construction and now served as a special economic advisor to New Nation. Although he held no official title, he was deeply respected.


    However, in recent years, he had been reclusive and seldom appeared in public.


    Such a person should definitely not be here.


    Unless there was a significant event.


    But since Elder Shen had come so discreetly, he dared not publicize it and instead quickly came out from behind the counter to greet him, but he was stopped by Elder Shen¡¯s gesture.


    Looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, the old man seemed to want to soften his expression, but the old man was so used to being stern that even his smile seemed somewhat chilling.


    At the feet of the emperor, in the capital city¡¯s root, what¡¯s not lacking are nobles.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want the old man to exert effort to smile, so she simply asked, ¡°Old sir, may I help you with something?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not recognize him, but she saw Zhang Yi giving her a meaningful look.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t quite understand what that look meant.


    Elder Shen took one look at Gu Qiaoqiao and thought, this child is not at all afraid upon seeing him.


    She was not a fearless ignoramus, but rather someone with a steady disposition.


    He coughed twice, his voice hoarse, ¡°Miss, could you let me have a look at the pendant you¡¯re holding?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Her hand reached into her pocket and clenched the box, while at this moment, the people of Yubao Square had almost entirely cleared out.


    Only Zhang Yi was left by himself, and all the staff had gone to the back courtyard.


    Two bodyguards stood at the entrance of Yubao Square, looking straight ahead without a glance elsewhere.


    After all, it was Elder Shen, in case of an accident or even the spread of unfavorable news about Elder Shen, it could cause a negative impact.


    After all, imperialism¡¯s intent to destroy us has never ceased.


    The room was eerily quiet.


    Zhang Yi¡¯s eyes brightened; he might not buy it, but he could help Gu Qiaoqiao find a buyer.


    That way, there wouldn¡¯t be any fallout.


    The so-called ¡°leave some leeway in life, for one day you¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    ¡°Miss Xiao Qiao, don¡¯t be afraid. Take it out and show Elder Shen. If Elder Shen takes a fancy to it, you won¡¯t have to go to another shop, right?¡±


    Zhang Yi¡¯s voice had a trace of amusement in it, breaking the somewhat chilly atmosphere in the room.


    Since the matter had reached this point, it really wasn¡¯t easy for Gu Qiaoqiao to just walk away.


    Moreover, she was actually quite exhausted.


    These days she had overtaxed much of her energy and Spiritual Energy, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable, and she had stayed up late last night to rush two pendants, truly worn out.


    ¡°`


    C

 Chapter 65 - 64: Not Only Losing the Entire Family Fortune, But Also Falling Deeply into Debt?

    Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Not Only Losing the Entire Family Fortune, But Also Falling Deeply into Debt?


    She now just wanted to make the sale and then go back to get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao took out the olive-shaped pendant and handed it to Elder Shen.


    Elder Shen took it, squinted his eyes to inspect it for a while. His heart, tempered by time, still felt a shock.


    This was a fine item.


    When he held it in his hand, there was a gentle warmth that eased the chronic pain in his chest considerably.


    Although he was not particularly interested in antiques, it did not mean he didn¡¯t understand them.


    ...


    And most importantly, the item caught his fancy.


    Elder Shen pondered for a moment, then took out a paper-wrapped package from his tunic¡¯s pocket and handed it to Zhang Yi, ¡°This is the jade pendant that I¡¯ve worn for decades; it was left to me by my mother. During ¡¯46, it blocked a bullet for me, and in the ¡¯50s, it blocked a knife. I thought it would be with me till death, but last night it suddenly shattered. Everyone says Yubao Square¡¯s restoration skills are the best in the Imperial Capital, give it a try. If you can fix it, then fix it; if not, then let it be.¡±


    Zhang Yi opened the package in shock; Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at it and was surprised to find that the jade pendant was broken into dozens of pieces. Could it even be repaired?


    ¡°Elder Shen, I¡¯ll do my utmost to repair it, but a complete restoration is impossible¡­¡± Zhang Yi said earnestly and sincerely.


    Elder Shen waved his hand indifferently, ¡°No matter, just do your best.¡±


    He then looked at Gu Qiaoqiao and said straightforwardly, ¡°Young lady, I like this item. How much do you want to sell it for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, ¡°My family said the lowest is three thousand eight¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    ¡°My goodness, why don¡¯t you just go rob someone? Three thousand eight for such a tiny thing; you could buy a handful for ten bucks outside at the street stalls, and with three thousand eight, you could buy several thousand buns¡­¡±


    Before Elder Shen could speak, a young man holding a thermos cup, his eyes wide and speaking with an accent from Lu region, stared incredulously at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°See that little blue and white vase? Offer thirty thousand buns for it and ask the boss if he¡¯d make the trade,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao pointed to a small vase displayed in Duobao Pavilion.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Boss Zhang; Zhang Yi spread his hands as if to say he was innocent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten bucks; with that, you won¡¯t even be able to buy one of those Eighteen Arhats back. If you do, I¡¯ll give you this pendant for free.¡±


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t angry, it was still uncomfortable for her to see her painstaking work belittled in such a manner.


    ¡°My goodness, this young lady, not only do you ask for the moon, but you also have a sharp tongue. A wise man doesn¡¯t fight with a woman; I¡¯ll let you have this one,¡± said the young man, finishing with the remark.


    After that, he winked at Elder Shen as if to warn him not to be fooled.


    To think, Elder Shen¡¯s annual salary to him was not even three hundred, and here it wasn¡¯t even a jade pendant and she dared to ask for such a high price.


    She must think Elder Shen is easy to deceive.


    Even though Elder Shen had some money, it was meant for medical expenses. Everyone says the Shen Family is rich and influential, but only he knew that now it was nothing but an empty shell.


    Alas, Elder Shen did not catch the young man¡¯s signal, but laughed heartily for a few moments, looked at the olive-shaped pendant in his hand, and asked the young man, ¡°How much savings do we still have?¡±


    The young man instinctively covered his crossbody bag and said protectively, ¡°Not much left¡­¡±


    ¡°How much is ¡®not much¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Just over a thousand¡­¡± the young man said with a low voice.


    ¡°Exact number!¡± Elder Shen¡¯s voice was a bit harsh.


    ¡°1,892.73!¡± the young man immediately responded.


    ¡°¡­¡± Elder Shen hesitated for a moment, frowned, but still handed the olive-shaped pendant to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Pity, it¡¯s quite a bit short.¡±


    Then he said to the young man, ¡°All right, our savings are preserved, happy now?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The young man chuckled and mumbled, ¡°That¡¯s our entire fortune. If you had bought that little thing, we¡¯d be left to catch the northwest wind¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Seeing the respect and reverence from Zhang Yi, she knew this man must hold significant status and influence.


    Could such a person really only have this little money? Who would believe that?


    What kind of joke is this?


    However, seeing Elder Shen walk decisively toward the front door, coughing as he went, and the young man with a cup of water meticulously following, it was clear


    that the water must have been meant to suppress coughing.


    Just as he was about to disappear beyond the door, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a rush in her brain and called out, ¡°Old Mr. Shen, wait a moment¡­¡±


    She said, striding toward the doorway.


    Elder Shen stopped and looked at Gu Qiaoqiao quizzically, ¡°What is it, girl?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao handed over an olive-shaped pendant to Elder Shen, ¡°Give me the bankbook, I agree to it¡­¡±


    The young man quickly covered his bag, upset as he said, ¡°This is the head of the house¡¯s medicine money, I won¡¯t give it to you, you swindler.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a swindler? I earned this through hard work, how did it turn into swindling?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao said irritably, ¡°If you don¡¯t give it to me now, I might just regret it.¡±


    Elder Shen looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, his sharp gaze turning somewhat dim, ¡°But didn¡¯t you lose out?¡±


    ¡°I did lose out¡­¡±


    Elder Shen took the pendant again, feeling the familiar warmth in his palm, and without any more hesitation, said to the young man beside him, ¡°Give the bankbook to the girl, and write a promissory note.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t take advantage of this situation.


    ¡°Oh my dear mother, old family head, are we going to not only deplete our wealth but also end up buried in debt?¡±


    Elder Shen laughed, patting the young man on the shoulder approvingly, ¡°Not bad, you used the idiom well, quite appropriate¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts. This is an order!¡± Elder Shen¡¯s demeanor suddenly became stern.


    The young man, with a grief-stricken face, took out the bankbook, made a promissory note, Elder Shen signed it, and then, reluctantly, he handed both items to Gu Qiaoqiao, his glare sharp as a knife.


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, opened the bankbook, and casually asked, ¡°And the password?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the back, 123456!¡±


    The young man said gruffly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively glanced at the name on the bankbook, Shen Yu.


    Such a familiar name.


    The same name was on the promissory note.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned, but suddenly her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the bankbook, then at the elderly man who was now carefully examining the pendant with his reading glasses.


    She quietly suppressed the shock in her heart.


    Taking a deep breath, she asked the young man, ¡°Can I withdraw this money?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can, do you think we¡¯d cheat you?¡± the young man retorted heatedly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought it over and agreed, indeed, there could be many people with the same name and surname. She didn¡¯t make a fuss and quickly glanced at the promissory note¡ªits term was for one year.


    The money would be directly transferred to the bankbook.


    She intended to give the promissory note back to Elder Shen but on second thought, if Elder Shen was as noble as everyone said, surely he wouldn¡¯t take advantage. Besides,


    Elder Shen wasn¡¯t losing out at all.


    In fact, one could say he was lucky.


    ¡°Elder Shen, you should wear this pendant as soon as you get back, never take it off. Trust me, it will only bring good, no harm,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao advised earnestly.


    Elder Shen examined the string of the pendant, which was made of strong silk thread tied into a knot at the olive-shaped part, and nodded, ¡°Thank you, girl.¡±

 Chapter 66 - 65: How Could His Wife Be As Young As a Little Girl?

    Chapter 66: Chapter 65: How Could His Wife Be As Young As a Little Girl?


    Then, spinning around, she strode out the door.


    After placing the IOU into the bankbook, Gu Qiaoqiao directly slipped it into the pocket of her down jacket.


    ¡°Girl, congratulations,¡± Zhang Yi said smilingly from behind Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°Shared joy is double joy.¡±


    Zhang Yi chuckled, yet there was still a sense of regret.


    Seeing the way Gu Qiaoqiao just said her piece and left, he knew she would never come here to sell her goods again.


    ...


    Alas¡­


    Zhang Yi clutched his chest, feeling heartbroken.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao hastily walked out of Yubao Square, from a black sedan emerged an old man with white hair and beard.


    Leaning on a cane, he looked toward the grand entrance of Yubao Square with a commanding expression.


    It was Elder Gu of Yubao Square.


    His eyes scanned the main entrance for a moment, and suddenly his whole body stiffened, as if the blood in his veins had frozen.


    He stared in shock at a young girl in a beige down jacket walking out of the grand entrance of Yubao Square.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    That face, strikingly similar to that of his wife.


    For a moment, it seemed as though all sounds had faded away. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing became erratic, and he tasted a salty iron flavor in his mouth.


    A mouthful of blood spurted out, and Elder Gu fell backwards. What little reasoning remained told him that it wasn¡¯t his wife; how could his wife look as young as a young girl?


    But¡­


    Before he could figure it out, he plunged into boundless darkness, with Lady Yu¡¯s hate-filled eyes flashing before him. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, he knew nothing.


    Intent on her mission, Gu Qiaoqiao headed for the nearby savings bank, unaware of the chaos unfolding at the entrance of Yubao Square.


    She successfully withdrew Five Hundred Yuan, delightedly placed the bankbook carefully back into her pocket, and then took the bus back to the Qin Family.


    Although today had some discrepancies from her expectations, according to what her grandfather once said, it was fate that Elder Shen and the peace Buddha pendant came together.


    There are rules to their line of work, and if Elder Shen really was that Elder Shen, then considering his broad-mindedness, it was only right to sell it to him.


    She just didn¡¯t understand why the Shen Family wasn¡¯t supposedly very wealthy.


    Quickly dismissing the thought, she decided it had nothing to do with her; Elder Shen was definitely a man of his word.


    Thus, she fell onto her bed without any burdens and slept deeply.


    In the hospital, Zhang Yi watched the emergency room door with a grave expression on his face.


    Inside, his thoughts were in complete turmoil.


    Seeing Gu Cheng¡¯s evasive eyes and his two sons, Zhang Yi knew that if Elder Gu passed away before finding his biological son, the Gu Family would likely end up in the hands of Gu Cheng and his sons.


    The so-called Second Lady was not a good sort.


    Then, the Gu Family, which had been passed down for hundreds of years, would completely dissipate like smoke.


    And he, having no standing, couldn¡¯t protect Yubao Square or the Gu Family.


    Thinking of this, Zhang Yi felt very sad. That great young master, whom he had never met, was already over sixty.


    He must have a house full of children and grandchildren.


    But why can¡¯t he be found?


    At this thought, Zhang Yi¡¯s expression hardened. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t consider this, but at the critical moment of Elder Gu¡¯s life and death, Zhang Yi suddenly wondered whether the Second Lady, living on North Mountain, really allowed Elder Patriarch to seek out the First Lady and the great young master without interference?


    What had she done here?


    Zhang Yi¡¯s thoughts roiled within him, yet his face remained expressionless.


    The corner of his eye suddenly caught Gu Cheng¡¯s two sons exchanging a glance and smirking at each other before nonchalantly looking away.


    Zhang Yi inwardly cursed these ingrates, basking in everything the Gu Family provided yet always hoping for the Old Patriarch¡¯s death.


    And then they would take over the Old Patriarch¡¯s estate.


    Once Zhang Yi had brought this up, but after being warned by the Old Patriarch, he never mentioned it again.


    Later, he realized that the Old Patriarch and Gu Cheng shared more than fifty years of a father-son relationship; indeed, he had spoken out of turn.


    Yet, seeing Gu Cheng¡¯s indistinguishable expression of grief, he only felt a wave of despondency and helplessness.


    If only the Old Master could turn danger into safety and escape this calamity.


    By evening, Gu Qiaoqiao finally woke up, stretched lazily, feeling reinvigorated as if reborn.


    As she stretched, she noticed her stomach grumbling with hunger and saw it was already seven in the evening.


    She quickly got up, washed her face, and walked out of her room.


    Grandma Qin had already abandoned her walking stick and was sitting on the couch chatting with Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize looked somewhat exhausted, a rare sight as he usually brimmed with vitality.


    Despite that, he patiently conversed with Grandma.


    Gu Qiaoqiao noticed that in this family, Qin Yize was closest to Grandma, then Xiao Yu, and finally Mr. and Mother Qin.


    When Grandma Qin saw Qiaoqiao come out, she promptly said, ¡°We¡¯ve already finished eating, just you and Ah Ze left, you can eat together.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded and was headed to the kitchen when Qin Xiaoyu cheerfully came out with two plates, ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, come eat.¡±


    The way she called them was so smooth that Gu Qiaoqiao was left speechless.


    Xiaoyu was bold, Bai Yun was thick-skinned; no wonder they got along so well.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t spoil the mood; returning this time, her wish was to leave the Gu Family happily and honorably.


    Not like in her previous life, like a house dog stripped of its home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Xiao Yu, ¡°Thank you, Xiao Yu.¡±


    She herself didn¡¯t expect to be able to speak so calmly with Qin Xiaoyu.


    Xiao Yu stood close to her, admiringly looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You¡¯re so skilled. Right, when you got back you went to sleep, and I didn¡¯t get to ask if you sold the Eighteen Arhats?¡±


    Qin Xuan also followed up with a question.


    He clearly cared a lot.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew that Qin Xuan wasn¡¯t concerned about the money but about the value of the pendant.


    A pendant he valued, if it didn¡¯t fetch a corresponding price, would certainly make him feel slighted, likely stirring up indignant feelings in him.


    Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°I got nearly one hundred yuan more than what you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    Qin Xuan smiled and adjusted his glasses, ¡°It looks like Yubao Square knows quality.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sell it to Yubao Square, I sold it to someone else. Today I don¡¯t know what got into Boss Zhang, he didn¡¯t even dare to look. He just told me he wouldn¡¯t buy my items anymore.¡±


    Qin Xuan¡¯s mouth dropped open, staring blankly at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Did he really say that?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded indifferently, ¡°Even if he wants to buy in the future, I wouldn¡¯t sell to him, that untrustworthy scoundrel.¡±


    Qin Xuan¡¯s gaze flickered, he made eye contact with his mother, but didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Usually silent, Qin Yize suddenly spoke, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a reliable place, I can take you there later.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback and fixed her gaze on Qin Yize. After a few moments, she shook her head, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve been too tired lately. I can¡¯t carve anymore, my hands are unsteady, and the work wouldn¡¯t look good.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 66: She Can Finally Go Home!

    Chapter 67: Chapter 66: She Can Finally Go Home!


    Then, Gu Qiaoqiao stood up and whispered, ¡°Last night, I carved two pendants for Great Grandfather and Grandma, let me go get them.¡±


    As she said this, Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her room, leaving the Qin Family members exchanging glances, as this was unexpected to them.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly came back out and handed two pendants etched with peace Buddha pendants to Grandma Qin, ¡°Grandma, wearing this peace Buddha on your body is very beneficial to your health, you have to believe me ¡­¡±


    ¡°I trust Qiaoqiao the most, I¡¯ll wear it right away.¡±


    As she said it, Grandma Qin immediately put it around her neck, smiling at Gu Qiaoqiao with extreme tenderness.


    After all, we are family, so too many thanks might rather make things awkward.


    ...


    While eating, the TV news was broadcasting a report stating that through the combined efforts of the military and police, a major criminal gang colluding with foreign forces had been completely wiped out ¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively glanced at Qin Yize, who was eating silently with a bowed head and a measured pace, thinking to herself, he must have been involved in this.


    Normally, when she sneaked glances at Qin Yize, he pretended not to notice, but she hadn¡¯t expected that he would suddenly lock eyes with Gu Qiaoqiao, a flicker of cold light in his starry eyes as if he knew she had guessed it, but also as if he didn¡¯t want her to speak of it.


    His look was a warning.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glared back at him hard, thinking how carefree she must be to meddle in his business.


    His affairs had nothing to do with her at all.


    Overthinking!


    After a brief exchange of glances, Qin Yize slowly averted his gaze, acting as though nothing had happened, and continued eating his meal.


    Grandma Qin, unaware of this, prattled on, telling Gu Qiaoqiao that when she goes to the North, if there¡¯s anything she lacks, she must call home.


    The weather there is cold, so you must be sure to keep warm, and some necessities had already been sent ahead. When leaving, there¡¯s no need to take too many things.


    And so on ¡­ and so on ¡­


    Listening to her made Gu Qiaoqiao feel a warm fuzziness inside.


    As Grandma Qin, in dealing with Gu Qiaoqiao, whether in the past life or this one, she had done very well indeed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt gratitude, and if possible, even if they were to divorce, she didn¡¯t want to become strangers with Grandma Qin.


    Meanwhile, Shen Manru was sitting beside Qin Yize, speaking softly.


    Her earnestness made Qin Yize¡¯s expression soften as he listened intently.


    But Qin Xuan was unconcerned with such matters, a true man¡¯s ambition lies far and wide. Since he chose this path, and since he felt his deeds were meaningful, he had to stand tall and keep going.


    So, at that moment, Qin Xuan was holding a magnifying glass, admiring the peace charm that Gu Qiaoqiao had given to Great Grandfather, his eyes filled with wonder.


    When he returned to his room, Qin Yize looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a hint of apology and said, ¡°I switched our sleeping berth tickets with a classmate¡¯s elderly parents. They¡¯re of advanced age and in poor health, and I worried they wouldn¡¯t be able to endure a day and a night in a hard seat.¡±


    At that time, sleeping berth tickets were hard to come by.


    And they were from the starting station at the Imperial Capital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, going back in time, many things still changed.


    She saved Luo Zhenyu, Bai Yun and Ning Yuli were still detained and hadn¡¯t been released, Brother Hao¡¯s KTV was shut down, and a major criminal gang was captured ¡­


    In her previous life, they had taken a sleeper directly to the North, and even with transfers, they had still been in sleepers.


    There were no classmates¡¯ parents involved.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, while drying her hair, said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s alright, anyway, I have to take a coach after getting off the train ¡­¡±


    Because it had been arranged in advance, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ticket was to the final destination.


    And Qin Yize naturally had to take another train to the frontier.


    The conditions there were harsh, with winters seeing temperatures below forty degrees Celsius, a very short frost-free period, and throughout the year, apart from cabbage and potatoes, there was nothing but pickled cabbage and potatoes.


    It was the North of the North, a land of extreme cold used in ancient times to exile prisoners.


    In her last life, because of Qin Yize, she had accepted her fate sweetly. However, this life, she certainly wouldn¡¯t go there again.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze swept towards the two travel bags that had already been packed, raised his eyebrows imperceptibly, and stopped talking. Instead, he moved to the already prepared sofa.


    A night without words.


    ¡­


    The train station of the Imperial Capital was overcrowded with bustling people.


    Departures always bring a sense of melancholy.


    Qin Xiaoyu held her older brother and cried, Shen Manru¡¯s tears also circled in her eyes, but Qin Xuan was somewhat impatient, waving his hand, signaling Xiao Yu and his wife not to delay the ticket check.


    In the hard-seat carriage, Qin Yize put the three travel bags on the overhead rack. Then, glancing around the carriage with a frown, he took his seat as well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt like she hadn¡¯t taken a train in many years.


    At this time, most were green trains, slow, stopping at every station.


    Plus, the heating was bad¡ªthe carriage was not only cold but also filled with all kinds of smells.


    Pungent enough to make one feel faint.


    Gu Qiaoqiao buried both her mouth and nose into her large scarf.


    Their seats were benches; Gu Qiaoqiao sat in the middle, next to a middle-aged woman, while the person across was a woman wearing an old, slightly faded military coat and a mask, seeming to be asleep; beside her was a middle-aged man and an elderly lady.


    Qin Yize, wearing a black woolen coat, stood with a straight silhouette and picturesque features, like a dashing young noble, seemingly out of place in this carriage.


    Many people stole glances at him.


    But Qin Yize looked indifferent, as if he was already accustomed to such attention.


    In the year 1986 in New Nation, a portion of the population had started to get rich; many cities saw the emergence of ten-thousand-yuan households and private entrepreneurs.


    However, on the streets of the Imperial Capital, especially in the West District, the living conditions of people were quite good, so it looked prosperous and harmonious.


    But when you were on a train, looking at the many ordinary folks from all corners of the land, you would realize that there were still many who led austere lives.


    And there were also many people who didn¡¯t even know what a train was.


    This was the inevitable law of the times¡¯ development, and in the future, it would get better and better.


    With the train whistle¡¯s long blare, the train slowly began to move.


    Watching the Imperial Capital¡¯s buildings streak past the window, a layer of moisture hazed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    She could finally go home!


    It was already one in the afternoon. Having boarded the train after lunch, Gu Qiaoqiao, after the initial rush of emotions, felt sleepy.


    Unconsciously, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes slowly closed.


    Then, amidst a drowsy haze, she found her head leaning against Qin Yize¡¯s shoulder.


    Qin Yize¡¯s body stiffened for a moment.


    He put down the book in his hand and glanced sideways at the little woman resting on his shoulder.


    Her eyelashes were very long, with a slight curve, as if touched by a speck of water light.


    They resembled dew on grass blades in the early morning.


    Being close, a faint fragrance wafted next to him.


    The atmosphere at this moment was cozier than it had ever been since the two had met.


    The two hadn¡¯t spoken since they got on the train, but Qin Yize still noticed her excited and delighted expression.


    Going home naturally made one happy.


    S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 68 - 67: The Voice of the Demon

    Chapter 68: Chapter 67: The Voice of the Demon


    He did not like being touched this way, but his body did not move and he still looked sideways at Gu Qiaoqiao with the teardrop on her eyelashes. Then, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the teardrop fell.


    The man gazing sideways, the charming girl sleeping on his shoulder¡ªthis scene was universally beautiful.


    Thus, the middle-aged man sitting opposite them flashed a look in his eyes and spoke in a pleasing tone, ¡°Young comrade, are you heading home or out for fun?¡±


    The Mandarin was alright, just heavily accented with the Central Plains dialect.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, who was half-asleep at this time, felt a chill run through her body and her heartbeat sped up immediately upon hearing this voice, as if all the blood in her body had clotted in one place.


    Her entire body stiffened, and she could not move.


    ...


    It was a suffocating fear, like hearing the voice of a demon.


    She didn¡¯t even dare to open her eyes because it was a nightmare she detested and dared not recall.


    In this world, is there a voice that has made you live in fear and hatred for a lifetime?


    Even if ten years, twenty years had passed¡­ could you still instantly capture it among thousands of voices?


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was vacant, her body trembling.


    Qin Yize, however, sensed something was wrong with Gu Qiaoqiao right away.


    Her eyes shut tight, her body trembling, and one could even hear the chattering of her teeth in the cold.


    What was happening to Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Was she having a nightmare?


    Qin Yize no longer hesitated, he called out softly, ¡°Wake up, are you having a nightmare?¡±


    This voice, usually so cool and devoid of warmth, now sounded like heavenly music or a life-saving straw, instinctively, Gu Qiaoqiao grabbed Qin Yize¡¯s arm.


    The man opposite continued in a pleasing tone, ¡°Is your little wife having a nightmare?¡±


    Qin Yize glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to Gu Qiaoqiao, watching her trembling hand clutching his arm so tight that the veins on the back of her hand were clearly visible.


    Her eyes still tightly shut, her forehead covered in cold sweat, as if she was drowning in a nightmare, unable to wake up.


    Qin Yize no longer hesitated, reached out to grasp Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, the other hand gently patting her face, he whispered into her ear, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re having a nightmare, just open your eyes and it will be all right.¡±


    The slight warmth from his hand, the familiar, melodious voice now seemed to have some magical power, gradually warming Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cold, fearful heart.


    And her heart, strangely, settled down bit by bit.


    Yes, it was just a nightmare.


    What was there to fear?


    Gu Qiaoqiao obediently opened her eyes wide.


    This was a train.


    Still clattering forward.


    Warmth spread through her body; she was actually leaning tightly against Qin Yize. Gu Qiaoqiao quickly straightened her body.


    Her chest still heaving slightly.


    Qin Yize took a neatly folded, fuchsia-lined handkerchief from the pocket of his coat and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao, saying lightly, ¡°There¡¯s cold sweat on your forehead, wipe it off¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the handkerchief, took a deep breath, her complexion still pale, the usually rosy lips devoid of any color.


    She suppressed the trembling in her heart, took another deep breath, and then slowly wiped the sweat from her forehead. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her eyes still seemed a bit hollow.


    Qin Yize unscrewed the thermos and handed it to her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took it blankly, steam fogging up like a white mist from the spout. She took a sip, it was hot but not scalding to the mouth, sliding down her throat to her stomach, feeling warm, and it seemed she also revived a bit.


    The middle-aged man across didn¡¯t mind Qin Yize¡¯s aloofness, as he had instantly recognized that this young man was either rich or noble.


    In these times, having more friends meant more paths, and getting familiar now might prove useful later.


    Thus, he smiled broadly and said, ¡°Young comrade, I wasn¡¯t wrong, was I? Look, your wife was just possessed, and now that she¡¯s awake, she¡¯ll be fine¡­¡±


    This time, Qin Yize responded with a soft ¡°Hmm.¡±


    However, the thermos cup in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands clattered to the floor of the carriage.


    Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t much water in it, but it still splashed around.


    Qin Yize was quick to pick up the thermos and then said to the others, ¡°Don¡¯t move, be careful of slipping. I¡¯ll go get a mop.¡±


    He then quickly got a mop from the train attendant.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body stiffened again, she bit her lip, gripping her handkerchief tightly to suppress her trembling, staring intently at the middle-aged man who had just spoken.


    He wasn¡¯t tall and was wearing a black down jacket, but his feet were encased in black cotton shoes.


    He appeared to be around forty, with an ordinary face and shifty eyes, yet he wore a smile resembling sycophancy.


    He didn¡¯t look at Gu Qiaoqiao but tried to take the mop from Qin Yize, saying, ¡°Young comrade, give it to me. Watch out, don¡¯t dirty your coat.¡±


    Qin Yize dodged away and quickly wiped the spill, eyeing Gu Qiaoqiao who was tightly fixated on the man, her eyes showing confusion.


    He strode towards the train attendant¡¯s room of the carriage.


    Seeing that Qin Yize ignored him, the middle-aged man straightened his back embarrassedly; in that instant, his gaze met Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s, and he split his lips in a placating smile towards her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao clearly saw a half-inch-long scar on the right side of his eyebrow.


    It struck her like lightning.


    She suddenly stood up, as if a hammer was pounding on her heart.


    Then she saw Qin Yize walking towards her.


    The train jolted suddenly, and Gu Qiaoqiao, already distraught, nearly fell into the aisle.


    Qin Yize quickly supported her, frowning as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    After a while, Gu Qiaoqiao found her voice, ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡±


    Without waiting for Qin Yize to respond, Gu Qiaoqiao hurried towards the end of the carriage.


    The restroom was occupied.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the train door, her complexion deathly pale as she stared out the window.


    She clenched her hand tightly until the bone-deep pain arrived, calming her eventually.


    And in her calm, her eyes were filled with profound hatred.


    She hadn¡¯t mistaken the voice; it belonged to the human trafficker who had drugged and taken her out of Imperial Capital in her previous life.


    She had been semi-conscious at the time, unable to even open her eyes, so she was particularly sensitive to sounds.


    She had firmly memorized that voice.


    By the time she could open her eyes, the trafficker had handed her over to another trafficker.


    She had just managed to see the half-inch-long scar on the right eyebrow.


    Then she was silenced by a cloth saturated with hallucinogen drug, thrown onto a tractor.


    When she came to, she was in an ox cart and had been handed over to another trafficker.


    Thus, she was sold into the deep mountains of Southwest.


    If marrying Qin Yize marked the start of her errant life, then being repeatedly passed between traffickers and sold into the mountains was the origin of all her suffering.

 Chapter 69 - 68 Competition

    Chapter 69: Chapter 68 Competition


    It was those human traffickers who pushed her into an abyss from which she could never return.


    The subsequent series of disasters and pain turned her world into Hell.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes blazed with towering rage and hatred.


    That voice, those scars, she would never forget them, not even if she lived several lifetimes.


    In her previous life, those traffickers had long since vanished into the vast sea of people.


    She hadn¡¯t seen their faces clearly, but she remembered that scar.


    ...


    Later, she only found one of them; the others were still at large, still trafficking human lives and committing heinous evils that deserved no forgiveness.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly raised her head, taking deep breaths until she completely concealed the hatred in her eyes, and then calmly walked towards the carriage.


    She slowly took her seat, turned to meet Qin Yize¡¯s inquiring gaze, and Gu Qiaoqiao softly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine now¡­¡±


    ¡°You rest for a bit, I¡¯ll go get you some water,¡± Qin Yize said, noticing Gu Qiaoqiao was still pale and her lips lacked color. After speaking, he picked up the thermos and walked towards the end of the carriage.


    The middle-aged man sitting opposite seemed very proud and not fond of talking, so he quieted down as well.


    The train continued clattering forward.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s peripheral vision kept watch over him, that scar. She really wanted to kill him!


    The middle-aged man, who wandered throughout Da Jiang all year round and was crafty, immediately felt an unusual gaze upon him.


    He hurriedly scanned the area.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly turned her head, feigning nonchalance as she looked at the poplars flashing by outside the window.


    But her hand clutched Qin Yize¡¯s handkerchief in her pocket tight.


    Soon, Qin Yize returned, calmly handing the thermos to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Drink some hot water if you feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao murmured softly, compliantly holding the thermos in her hands.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was immensely grateful for Qin Yize¡¯s presence at her side.


    If she were alone, she really didn¡¯t know how she would face the nightmares and enemies of her past life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao leaned back, her gaze involuntarily falling on the woman sitting next to the human trafficker.


    A strange feeling suddenly arose.


    She had been asleep since boarding, and by now, three hours had passed and she still hadn¡¯t woken up.


    Something was off!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart pounded fiercely, as a thought firmly took hold in her mind.


    She scrutinized the woman slumped against the window seat.


    Wearing a military overcoat.


    Somewhat tattered, glossed with grease.


    The woman wore a thick cotton mask, her hair was very black, looking extremely healthy.


    But her complexion was pale.


    Her eyes were tightly shut, and if not for the occasional furrowing of her brows, one might mistake her for a dead person.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed the thermos on the train¡¯s table, bent down, pretending to adjust the laces on her leather shoes, then quickly looked at the woman¡¯s pants and shoes.


    The woolen pants were of excellent quality with sharp creases; the leather shoes were the same, brown genuine leather flat cotton boots.


    Both the pants and shoes were expensive and clean.


    But they were cloaked in a filthy, worn-out cotton military overcoat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao straightened up.


    Then, she nudged the legs of the woman sitting across from her and crisply asked, ¡°Comrade, your pants were splashed with water earlier, I¡¯ve just noticed. Can I wipe them for you?¡±


    As she spoke, Gu Qiaoqiao stood up and reached for Qin Yize¡¯s handkerchief from her pocket, intending to approach the woman.


    The trafficker who had been sitting quietly by her side suddenly sprang up, instinctively reaching out to push Gu Qiaoqiao away.


    This was a test by Gu Qiaoqiao; if it were not for her suspicion, the trafficker would not have jumped.


    The fact proved her hypothesis was one hundred percent accurate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no intention of dodging. The trafficker pushed her away, but she had a countermeasure ready.


    Yet, she hadn¡¯t expected another figure to move faster. A hand firmly grasped the trafficker¡¯s wrist, and Qin Yize frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡­it hurts, it hurts¡­¡± The trafficker howled in pain.


    How could this young man¡¯s hand be as strong as a pair of pliers?


    And the chill in his eyes made the trafficker shiver with guilt.


    Qin Yize released his grip, then pulled Gu Qiaoqiao over, his starry eyes turning towards the still-sleeping woman, with a hint of surprise also flashing in his eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around from behind Qin Yize, furiously pointing at the trafficker, her voice suddenly raised, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? This sister¡¯s pants got wet, I was just helping to wipe off the water, why did you push me?¡±


    ¡°Heavens bear witness, young comrade, I had no intention to push you,¡± the trafficker hurriedly explained.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t intend to push me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding¡­all a misunderstanding,¡± the trafficker replied, putting on a forced smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stood up once more, leaning over the sleeping woman, and cheerfully asked, ¡°How come you are still sleeping. Where do you need to get off? Come on, wake up and move around, let¡¯s have a chat¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± The trafficker, frightened out of his wits as if his heart was about to leap out, suddenly showed a ruthless glint in his otherwise simple and honest eyes. He reached out again to intercept Gu Qiaoqiao, but he dared not touch her; instead, he pressed down on the military coat.


    Looking up, he said pleasantly, ¡°This is my daughter. I¡¯m taking her to see a doctor. She¡¯s finally fallen asleep; please don¡¯t wake her. I beg you, young comrade. Let¡¯s talk when she wakes up, shall we?¡±


    His daughter?


    This time Gu Qiaoqiao was close enough to distinctly smell the strange scent of the Hallucinogen Drug she had encountered in her previous life. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside, the sky was turning dark, and the next stop was probably fast approaching.


    If they disembarked, it would be impossible to find the trafficker and the unconscious girl again.


    In such a case, the world would see yet another woman in suffering.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to sleep all the time, wake up and talk, it will be all right,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, smiling.


    However, Qin Yize¡¯s mind became sharp and wary, his piercing gaze fixing on the still unconscious woman. Could she really not wake up amidst such commotion?


    The trafficker immediately put on a pitiable face, pleading desperately, ¡°I¡¯m begging you, young comrade, spare my miserable daughter. You wealthy people might want to chat for fun, I get it, but you can¡¯t do this to my sick child. She¡¯s been in pain and unable to sleep for more than half a month. Please have mercy, please don¡¯t wake her up¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated, then clenched her teeth fiercely.


    At this moment, the looks from the people around were somewhat hostile when they glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The girl¡¯s father has already spoken, yet she still insists on disturbing his sick daughter. That¡¯s really very thoughtless.


    People have always resented the wealthy, especially when they saw how bright and shiny Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize were, envy was natural among many onlookers.


    Therefore, they quietly began to talk among themselves.


    Some were even advising, ¡°Young comrade, stop making a fuss. The girl is sick; just let her be.¡±


    Deep down, Gu Qiaoqiao was seething with anger.


    The trafficker was too cunning.

 Chapter 70 - 69 But was this all just a dream of hers?

    Chapter 70: Chapter 69 But was this all just a dream of hers?


    At that moment, Qin Yize reached out to pull her back, pressing her into the seat, then said to the trafficker, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so tense, I won¡¯t let her disturb your daughter.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was desperate.


    But on this train, apart from her, who would suspect this man was a human trafficker, and that this woman was not his daughter but someone he was about to sell?


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated no longer, suddenly pulling Qin Yize close and whispering in his ear, ¡°That man must be a trafficker, the girl has a strange smell on her, it¡¯s probably a hallucinogen drug.¡±


    Qin Yize had no time to avoid the itch at his ear, startled by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, he also lowered his voice, ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light, ¡°If he gets off at the next station, it¡¯ll be too late.¡±


    ...


    The two of them looked somewhat like a couple whispering secrets to each other.


    The man handsome, the woman pretty, it was a pleasing sight no matter how one looked at it.


    The trafficker quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    Qin Yize¡¯s posture remained unchanged, but his mind was spinning rapidly.


    If this was true, it would be troublesome, the next station was approaching quickly, and if the woman didn¡¯t wake up, it would be impossible to prove their relationship.


    But he too sensed something amiss here.


    Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t let them get off the train.


    Yet, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly leaned in close to his ear again, ¡°I¡¯ll go take off the woman¡¯s mask, you block the trafficker.¡±


    As she spoke, she stood up again and seemed to lose her balance for a moment, lunging towards the still unconscious woman.


    The trafficker was on high alert at all times, his movements quick, as he bent down to hold the woman and was about to shout out loud.


    A sharp gust of wind struck, and Qin Yize firmly choked the trafficker¡¯s throat, exerting force, he threw the trafficker into the aisle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao ripped off the woman¡¯s mask in one go, her eyes suddenly widening, the woman¡¯s mouth was sealed with layers of tape.


    Just like her in her previous life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s trembling hand pointed at the fallen trafficker, shouting loudly, ¡°He¡¯s a human trafficker, this woman is not his daughter.¡±


    The carriage suddenly erupted as if a pot had exploded.


    Unwilling to give in, the trafficker cried out, ¡°That is my daughter, you¡¯re the traffickers, if you dare to touch my daughter, I¡¯ll lay down my old life and will never let you harm my daughter.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly peeled off the tape from the woman¡¯s mouth, then shook her, urgently saying, ¡°Quick, wake up, there¡¯s a bad person trying to harm you, wake up¡­¡±


    Regrettably, just like in her past life, the woman¡¯s eyes remained tightly closed, showing no signs of waking up. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And at this time, the train¡¯s announcement sounded, there were ten minutes until the station.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pointed at the trafficker, scolding harshly, ¡°Shut up, you heartless trafficker, what kind of father seals his daughter¡¯s mouth with tape?¡±


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao shouted, ¡°Is there a doctor in the carriage, come and help check, see if this lady has been drugged with a hallucinogen¡­¡±


    Although Qin Yize could confirm whether she was drugged, now was not the time, she needed everyone¡¯s support and attention.


    Unfortunately, the carriage was in disarray, yet no one stood up.


    Qin Yize was almost certain something was wrong, he stepped on the trafficker¡¯s chest, ¡°Tell me, is that woman your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Where are you getting off?¡±


    ¡°This station, I¡¯m getting off right away.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get off the train with you, and we¡¯ll go to the police station in front of the station. If it¡¯s your daughter, my wife and I will definitely apologize to you and compensate you for all your losses,¡±


    Qin Yize said, then also lifted his foot.


    The trafficker¡¯s chest felt some dull pain from being stepped on, but he rolled over and got up shakily, standing next to the seat.


    His gloomy gaze was fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao with dead certainty¡ªit was this damned woman, this stinking bitch, who had ruined his big opportunity.


    Getting off the train together was definitely not an option. Now, the only choice left was to run away.


    When he got the chance, he would certainly capture her, play with her to his heart¡¯s content, and then sell her off to the remote mountains of the Southwest.


    To ensure she never came out for the rest of her life.


    As long as the green mountains stand, one need not fear running out of firewood.


    The trafficker suddenly turned and ran crazily towards one end of the train car.


    Gu Qiaoqiao called out anxiously, ¡°Quick, catch that trafficker, don¡¯t let him get away!¡±


    Before her words even landed, an agile figure charged at the running trafficker like a gust of wind, a kick flew out, and with a scream, the trafficker fell to the ground.


    No one had ever escaped from his grasp before now.


    Qin Yize stepped on the trafficker¡¯s back and, seeing the train attendant finally come out, furrowed his brows, ¡°Call the train police over, this person is suspected of being a trafficker¡­¡±


    But at that moment, an old woman who had been sitting quietly nearby suddenly pounced on Gu Qiaoqiao, and then a knife rested against Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s throat as she shouted at Qin Yize, ¡°Let go of my son¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize had calculated everything, but they hadn¡¯t anticipated that the old woman, who seemed to suffer from fading vision, would turn out to be the trafficker¡¯s accomplice.


    And this old woman¡ªindeed an old woman¡ªhad hands like chicken claws, yet they were very strong.


    She held Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s neck in a death grip, the tip of the knife pressing against her throat. Gu Qiaoqiao knew all too well that many traffickers had blood on their hands.


    She gritted her teeth and cursed, ¡°You lowlife slut, ridden by thousands, used by thousands, a rotten whore, daring to ruin my son¡¯s good deeds, I won¡¯t let you off today¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao instantly felt chilled to the bone, her vision beginning to blur as if she were seeing an old woman much like her in appearance, her face twisted with malice, cursing while forcing burning coals into her mouth.


    Such memories had tormented her all her life and still tore at her heart like venomous snakes.


    Her previous calm and rationality seemed to have abandoned her, and the sounds around her became inaudible.


    It was as if her soul had been stripped away.


    Her whole body stiffened, unable to move.


    Was everything before her real or fake; was she still trapped in the mountains, still being whipped?


    Or was this all just a dream?


    Qin Yize froze.


    What was wrong with Gu Qiaoqiao? Her gaze was so vacant, and she looked as though she had gone mad.


    Holding onto the trafficker, he quickly approached the old woman, who was clearly a hardened offender.


    Because she had positioned herself in the blind spot of the train seat, using Gu Qiaoqiao as a shield in front of her, she looked triumphantly at Qin Yize, ¡°I¡¯m an old woman nearing sixty, dying wouldn¡¯t be a loss. If you dare touch my son, I will slit this woman¡¯s throat immediately. Now, let my son go.¡±


    Qin Yize quickly assessed the situation; the top priority was not to provoke this desperately wicked old creature.


    If Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t been frightened, it would be a different story, but now that Gu Qiaoqiao was in such a state, Qin Yize dared not take any risks.


    It was at this moment that the train came to a stop.


    The old woman shouted at Qin Yize, ¡°If you don¡¯t release my son, I¡¯ll surely kill her!¡±

 Chapter 71 - 70: It was His Negligence

    Chapter 71: Chapter 70: It was His Negligence


    ¡°`


    Qin Yize released the trafficker.


    His eyes were dark and his body emanated a cold aura, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let go of your son.¡±


    With that, he let go of his hand.


    Clearly, these two were well-coordinated, as soon as Qin Yize released his hand, the trafficker dashed forward and stood in front of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s take her off the train.¡± Saying this with a vicious shout, ¡°Anyone dares to come up, I¡¯ll kill them.¡±


    ...


    The surrounding passengers, scared, moved back again.


    The carriage was in chaos.


    The mother and son, holding the dazed Gu Qiaoqiao, hurriedly walked towards the door of the carriage.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression was dark as he stood still inside the carriage.


    The trafficker forced the conductor to open the door, then, clutching Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm tightly, got off the train.


    The knife was still pressed against Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s neck.


    Meanwhile, a shadow flashed in the carriage, and Qin Yize quickly opened the window, leaped out.


    It took less than three seconds for him to disappear from the carriage.


    Like a leopard in the mountains, he pounced on the old woman holding Gu Qiaoqiao, as a gust of wind hit her from behind.


    The hand of the old woman holding the knife bent with a snap, the knife fell to the ground, Qin Yize pulled Gu Qiaoqiao away, and with a flying kick, toppled the trafficker.


    The entire action took no more than five seconds.


    The old woman, clutching her hand, fell to the ground screaming, while the trafficker, hands on his chest, struggled in pain, his eyes fixed viciously on Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice sinister, ¡°You filthy bitch, slut, as long as I¡¯m alive, I¡¯ll definitely catch you, sell you off and make your life worse than death¡­¡±


    Human traffickers, void of humanity.


    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t commit such heinous acts.


    Three words suddenly drifted into Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ears, ¡®Sell you off, sell you off¡­¡¯


    She abruptly looked up, if this was a dream, would she still have to suffer this humiliation even in it?


    No, she had to kill him!


    If she killed him, he wouldn¡¯t dare to sell her into the mountains, nor would he harm those innocent girls anymore.


    Yes, she had to kill him!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes were fierce, she charged at the trafficker, grabbed his hair, and smashed it hard against the concrete floor. Her voice was filled with hatred, her expression was like an evil spirit crawling out from Hell, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you right now, see how you¡¯ll harm others!¡±


    The trafficker¡¯s words abruptly stopped, stars in his eyes, and he looked at the manic Gu Qiaoqiao in horror. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They say that the soft are afraid of the hard, the hard are afraid of the tough, the tough are afraid of those who are fearless.


    Facing Gu Qiaoqiao ready to kill him, he was scared.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao was about to smash his head against the concrete floor.


    The trafficker screamed in terror.


    The expected pain never came, as Qin Yize forcefully pulled Gu Qiaoqiao away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao yelled fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll kill him, let go of me, I have to kill him¡­¡±


    Qin Yize pressed a spot on the back of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s neck with his other hand, and she instantly blacked out, collapsing softly into his arms.


    By this time, the scene was already controlled by the train police and the Public Security officers who had rushed to the scene from the station.


    The still unconscious woman was carried off the train, and their luggage was also brought down.


    The shaken passengers looked through the train windows at the scene.


    The train slowly continued on.


    It soon disappeared from view.


    Qin Yize showed the Public Security a special identification card, and the officer immediately saluted, then with an admiring look arranged a separate car for them and left the station.


    Another car, with the handcuffed mother and son inside, drove towards the nearby Public Security Bureau.


    Qin Yize carried Gu Qiaoqiao into the Public Security Bureau¡¯s guesthouse.


    He gently placed Gu Qiaoqiao on the bed, first checking to see if her neck had been injured.


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    Fortunately, there was only a red mark.


    He then checked Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s pulse; her heartbeat was somewhat rapid.


    Her brows were tightly furrowed, her expression displaying both panic and unease.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Qiaoqiao had been scared to this extent.


    It was his negligence.


    It was also his dereliction of duty.


    A shade of guilt flashed through Qin Yize¡¯s eyes.


    A public security officer came in through the door, brought their luggage over, and then told Qin Yize that the doctor would be arriving soon.


    Qin Yize nodded his head, speaking in a deep voice to the young man with the round face, ¡°Tell them to interrogate carefully. With a mother and son working together, their technique is skilled, they must be part of a well-organized gang.¡±


    ¡°Doctor Qin, rest assured, we will interrogate them thoroughly,¡± the young public security officer quickly assured.


    After the young officer left, Qin Yize thought for a moment, then had another officer bring a thermos of hot water, while he went directly to the interrogation room.


    Qin Yize pondered for a while and then slowly sat down at the bedside, looking down at Gu Qiaoqiao, who still seemed uneasy as if immersed in a nightmare.


    A pair of starry eyes, deep as the night sea.


    They appeared calm, but who knew what emotions were churning beneath.


    And at this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao once again plunged into the nightmare of her previous life.


    The precipitous cliff, the vast forest, the only way into the village was a winding mountain road.


    She was carried into the mountains by a man in his thirties with a silly grin on his face.


    This was a Southwest mountain village of just over a hundred households, previously a bandit lair, now called Cliff Village.


    She had been sold to this simple-minded man by human traffickers.


    The man¡¯s family consisted of just a widowed mother.


    The old woman first beat Gu Qiaoqiao, who wouldn¡¯t stop crying and screaming, then threw her onto the kang, stripping off her clothes.


    Afterward, she pushed her son into the room.


    The beaten Gu Qiaoqiao, her inner ferocity provoked, fought the simple-minded man.


    She would rather die than let him take advantage of her.


    In the struggle, she kicked and damaged the simpleton¡¯s private parts, and afterward, the local people carried the screaming simpleton down the mountain.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao did not manage to escape; the villagers surrounded her. The old woman, like a madwoman, whipped her with a strap.


    And the others just watched, no one stepping in to stop it.


    In the end, while cursing, the old woman forced hot coals into her throat, then threw the naked and battered Gu Qiaoqiao into a pigsty and locked her in.


    By then, it was deep into the night, and the villagers, having had their fill of excitement, yawned and went back to their homes.


    And the simple-minded man, because of his severe injuries, was taken to a hospital down the mountain.


    The old woman beat her with the whip for another day.


    At that time, she had lost her voice, unable to speak any longer.


    Chained at the hands and feet, she, unable to die, was in utter despair.


    And then, the following day at noon, Qin Yize arrived.


    The villagers had always stuck together, with a mindset that the law does not account for the multitude, also to protect their own interests, as most of their wives had been bought.


    So, they picked up their homemade muskets and hoes and clashed with Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao only heard the noises but had no idea what was happening.


    An hour later, Qin Yize appeared.


    Covered in bloodstains, on his face and hands, he approached Gu Qiaoqiao, pulled out a military knife, cut the chains, quickly removed his own clothes, and wrapped up the bruised and mute Gu Qiaoqiao.


    His face was calm, his eyes as deep as the dark sea, as he spoke gently, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here to take you home.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 72 - 71: Divorce Report

    Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Divorce Report


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao had already lost her senses.


    But she knew that Qin Yize had come to rescue her.


    Then Qin Yize took her out of the mountains.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao came to, she never saw Qin Yize again.


    Then a series of events occurred.


    In the end, they divorced.


    ...


    She was grateful to him, yet she also hated him.


    Not only did all the disheveled moments of her life lie between them, but also an irreparable hatred.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was immersed in her nightmares, unable to extricate herself.


    And after the doctor left, Qin Yize listened to her low, grief-stricken sobs, watching her painfully restless body tremble slightly.


    He slowly reached out his hand, gently wiping the sweat from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s forehead, murmuring softly, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, what nightmare did you have, what pain did you endure, which one is truly you?¡±


    The next morning arrived. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sky was somewhat overcast.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly opened her eyes.


    Her somewhat empty eyes still seemed unable to focus.


    Where was she?


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± A familiar voice suddenly came from beside her, seemingly with a slight, hard-to-detect delight.


    Following the direction of the voice, Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head and saw Qin Yize sitting on a chair by the bed.


    Then Qin Yize, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s dry lips, got up to pour a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table, ¡°Can you sit up, if so, come and have some water¡­¡±


    His voice was quiet, as if all his emotions were hidden once again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at his face, listening to his steady voice, her lifeless eyes focusing once again.


    But for the moment, she still couldn¡¯t tell whether this was a dream or not.


    ¡°You were restless last night, had a nightmare, right? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t take good care of you.¡±


    Was he apologizing?


    If this were a dream, Qin Yize shouldn¡¯t be sitting here when she woke up.


    That¡¯s right, it was summer in the dream.


    It was early August.


    Yet he was wearing a sweater, with a coat draped over the chair back, his face free of any wounds, smooth as jade.


    She suddenly touched her throat, finding no pain there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that woman didn¡¯t hurt you, is there anywhere else you feel uncomfortable?¡± he asked softly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao swallowed and suddenly the scenes from yesterday afternoon on the train flashed before her eyes.


    The culprit who had ruined her life had finally been caught.


    Unfortunately, she had only bumped into him once before Qin Yize stepped in.


    She should have used more force, smashing his head to pieces right then and there.


    The nightmare from last night had tormented her all night; had Qin Yize been with her the whole time?


    Gu Qiaoqiao coughed lightly, and upon hearing the sound from her throat, the nightmare from last night seemed to peel away.


    She was still very much alive.


    Alive in 1986, where none of the tragedies had occurred!


    ¡°Did I talk in my sleep last night?¡±


    Qin Yize was taken aback, then chuckled slightly, surprised by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s question.


    But at the bottom of his heart, he was also relieved.


    ¡°You always sleep quite peacefully, last night was no exception.¡±


    That¡¯s good.


    ¡°Where is the human trafficker?¡±


    ¡°In the interrogation room.¡± Qin Yize stood up, his eyes downcast, ¡°You must be hungry; I¡¯ll get you some breakfast. The restroom is next door; go freshen up.¡±


    With that, he strode away with long steps and disappeared from the room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat up and took a sip of water from her cup.


    Reason was gradually returning to her.


    But the nightmare from the previous night still circled in her mind.


    It was like a venomous snake hidden deep within her heart, always biting her viciously whenever she seemed to forget about it.


    And such pain was something she had to endure alone, unable to share with anyone, buried deep inside her heart.


    She knew she was torturing herself.


    But she couldn¡¯t help it; she simply couldn¡¯t forget.


    Go home!


    Seeing her family safe and sound would make everything alright!


    A sense of urgency suddenly rose in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, all because she had not yet seen her family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of bed, put on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and went next door.


    By the time she returned, Qin Yize had also come in, holding a tray.


    The breakfast was simple.


    A plate of steamed buns, four eggs, sticky millet porridge, and two plates of crisp, appetizing pickles.


    The two of them ate silently.


    It seemed as though the conversation and cooperation on the train the day before were just a transient blossom; they had returned to their previous way of interacting.


    Soon after finishing breakfast, Gu Qiaoqiao was about to clean up, but Qin Yize stopped her with a hand, ¡°No need; I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    He then took out a piece of paper from his military canvas bag and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I haven¡¯t had time these days, but last night I had a moment, so I drafted a divorce report. Take a look; if there¡¯s anything unsatisfactory, I¡¯ll make changes.¡±


    Although as he picked up his pen last night, for the first time, he felt the pen was extraordinarily heavy; so heavy that it took him fifteen minutes to finally write the first character.


    He didn¡¯t know what had come over him.


    That feeling was unfamiliar and it agitated him.


    But at the same time, his clear mind once again reminded him that since Gu Qiaoqiao was no longer clinging, he should let go immediately.


    He could never be a qualified husband.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was only nineteen, her beautiful and radiant life was just beginning.


    She was intelligent and kind, skilled with her hands, deserving of a better man to love and cherish her.


    And that man could never be him!


    Therefore, he should be happy for her timely realization.


    Under his non-stop mental struggle, he, usually eloquent, took two hours to write a mere five-hundred-word divorce application.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the divorce application, a trace of surprise crossing her eyes; she had thought Qin Yize would write it only after returning to the research base, but he had acted so quickly.


    Qin Yize¡¯s handwriting was very pleasing to the eye, each stroke sharp as a sword¡¯s edge, even carrying a compelling force.


    Yet the content surprised Gu Qiaoqiao.


    In the divorce application, Qin Yize attributed all the problems to himself, his words earnest, filled with apologies.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then understood; Qin Yize, though cold, was a responsible man.


    He approached marriage and emotions with terrifying rationality.


    Such a man, unless truly in love with a woman, would respect her like ice¡ª the perfect descriptor.


    And if he truly fell for someone, he would place her on a pedestal equal to his career.


    He would be fiercely loyal and passionate towards her for life; she would be his responsibility, his life, even his faith!


    Gu Qiaoqiao handed back the divorce application to Qin Yize, smiling, ¡°Actually, I am at fault too in this marriage, but still, thank you¡­¡±


    Qin Yize expressionlessly took back the divorce application, casting a glance at Gu Qiaoqiao, and suddenly glimpsing that bright smile again.


    Good, as long as she was happy.

 Chapter 73 - 72 Orders

    Chapter 73: Chapter 72 Orders


    He put the divorce application into the canvas pocket and turned back to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I know you¡¯re eager to return, but you were frightened yesterday. The doctor prescribed some sedatives. Remember to take them in an hour, and the woman you saved yesterday hasn¡¯t woken up yet. The human traffickers are still being interrogated. I think we should leave tomorrow afternoon¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded without hesitation, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze fell on the top of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head and lingered briefly before he walked out with the tray.


    In the afternoon, the young girl woke up. Her memory, like Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s in her past life, was of being smothered with a cloth over her mouth and nose, after which she knew nothing.


    Then, in her hazy memories, it seemed like she was dreaming, with all sorts of voices in the dream. But what she remembered most clearly was the crisp and anxious voice of a young girl.


    It seemed to be urging her to wake up, warning her that bad people were out to harm her.


    ...


    She also knew there were bad people, but she couldn¡¯t wake up no matter how hard she tried.


    So, when she was lucid and listened to the policewoman explain what had happened, she realized it wasn¡¯t a dream.


    Therefore, she got up to meet Gu Qiaoqiao right away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was still packing when the door was pushed open.


    A pale-faced girl who evidently had been brought up well, stood at the door.


    With an oval face and eyes that were very bright, she looked gentle and lovely.


    Then, with tears brimming in her eyes, she gave Gu Qiaoqiao a deep bow and choked up, ¡°Miss Gu, I will never forget the great kindness you and Mr. Qin have shown me¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t continue with what she wanted to say afterwards.


    She just looked at Gu Qiaoqiao through her tears.


    She knew that if it weren¡¯t for the lovely girl before her, she would have been sold deep into the mountains. She was not an ignorant young girl unfamiliar with the ways of the world.


    She was aware that once she set foot in those deep mountains, her life would be over. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of her close friends¡¯ classmates was abducted three years ago and is still unaccounted for.


    Her family has been searching until now, with still no news; what once was a happy household, now lives in sorrow every day.


    She wanted to continue expressing her gratitude to Gu Qiaoqiao, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak.


    Speechlessly choking up was the best description of her.


    But she was naturally shy and didn¡¯t know how to express her feelings.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly pulled her over and they sat on the bed together, ¡°I understand your feelings, and I¡¯ve received your thanks¡ªthere¡¯s no need to say anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at expressing gratitude, but I will never forget your kindness for as long as I live. I will repay you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I understand how you feel, but don¡¯t be so formal. Since I saw what was happening, I couldn¡¯t just do nothing¡­¡±


    At this point, Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself, if she hadn¡¯t recognized the voice of the human trafficker, if she hadn¡¯t gone through a similar ordeal, if Qin Yize wasn¡¯t by her side¡­


    Considering how ruthless and cunning those two traffickers were, no one could predict what could have happened.


    And even if someone realized something was wrong, how many would have the courage to speak out?


    It¡¯s not that people are indifferent; it¡¯s that standing up doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you can catch and expose the culprits.


    Thinking about this, she truly felt that this young girl was fortunate to have encountered her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao changed the subject, ¡°Have you notified your family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are on their way here now.¡±


    Through their conversation, she learned that the girl, two years her senior and named An Xiaotong, was a junior college student.


    Her home was in the Imperial Capital, and she had been drugged and passed out at the corner of Tianmen Street.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sprang to her feet.


    She was shocked yet again.


    Was it a coincidence, or something else?


    Because in her previous life, she too was drugged and rendered unconscious at the corner of Tianmen Street.


    Later, when she visited that place, she found nothing unusual there except for the sparse crowd.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao sat down with a frown and asked, ¡°That place is a bit secluded, so why did you pass by there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very close to Home of Guests, and I like the noodles there, so I had arranged to go have noodles with my brother, but I didn¡¯t expect to be¡­¡±


    At this point, An Xiaotong choked up again.


    Then she began to cry with her handkerchief in her hands.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt it wasn¡¯t right to ask any more questions, and after consoling her, it was already noon, and Qin Yize had gone to the station and hadn¡¯t come back.


    The female police officer brought them food with warmth and enthusiasm.


    An Xiaotong was staying on the floor below.


    After eating, she followed the police officer to get a medical checkup, since she had been drugged and was pale and in poor physical condition.


    At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Qin Yize returned.


    His expression was calm, but Gu Qiaoqiao immediately guessed that the traffickers had confessed.


    After all, they had lived together in a previous life, and she had always liked to watch his expressions keenly.


    She always enjoyed discerning the hidden emotions beneath his composed facade.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stayed silent, yet a tinge of sourness welled up inside her. The Gu Qiaoqiao of the past had indeed been such a foolish child.


    Qin Yize¡¯s features were gentle as he sat on the chair, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao. His fine eyebrows slightly raised as he suddenly said, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you¡¯ve made a significant contribution this time.¡±


    Made a significant contribution?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she looked toward Qin Yize with an inquiring gaze.


    ¡°The traffickers from yesterday have confessed. They are part of a criminal gang that traffics in women and children across the country.¡±


    ¡°From their demeanor, there must be an organization behind them.¡±


    ¡°The organization¡¯s level of structure is beyond your imagination. It operates like a company or institution, with each member in their place, communicating and coordinating with each other, and the traffickers from yesterday were specifically responsible for taking orders¡­¡±


    Qin Yize told Gu Qiaoqiao what he could.


    ¡°What do you mean by taking orders?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked, somewhat amused.


    ¡°It means that there are customers who contact them, asking them to abduct certain individuals under the guise of trafficking and sell them to rural areas where people are scarce.¡±


    The smile on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face instantly froze, and a hint of confusion appeared in her clear, watery eyes. She asked Qin Yize in a low voice, ¡°What you¡¯re saying, I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hesitant and helpless look as if she were frightened, Qin Yize¡¯s heart softened, and he gently said, ¡°The An Xiaotong who was abducted yesterday, someone offered ten thousand yuan to have her sold far away. After she was sold to the mountains and had children there, they would add another five thousand.¡±


    After a long pause, Gu Qiaoqiao asked with difficulty, ¡°Weren¡¯t they acting on a whim when they thought of abducting her?¡±


    After all, not everyone in the vast crowd can be drugged and abducted.


    ¡°According to his confession, other small groups do that; targeting lone women, kidnapping children left unattended, but yesterday¡¯s traffickers were different. They were only responsible for taking orders. Among the noble families, wealthy households, and business circles, there are always various secrets and shady dealings. Getting rid of the person they want to dispose of by selling them far away means no blood on their hands and no worry of severe punishment if the crime is discovered, because each link is separate. The traffickers from yesterday didn¡¯t even know whether their client was male or female¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize, stunned.

 Chapter 74 - 73 She Hates Qin Yize Even More!

    Chapter 74: Chapter 73 She Hates Qin Yize Even More!


    ¡°Were you frightened?¡± Qin Yize furrowed his brow and asked.


    ¡°Is what he confessed true?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao murmured.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Qin Yize nodded, but did not want to say more, ¡°This case isn¡¯t something that can be closed in a day or two, it¡¯s too extensive. For your safety, I¡¯ve excluded you from this case, from now on, you have nothing to do with it.¡±


    This was also why the Public Security hadn¡¯t come to ask her questions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded blankly, her voice strained, ¡°I know.¡±


    All of a sudden, Qin Yize glanced out of the window and said, ¡°Someone from the An Family has come; I¡¯ll go out for a bit and call you later.¡±


    ...


    After finishing, he saw her faced still looked bad, so he poured a cup of water for Gu Qiaoqiao but left without saying anything else.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body grew cold, and she curled up, crouching down.


    If what Qin Yize said was right, then in her past life, she was also on a human trafficker¡¯s order.


    So, who had placed the order?


    Who wanted her to disappear forever?


    Who wanted to ruin her life?


    Was it Bai Yun?


    Choo Lan, Zhu Xiaohong?


    Or other women she did not know, who envied her?


    Thinking this, a boundless hatred rose in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, as she realized that what she thought in her previous life was a mere accident of being spotted and then knocked out by human traffickers, actually had such an infuriating, murderously hateful truth!


    Who was it?


    Whose path had she blocked?


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her fists tightly, silently roaring with rage.


    Her eyes were dry and painful, yet there were no tears.


    All she had was hatred, boundless hatred!


    She hated that so-called person who placed the order, she hated the conscienceless human traffickers, and she hated Qin Yize even more!


    If it weren¡¯t for him, would she have been the subject of such envy?


    If it weren¡¯t for him, would she have suffered so much pain?


    He hadn¡¯t protected her properly, he did not deserve to be a man!


    And if it hadn¡¯t been for her abduction, how could her father have possibly taken a night-time car ride to the Imperial Capital, only to die in a car accident on the way.


    Her father had died, her mother then fell gravely ill, and her younger brother had come to the Imperial Capital alone, no one knew he was carrying a knife¡­


    Her sister, in order to pay for their mother¡¯s treatment, borrowed money at high interest rates and could not repay it after their mother died.


    And the only sister lived in the hospital, the only brother almost killed someone.


    So that sister, who had already run out of options but had just received the admission notice from Imperial Capital University, ended her life at just eighteen years old, clutching the notice and a photo of the whole family.


    In just under a month¡¯s time, ten members of the Gu and Qin families, four had died, two were injured, one was taken to a secret place, one entered the Public Security office¡­


    Who was it, who had the capability to create such a horrific catastrophe!


    Gu Qiaoqiao whimpered like a wounded animal.


    She bit her lip hard.


    Until the taste of blood came into her mouth, it seemed she finally came to.


    Gu Qiaoqiao leaned against the wall and stood up.


    Suddenly, she raised her hand and violently pinched her own arm until the pain came, then she slowly straightened up.


    Staring at the overcast sky.


    She thought, was this because even heaven couldn¡¯t stand by, hence letting her come back for revenge?


    Yes, she wanted revenge!


    They say what one sows in the past life, one reaps in this life.


    So, in this life, she would find the person who placed the order with the human traffickers, she would make that person taste the pain of family destruction.


    She would make that person live in hell for a lifetime.


    Fierce hatred made Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes shimmer like brilliant stars in the deep night, yet they resembled two profoundly unfathomable whirlpools.


    One couldn¡¯t tell what kind of storm she was brewing.


    Downstairs, cries and voices of people talking could be heard.


    Apparently, being reborn after the disaster had left that family crying tears of joy.


    Gu Qiaoqiao straightened her spine, her gaze deeply fixed on the window outside.


    But how should she seek her revenge?


    No matter what, the course of her fate in this life had undergone many changes.


    Would that person place an order again?


    If she divorced Qin Yize, would she still be a threat to that person?


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was terrifyingly calm, carefully recalling everything from her past life.


    If that person was Bai Yun or some other woman enamored with Qin Yize, then the goal would have been achieved by successfully marrying into the Qin Family after her accident.


    Yet, Qin Yize never got married.


    Then, were the following events coincidental or intentional?


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a chill down her spine. No, the timing was all wrong!


    She had been kidnapped but was saved by Qin Yize in less than five days.


    Five days isn¡¯t a long time, so who informed her family? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was it the Qin Family members?


    Gu Qiaoqiao desperately recalled every detail in the hospital after she returned.


    No, it wasn¡¯t the Qin Family members!


    She remembered Grandma Qin, tears streaming down her face, telling her that her kidnapping had to be kept a secret from her family for the time being. They would gradually reveal it once her voice recovered and she was better.


    Grandma Qin, voice choked with sobs, clutched her hand, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I too am a mother; I know every child is an extension of their mother. We failed to protect you, and I am already so sorry for that. If your parents knew what had happened to you, the pain it would cause them would be immense. I¡¯m sorry to them, please let this old lady be selfish this one time, and keep it a secret for now. Once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll apologize to them personally¡­¡±


    Hence, that call definitely wasn¡¯t made by Grandma Qin.


    Neither was it made by any Qin Family members.


    She remembered her brother had mentioned that after he had hurt Xiao Yu, he found out that she had already been rescued by Qin Yize and was in the hospital.


    If it had been the Qin Family members, they wouldn¡¯t have called the Gu Family members on the fifth day, and if they had called, they would have temporarily concealed her condition.


    And yet, they wouldn¡¯t have foolishly lied to her brother saying his sister had been sold by the Qin Family.


    Indeed, that¡¯s exactly what her brother¡¯s call had implied.


    Her brother said that caller claimed he was a member of the Qin Family who couldn¡¯t stand by and had to inform him.


    So who in the Qin Family was the caller?


    Her brother only described that it was a middle-aged man¡¯s voice speaking fluent Imperial Capital dialect.


    That¡¯s why he believed it without a doubt.


    And who was the person who called their father?


    What was said in that call?


    Why did he set off overnight?


    The aftermath of their father¡¯s car accident was handled by Qin Yize, but the car had exploded, and the bodies were too horrific to look upon.


    It was a minivan.


    Only the driver and their father were in it.


    The Public Security relayed Qin Yize¡¯s statement that the explosion was bizarre and a case had been filed.


    Since then, the case had been under investigation.


    Also, who exactly was the person who called her brother with the Qin Family¡¯s address, and where did her brother¡¯s knife come from?


    According to her brother, he had picked it up at the station.


    Were all these coincidences accidents or orchestrated?


    After so many whys had circled in her mind, Gu Qiaoqiao was suddenly startled.

 Chapter 75 - 74: Who Is It?

    Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Who Is It?


    A terrible thought surged into her mind.


    That person wanted not only for her to disappear forever but also for the members of the Gu Family to all perish!


    So, did her brother really die from a heart attack?


    She had seen her brother¡¯s body, which looked peaceful as if he had been liberated.


    And it was clearly written on the certificate.


    That he died from a sudden acute heart attack caused by emotional agitation.


    ...


    Why would her brother be emotionally agitated?


    Had he known something before he passed?


    Unfortunately, she, immersed in pain and despair at that time, did not ponder on it.


    Not just at that time, but even before Qin Yize just revealed the truth to her, she had never thought about such deep questions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head felt like it was about to explode, and she had to take deep breaths, continuously pinching her own arm to stay alert.


    She wondered, how powerful was this person who schemed to drive the Gu family members to their deaths without shedding a drop of blood?


    Someone who could remotely command vehicles to explode, someone who could throw a knife at the bustling Imperial Capital City Station.


    And coincidentally, her brother saw it.


    Was the timing so well managed by just one person?


    Did Bai Yun have such great ability to cast such a widespread net?


    Or was it Lin Qinghuan?


    Or perhaps Choo Lan?


    If these three held a grudge against her, that would be plausible, but why would they resent her family?


    Her father was a humble teacher, her mother a housewife, and her grandparents had passed away.


    Although there was the wealthy and influential Qin Family, her upright and scholarly father never enjoyed any benefits from the Qin Family.


    He scorned such benefits because he didn¡¯t want others to look down on his daughter.


    So, her family¡¯s living conditions were modest, still residing in the town in the countryside, was there a reason to harm them?


    Thus, the prime suspect was Bai Yun.


    She remembered that after she moved to Border City, her contact with Bai Yun had reduced significantly.


    A year later, two years before her accident, Qin Yize, during a rare downtime, gave her many books, around fifty or so.


    Classics and miscellaneous notes¡­


    And he required her to write reflections on each book.


    During that time, her relationship with other families at that experimental base¡¯s family compound was very tense, and after many incidents, it even led to her being barely able to move about, denounced by everyone¡­


    And regarding the tasks Qin Yize assigned, she carried them out without any reduction.


    She read seriously, she wrote notes diligently.


    Later, when Qin Yize returned, he indeed inspected them thoroughly.


    And he tossed back any that were not satisfactory, asking her to reread and rewrite them.


    She happily complied.


    And it passed by like that for a year.


    During that time, she surprisingly discovered that many things had transformed.


    Neighbors, who she initially found extremely repulsive, could now receive a smile from her.


    Since then, the conflicts had decreased, and she even felt that there were many things she could accomplish.


    During this period, Grandma Qin mailed her a carving knife because Qin Yize had randomly acquired a piece of jade.


    He said it resembled the Roaring Tiger Forest.


    So, she took note of that.


    She planned to carve the jade as a birthday present for Qin Yize.


    At that time, Qin Yize, though still aloof and detached, started conversing more with her.


    Though they still slept in separate rooms, whenever he had time, he would cook for her, and they would chat about amusing incidents among colleagues.


    Later, the Roaring Tiger Forest sculpture turned out very successful, Qin Yize had her return to Imperial Capital, introduced her to a few antique stores with good relations, and then had her go to learn and observe.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes darkened, the one who asked her to meet at a tea house in Tianmen Street was Bai Yun!


    Bai Yun said she had a relative in Yubao Square, who enjoyed drinking tea there, she could introduce them so Gu Qiaoqiao could visit and freely learn by observation.


    Then, she never saw Bai Yun again, nor did she hear much news about her.


    Was it Bai Yun?


    She hated her, which she could understand, but why didn¡¯t she spare her family either?


    Yet, there were many doubts here.


    Gu Qiaoqiao decided not to think about it anymore.


    Because of Qin Yize, she had become a thorn in the side of several women.


    Including the powerful Choo Lan.


    If Qin Yize were here right now, Gu Qiaoqiao thought she would definitely throw herself at him and fight desperately.


    But, not to mention that she couldn¡¯t beat him, what was her reason for fighting him desperately?


    Because all this misfortune had not happened!


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her bruised arm, slowly put down her sweater, and calmly tidied her hair.


    Looking at the calm face in the mirror, she thought that having gone through a lot truly made a difference.


    At this moment, who would know what she was thinking?


    Moreover, his family was sure to come to thank her.


    Sure enough, just as she had finished getting ready, she heard voices in the hallway.


    Qin Yize opened the door, and a kindly-looking elderly person and An Xiaotong stood at the entrance.


    Behind them was a well-dressed middle-aged woman, about the same age as Shen Manru, next to a tall young man in his twenties.


    And standing next to him was a girl who seemed to be turning her head to look at something.


    Seemingly a bit older than An Xiaotong.


    With wavy curled hair.


    But in the moment she turned her head, Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    She quietly took a deep breath, thankful that today¡¯s blow had strengthened her heart.


    She knew this woman.


    It was An Xiaolan, the chairman and general manager of the hotel where she worked in her previous life.


    The name of that hotel was Lijing Ho Grand Hotel.


    It also had two branches.


    It was said that she was the adopted daughter of the deceased former chairman.


    Some said she was fortunate, others said she was tough.


    Because the former chairman of the An Family, his wife, and their only son had died in a car accident.


    Only the former chairman¡¯s stroke-afflicted mother remained in the hospital.


    But she had never heard her colleagues mention that the An Family had another daughter named An Xiaotong.


    However, she could not mistake An Xiaolan.


    Once when she was inspecting the kitchen, she flew into a rage because there was a puddle of freshly spilled water on the floor that hadn¡¯t been wiped up.


    Her words were harsh and venomous, trampling everyone¡¯s dignity underfoot.


    Later, she even forced the assistant to the head chef to kneel on the floor and wipe away the puddle bit by bit.


    How could she possibly mistake that seemingly glamorous face?


    Gu Qiaoqiao hid the myriad thoughts in her eyes and smiled as she looked at everyone. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She still expressed her gratitude.


    However, the gratitude was for Qin Yize, who expressed profound apologies for the kidnapping of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, the official story being just that, clearly indicating the gang¡¯s formidable influence.


    She knew he said this to protect her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao naturally went through the motions of exchanging pleasantries.


    And the others also expressed their greetings.


    However, Grandma An looked at her with exceptionally loving eyes.


    Clearly, she knew the inside story.

 Chapter 76 - 75 I Will Only Marry Once in My Life!

    Chapter 76: Chapter 75 I Will Only Marry Once in My Life!


    Meanwhile, An Xiaolan had been all smiles the entire time, the kind that was so openly cheerful it fostered a sense of likability.


    There was no sign of any other emotion.


    Gu Qiaoqiao could still tell that An Xiaotong was close to Grandma An, and that An Xiaotong¡¯s biological mother and older brother had a good relationship with An Xiaolan.


    But when An Xiaotong¡¯s mother looked at her daughter, there was a strange complexity to her gaze that she couldn¡¯t quite explain.


    This really was a peculiar family.


    But who could have expected?


    ...


    In five years, by 1991, the only one left in this family would be An Xiaolan.


    Grandma An, who would suffer a stroke and become a vegetative, was essentially the living dead.


    The rest¡­ were all dead¡­


    A chill went through Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart. Could An Xiaolan of the An Family really be innocent?


    Since the An Family was in a hurry to get back to treat An Xiaotong¡¯s illness, they prepared to take their leave and set off.


    Gu Qiaoqiao escorted them out of the guesthouse and watched as An Xiaotong was assisted by An Xiaolan and about to get into the car.


    She couldn¡¯t help herself and broke into a smile, casually calling out, ¡°Sister Xiaotong, we haven¡¯t exchanged addresses yet. Come here and let¡¯s exchange our contact information.¡±


    Qin Yize raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    An Xiaotong, taken aback, remembered that they had already exchanged contact information, but she was a gentle and obedient girl.


    So, she obediently and quickly made her way to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s side.


    Turning her back and taking her hand, Gu Qiaoqiao whispered, ¡°The person who spends money to have you sold might not be your enemy. It could be a family member or friend by your side. Remember, trust no one. Be more observant in every situation, watch more, speak less, and keep an eye out. You will find out who is trying to harm you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao clearly felt An Xiaotong tremble slightly, but even though she had guessed that the ultimate beneficiary, An Xiaolan, might be the culprit, how could she speak it out loud?


    Who would believe her?


    Everything she knew was about things that hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    An Xiaotong looked earnestly at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, thank you. Can we talk on the phone often or write to each other in the future?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we can,¡± replied Gu Qiaoqiao, smiling warmly at her. ¡°Go on, Sister Xiaotong. Your family is waiting for you¡­¡±


    An Xiaotong nodded vigorously and took a deep look at Gu Qiaoqiao. For some reason, starting from this afternoon, from the moment she saw Gu Qiaoqiao,


    her heart felt incredibly settled.


    It was as though Gu Qiaoqiao could be her pillar of strength.


    Such a feeling was a bit laughable, considering Gu Qiaoqiao was two years her junior.


    But the feeling was undeniably real.


    The An Family had departed.


    No one noticed the venomous and resentful glance An Xiaolan cast toward Qin Yize.


    It was fleeting, yet Gu Qiaoqiao, who had never had a good impression of her in her past life, caught it sharply.


    Perhaps Qin Yize sensed it too.


    He briefly scanned the direction in which the two sedans had left and then averted his gaze.


    Glancing at his watch, he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Everything went smoothly today. If you¡¯re feeling alright, we can leave today.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao also checked the time, inquiring, ¡°We have an hour and a half. Is that enough time?¡±


    Qin Yize nodded, ¡°It¡¯s only twenty minutes to the station from here. There¡¯s plenty of time.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned and headed back, ¡°I¡¯m going to pack my luggage.¡±


    Qin Yize followed her and ordered the round-faced Public Security officer from the previous night to arrange the vehicle immediately.


    In the room upstairs, Gu Qiaoqiao packed her toiletries, put on a scarf, and since she hadn¡¯t disturbed anything else, there was no need for further packing.


    Qin Yize did the same, but he was much faster.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tried her best to avoid meeting his gaze, because every time she saw him, she was reminded of her past life.


    In that disaster, Qin Yize was not innocent. If it weren¡¯t for him, how could she have gone to the Imperial Capital?


    If she hadn¡¯t gone to the Imperial Capital, those tragedies wouldn¡¯t have occurred.


    Although she knew she was displacing her anger, there were no other ready-made enemies in sight, so what could she do?


    But revenge was still taken today.


    The trafficker might have to spend the rest of his life in prison.


    Dare to threaten her?


    He¡¯s really asking for death!


    Seeing Qin Yize pick up the leather briefcase, Gu Qiaoqiao walked over in a few steps and spoke softly, ¡°Take out the divorce application you wrote, I remember you wrote two characters wrong¡­¡±


    Qin Yize was taken aback, as he had just sensed a change in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mood.


    The resentment he hadn¡¯t seen for several days had appeared again.


    And with such realization, Qin Yize didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He even thought of the term ¡°Thousand-faced Guanyin.¡±


    At this moment, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s serious expression, he quickly flipped through and handed the divorce application to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Which two characters?¡±


    He wanted to see what this girl was up to this time.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t even look at the divorce application before folding it neatly and placing it into her black shoulder bag.


    Then she raised her head to look at him.


    ¡°I think divorcing now is too hasty; I want to think it over a bit more.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao spoke somewhat domineeringly.


    Qin Yize curved his lips into a smile, his expression was teasing, as he asked leisurely, ¡°How much longer do you need to think?¡±


    Actually, he was surprised.


    ¡°Three years,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied crisply.


    She had thought it through; if she divorced Qin Yize now, it might indeed be the end of all things.


    From then on, she¡¯d be free from worries.


    But her revenge might not be fulfilled.


    Without these internal conditions, those external conditions cannot be met.


    And she must avenge the wrongs of her past life!


    Just because it didn¡¯t happen, doesn¡¯t mean there is innocence.


    If she could come back, it was to collect a debt.


    She wanted to throw all those people into hell. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And to do that, without Qin Yize, it simply wouldn¡¯t work.


    At the very least, she would not get any inside information about the trafficker organization.


    Only by getting clues could she proceed to the next step of her plan.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know if her idea was right or wrong.


    But whether right or wrong, she had to experiment to find out.


    Also, most importantly, she needed to become stronger.


    Only by doing so would she have the capital to fight this unknown enemy.


    So she told Qin Yize that she needed three years.


    Three years¡¯ time.


    Just like her previous life.


    Enough for the dust to settle!


    Qin Yize simply put both the briefcase and shoulder bag into the travel bag, then picked up the travel bag, speaking quite composedly, ¡°I thought you needed a month to think.¡±


    ¡°What, are you in a hurry?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked disdainfully.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t speak, just looked at Gu Qiaoqiao indifferently.


    ¡°Are you eager to get married again?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao raised an eyebrow and asked, a trace of deep thought crossing the corners of her eyes.


    If that was the case, it wouldn¡¯t matter, she¡¯d just have to think of another way.


    But suddenly Qin Yize spoke, his voice low, ¡°In this life, I¡¯ll marry only once!¡±


    After saying that, without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to respond, he picked up Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s travel bag and strode towards the door.

 Chapter 77 - 77 How pathetic do I look in your eyes?

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77 How pathetic do I look in your eyes?


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t understand at first, so she followed and caught up with him, trotting a little and then slightly out of breath she asked, ¡°So do you agree or not?¡±


    Qin Yize stood at the staircase, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao who seemed not to understand, his expression somewhat inscrutable.


    Just how many faces did Gu Qiaoqiao have? He no longer wanted to know.


    What he wanted to know was, why the change of heart again?


    When she had proposed divorce, she had been so resolute.


    And in a blink of an eye, she considered it again.


    ...


    But that period of consideration was a bit too long, wasn¡¯t it?


    And, a girl who seems so smart, why didn¡¯t she understand what he had said? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was what he expressed so profound?


    The car hadn¡¯t arrived yet, Qin Yize watched her, eager to know the answer, and seemingly asked nonchalantly, ¡°Why three years?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, a sharp sting coming from the corner of her mouth, and she couldn¡¯t help but hiss in pain.


    But in her mind, she thought, yes, why three years indeed.


    Logically speaking, three months would have been more like it.


    ¡°Then just one year.¡±


    One year¡¯s time, she didn¡¯t know if it would be enough.


    ¡°How did you hurt your lip?¡± Qin Yize had indeed just noticed¡ªit seemed there was a trace of blood, but Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips were naturally rosy, so it was not easily noticeable.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and instinctively reached out to touch it, but Qin Yize moved quickly, putting down his travel bag and blocking her arm.


    Then he unobtrusively let go and frowned, ¡°Your hands are full of bacteria, I¡¯ll take you to the infirmary.¡±


    At that moment, the round-faced young man also walked in with a bounce.


    He had moved the luggage to the car outside, while Qin Yize took Gu Qiaoqiao towards the infirmary.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had just bitten through her lip because what she had been thinking made her seethe with resentment.


    Therefore, she had ignored the pain in her lip.


    Actually, just touching it with her hand would have sufficed.


    Really.


    But Qin Yize had said her hands were full of bacteria.


    So she had to keep her mouth shut.


    The wound wasn¡¯t severe: after a simple disinfection and a prescription, the two of them headed for the train station.


    This was a small county town hundreds of miles from the Imperial Capital, where the winter sun always set very early.


    The smoke billowing from the boiler chimneys, due to the low temperature, seemed to hover over the town.


    Taking advantage of Qin Yize¡¯s inattention, Gu Qiaoqiao still placed her finger on her lip.


    A few breaths later, she quietly took it down.


    But the earlier topic was no longer something she could ask about.


    After all, there was a driver and an eager round-faced young man.


    He kept trying to make conversation, tirelessly at that.


    So even though Qin Yize seldom responded, the atmosphere inside the car still seemed quite lively.


    When they reached the platform, Qin Yize reached out and made a fist, giving the young man a friendly punch on the chest, ¡°You have good physical fitness and your mind is sharp too. Don¡¯t neglect your training, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you become a detective hero soon!¡±


    The round-faced young man flashed a bright smile, showing his white teeth, ¡°Thanks for the encouragement, and I wish you a smooth journey!¡±


    Qin Yize smiled.


    The question Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to ask, she couldn¡¯t really bring up anymore.


    Soon after boarding the train, Gu Qiaoqiao found out that the tickets had been changed to sleeper berths.


    However, these two sleeper tickets were for bottom bunks, which were then exchanged with an elderly couple in their seventies.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no objections.


    The upper bunks were fine for youthful travelers, but they wouldn¡¯t suit the elderly.


    After settling the dinner down below, Gu Qiaoqiao climbed to the upper bunk.


    Since it was the train¡¯s departure station, the elderly couple had been sitting on the lower bunk all this time, so the pillowcase, duvet cover, and sheets on the upper bunk were very clean.


    Qin Yize also lay down on the opposite sleeper berth.


    He must have been about six feet three inches tall, watching Qin Yize close his eyes and compose himself, seemingly reluctant to speak any further.


    Glancing at his slightly bent figure, Gu Qiaoqiao slowly caught on.


    What he had just said was probably an agreement, right?


    But, did this have anything to do with his conviction to marry only once in his lifetime?


    Who cares.


    As long as he didn¡¯t say no, she would take it as an agreement!


    Outside the car window, it was completely dark, perhaps in the wilderness, so not a single light could be seen.


    And the clanking sound of the train now seemed like a lullaby, and Gu Qiaoqiao soon fell asleep.


    The rest of the journey was peaceful, and they arrived at the terminal station the next evening.


    When she heard the familiar local accent, Gu Qiaoqiao was excited, and her heart also seemed to leap out.


    However, they needed to stay one night here, as the bus to her home wouldn¡¯t be available until the next morning.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought she would probably part ways with Qin Yize at the exit of the station.


    Because she remembered clearly that the train to Border City only ran once, departing at eleven o¡¯clock at midnight.


    At this moment, there were less than four hours left until the departure time.


    She saw Qin Yize still carrying her travel bag, walking ahead unhurriedly.


    But that direction was not towards the waiting room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao panicked, grabbed her own travel bag, and said hastily, ¡°Alright, give me the travel bag, and you go to the waiting room to wait for the train.¡±


    As she said this, she reached out to take it over.


    Unexpectedly, Qin Yize didn¡¯t let go at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand gripped the strap of the travel bag, and she looked at him questioningly.


    The night light was a bit dim and yellow, and the northern provincial city was several degrees colder than the Imperial Capital.


    So, Qin Yize¡¯s features appeared somewhat frosty.


    After a few moments, as if he had restrained some emotion, a slight smile curled up at the corner of his mouth, and he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Do you think I would let you, a girl, stay alone in a hotel?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would let you go home by yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, sometimes I am truly curious, just how worthless do I appear in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat at a loss for words under Qin Yize¡¯s calm questioning.


    She really hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of going home with Qin Yize.


    She also didn¡¯t think there was anything to worry about staying in a hotel alone.


    But she had forgotten that she was only nineteen years old now, that the safety here wasn¡¯t good, especially at night, and Qin Yize, who knew many insider stories of the place, how could he possibly leave her alone?


    And he couldn¡¯t possibly let Gu Qiaoqiao go home alone.


    Even if they were divorced, he would make sure she was safely sent back.


    Qin Yize had trouble identifying the emotions stirring within him.


    He was accustomed to the trust of his colleagues and friends.


    Their friendship was precious.


    It was the kind of brotherhood where one could confidently entrust their back to the other.


    So, feeling uncomfortable about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s attitude weighed on him.


    But seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reddening face and speechless manner made him think that fussing over this was really pointless.


    Quickly putting his emotions aside, Qin Yize gestured towards a spot not too far away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed the direction of his gaze and then saw a tall man wearing a military coat striding forward.


    Behind him was a military green jeep, which people in the North directly called a 212¡­


    It was only at this moment that Gu Qiaoqiao finally realized, Qin Yize had everything arranged already.


    He never intended for her to stay alone in a hotel waiting for a bus home.


    And then she understood that the two full travel bags Qin Yize had were gifts for her family.

 Chapter 78 - 78 Base Guesthouse

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Base Guesthouse


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes somewhat dodged, and she also shyly lowered her head.


    Almost the entire little face was tucked into the large scarf.


    That look once again reminded Qin Yize of that little squirrel.


    He thought, Gu Qiaoqiao must have understood at this point.


    Well, as long as she understood, that was good.


    As for explaining, actually, he was not good at it at all.


    ...


    The tall man had already walked briskly up to the two of them, first stretching his mouth into a smile.


    Then they exchanged punches with their fists.


    The punches looked very forceful.


    Yet neither of the two men moved an inch.


    Afterward, with a flash of nostalgia in their eyes, they reached out and gently hugged each other.


    That brotherly camaraderie was more than obvious.


    The man was a typical northerner, with sharp facial contours and bright eyes, appearing to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.


    As soon as he spoke, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a sense of familiarity, ¡°Ah Ze, this is the little sister-in-law, right?¡±


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, saw her politely extracting herself from the scarf, and also laughed, ¡°This is my wife, Gu Qiaoqiao.¡±


    Then, pointing at the man, he introduced him to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°This is my colleague, Li Dazhi. You can just call him Brother Dazhi.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled slightly, ¡°Brother Dazhi.¡±


    After that, they didn¡¯t engage in small talk, after all, the temperature here was already below minus twenty degrees, and with the wind picking up, it was exceptionally cold.


    The jeep drove quickly, and in less than twenty minutes they arrived at the courtyard of the North Research Base.


    This was a guesthouse specifically for catering to staff traveling between the Imperial Capital Base headquarters and the Border City Experimental Base.


    The waitstaff were of excellent quality, all very adept at their jobs.


    Cheerfully, they brought Gu Qiaoqiao hot water and a fresh towel, to which Gu Qiaoqiao thanked them beamingly.


    Then she took the towel to wash up.


    Although she had washed her face in the car, it was still not the same as washing up after arriving.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao finished freshening up, she expected Qin Yize to come over, but when she came out, she didn¡¯t see anyone in the room.


    It was a suite.


    It seemed to be intended for entertaining superiors.


    This place was also under military management.


    So, the army green sheets were perfectly clean.


    And so well-made that Gu Qiaoqiao did not dare to sit down.


    She walked towards the living room, where the voices of the men could be heard talking.


    The door was ajar.


    Qin Yize and Li Dazhi were sitting on opposite sides of the sofa, unclear what they were talking about, with Li Dazhi¡¯s head slightly bowed, his face expression not visible.


    Qin Yize, on the other hand, was very composed, even pouring a cup of tea for Li Dazhi.


    A moment later, Li Dazhi finally lifted his head, roughly wiped his face, and then picked up the tea cup and gulped it down.


    After finishing, he wiped his face roughly again before bursting into loud laughter. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And Qin Yize remained impassive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt Qin Yize¡¯s gaze sweeping toward her, and she quickly turned to hide.


    They hadn¡¯t been discussing any secrets, had they?


    But she hadn¡¯t heard a single word.


    Sometime later, Qin Yize came from the living room, and after washing up, he took her to the cafeteria.


    The dinner was simple, but very comforting.


    Pork belly stewed with sauerkraut, cabbage with glass noodles and large pork bones, two dishes of pickled vegetables, and a plate of large steamed buns.


    Plus two bowls of hearty porridge, which Gu Qiaoqiao ate without even looking up.


    Li Dazhi also learned that Gu Qiaoqiao was from the North, and seeing her unpretentiousness, he felt an affinity for her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave Qin Yize a wink and quietly gave him a thumbs-up.


    Qin Yize glanced at him, and smiled faintly.


    When men get together, they always have to drink a few glasses.


    However, since they were to visit his father-in-law tomorrow, they decided to drink just a small cup for the sake of politeness and switched to tea instead.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched them still chatting, their conversation ranging far and wide, touching on the local customs of various places, and although it was very engaging, sleepiness was still overwhelming.


    Gu Qiaoqiao went back to her room first.


    The bedding was as neat as ever, but she still plunged into it with intense drowsiness.


    She slept deeply, not knowing when Qin Yize came back.


    Time passed quickly.


    By noon the next day, Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize stood at the entrance of the town.


    This was a typical northern Chinese rural town.


    Its name was Stone Town.


    The town government was at the center of Stone Town.


    Each household had its own courtyard, some still had mud houses, others had built houses with red bricks and large tiles.


    And the Gu family¡¯s home was on the west side of Stone Town, not far from the middle school.


    It¡¯s often said that the closer you are to home, the more reluctant you feel.


    Standing there, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a bit nervous.


    Her hands were clenched tightly, forcing herself not to think about the desperation and pain she felt during her last visit home in her previous life.


    After that time, she never dared to come back!


    Only on the anniversaries of her parents and sister¡¯s death would she dare to kowtow in the direction of the North, crying loudly¡­


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t move either.


    He just quietly watched as Gu Qiaoqiao buried her face in her scarf again.


    He saw her desperately blinking, as if trying to hold back her tears.


    He waited, waited for Gu Qiaoqiao to return to normal.


    After a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her leg, heading towards the Gu family¡¯s home somewhat impatiently.


    Qin Yize, carrying three travel bags, followed leisurely behind her.


    Although it¡¯s called a town, it¡¯s actually more like a large village.


    The snow on the roads had never been cleared, but had been solidly compacted by horse-drawn carts and foot traffic.


    Despite having passed the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the festive spirit still filled the village.


    Occasionally, laughter and the faint sounds of firecrackers from children setting off small firecrackers could be heard.


    At that moment, a group of teenagers ran towards them, the ones in front running desperately, with those behind in hot pursuit.


    The boy in the rear seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, holding something in his hand, shouting as he ran, ¡°Qian Ergou, Sun Tiehua, you bastards, stop¡­¡±


    Following him were two younger boys, each holding a wooden stick, also joining in the commotion.


    And so, the group headed straight towards Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize.


    About seven or eight kids sped past Gu Qiaoqiao like a whirlwind.


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could get a clear view, the two kids in front turned back excitedly, jumping and hopping in front of her, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, Sister Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re back¡­¡±


    Then they pointed at the few boys chasing behind them and tattled, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, your brother is trying to hit me with a brick, you have to do something!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao immediately spotted the red-faced, panting boy.


    His wild sword-like eyebrows were tilted upwards at the ends, coupled with a straight nose, which only accentuated his rebellious demeanor.


    This was her only younger brother¡ªGu Zishu.


    Her last memory of him was of his peaceful, almost liberated, lifeless body, and now he was so vividly running towards her.


    The sunlight seemed to dance in his eyes.


    Before she had time to look closely, Gu Zishu hugged her tight, excitedly shouting, ¡°Sister, sister, you¡¯re back, why didn¡¯t you let me pick you up?¡±


    Then he turned to the smiling Qin Yize and greeted him warmly, ¡°Brother-in-law!¡±


    Without waiting for Qin Yize to speak, Gu Qiaoqiao pushed her brother away, pointing her trembling finger at the brick in his hand, she asked sternly, ¡°Gu Zishu, what are you going to do with that brick?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79 Finally Home

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Finally Home


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Zishu was yelled at and was stunned, not knowing what to say.


    Qian Ergou, not minding making a bigger scene, shouted loudly, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, your brother is going to smash me with a brick.¡±


    ¡°Where did the brick come from?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao roared.


    ¡°Picked it up from the ground¡­¡± Gu Zishu got startled by his older sister but honestly replied.


    ¡°So if there were a knife on the ground, would you also pick it up and go slash someone?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked fiercely.


    Without waiting for Gu Zishu to react, she snatched a wooden stick from a teenager nearby and swung it towards Gu Zishu.


    ...


    Gu Qiaoqiao had often used a stick to discipline her brother like this before.


    Hence, conditioned by past experiences, Gu Zishu jumped to the side, but his enthusiasm was dissipated by a fierce scolding from Gu Qiaoqiao, leaving him disheartened.


    At the same time, a sense of grievance rose within the young boy.


    He said angrily, ¡°Stinky sister, I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡±


    With that, he turned to run towards home.


    But before he had taken two steps, he was grabbed by the cotton jacket¡¯s collar by Qin Yize, who almost lifted him off his feet.


    ¡°Let go of me, let go¡­¡±


    Qin Yize did not let go, though he relaxed his grip somewhat and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Your sister has a point in scolding you, even a half brick can be a dangerous weapon.¡±


    His tall stature and the innate authority in his bones deterred Gu Zishu from resisting.


    Although he had only seen him twice, Qin Yize was the person he admired the most.


    In his eyes, his brother-in-law was practically invincible.


    But still, he muttered, ¡°Qian Ergou and Sun Tiehua just deserve a beating.¡±


    The other kids did not dare to laugh at Gu Zishu being caught by his brother-in-law, but Qian Ergou muttered, ¡°You¡¯re the one who deserves a beating.¡±


    ¡°Say that one more time,¡± Gu Zishu yelled furiously.


    Gu Zishu was considered somewhat of a little tyrant in Stone Town, and many kids were indeed afraid of him.


    Moreover, this man was not only handsome but also skilled in movement; nobody saw how he did it, but he effortlessly caught Gu Zishu.


    No wonder Gu Zishu always said his brother-in-law was the most formidable.


    Only now did Gu Qiaoqiao seem to realize what she had done, a flicker of guilt flashed in her eyes, but she also felt unsettled, not because she was clinging to her past life.


    It was because her brother¡¯s nature was indeed unruly, always getting into trouble, and without suppressing him a bit, who knows what kind of disaster he might cause later.


    Qin Yize let go of Gu Zishu, he did not fully agree with Gu Qiaoqiao scolding Gu Zishu without understanding the situation.


    So he glanced coolly at the other children and asked, ¡°Why were you guys fighting?¡±


    Qian Ergou and Sun Tiehua dodged their eyes, remaining silent.


    Before Gu Zishu could speak, a twelve or thirteen-year-old kid pointed at the two, ¡°They were going to set off firecrackers by the hay stack, Gu Zishu wouldn¡¯t let them, and then they started fighting, it was Qian Ergou who threw the first punch, we were just rooting out the menace for the people.¡±


    Qin Yize patted Gu Zishu on the head and then squeezed his shoulder, saying, ¡°No wonder you ran so far and still looked calm, you¡¯ve got a tough build and a strong sense of justice too, you did right in stopping them!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Zishu¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled.


    Qin Yize nodded, ¡°Discovering and stopping a potential danger in time makes you a good kid, but still, you need to change your approach, at the very least, you need to convince them¡­¡±


    ¡°How do I change, how do I make them convinced?¡± Gu Zishu, seemingly forgetting about his anger with Gu Qiaoqiao moments earlier, eagerly asked.


    This was exactly what he was most distressed about.


    These people might appear submissive on the outside, but inside they were not convinced at all.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we get back,¡± Qin Yize said nonchalantly.


    Then, looking at the child who had caused the trouble, they seriously said, ¡°Setting off firecrackers by the wheat stacks is the most dangerous behavior, especially on a windy day like today, it can easily start a fire. You two should thank Gu Zishu for stopping you in time, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable. Never do this again, do you hear me?¡±


    Gu Zishu puffed out his chest with pride.


    Qian Ergou nodded his head repeatedly, ¡°I won¡¯t dare again¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the other children and took out a handful of candy from her bag, saying with a smile, ¡°Here, have some candy, but never ever do such dangerous things again. If a fire starts, you¡¯ll definitely get caught¡­¡±


    The children were startled at first, but then their eyes sparkled at the sight of the candy. They took it without hesitation, sharing among themselves one piece each.


    It seemed that the chase from moments ago was nothing more than a game.


    And that is just how children are.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Gu Zishu, apologizing, ¡°I wronged you, Zishu; I¡¯m sorry, Sister Qiaoqiao.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Gu Zishu tilted his neck arrogantly, ¡°You scold me as soon as you get back, even though I missed you so much¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hugged Gu Zishu, choking up, ¡°Zishu, Sister missed you too.¡±


    Gu Zishu, embarrassed, wriggled free and, seizing a travel bag, put on a bright smile, ¡°Sister, Brother-in-law, let¡¯s hurry home. Our family has been longing for you for over half a month now.¡±


    He then skipped and hopped beside Qin Yize, seeming proud to have such a handsome and capable brother-in-law.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up slightly. Because the town didn¡¯t burn coal, Stone Town¡¯s sky was still very blue even in winter. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Today, it was as if it were a gemstone.


    Her spirits finally began to soar again.


    With Gu Zishu¡¯s interruption, her mood had greatly improved. Along the way, she greeted the familiar yet unfamiliar faces with a smile.


    However, when she saw the familiar red brick and large-tiled house, she still felt somewhat dazed.


    The Gu Family¡¯s homestead was very large, and Grandpa Gu was the first person in the village to build a house with red bricks.


    There were large vegetable gardens in the front and the back, with half-human-high earthen walls made of yellow mud encircling them.


    In summer, the walls were covered in trumpet flowers.


    The main gate faced south.


    It was two large doors made of poplar.


    She looked at the half-open main gate.


    Her hand, hanging by her side, clenched tightly.


    No one could understand her feelings.


    Even though it was a second lifetime for her, in her memory it had been only a few years.


    All her memories stopped on that day.


    She hadn¡¯t waited for her body to recover, nor had she seen her brother who was taken away, when she received the tragic news of her mother and sister.


    And her father had already passed away while she was in a coma.


    The affairs of the Qin Family were handled in the afterlife.


    But in those days when her mother and sister passed away one after the other, Grandma Qin also left, and Qin Xiaoyu was sent to the hospital.


    Shen Manru, seeing her, almost wanted to kill her; how could she care about the affairs of the Gu Family?


    She dragged her body, covered in welts, enduring the severe pain in her throat, and staggered onto the car.


    By the time she reached home, there were two coffins laying at the gate¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was somewhat hazy, and mist began to fill her eyes. Qin Yize¡¯s gaze focused on her, his brow furrowed slightly.


    But Gu Zishu was unaware of the nightmare in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart. Holding the travel bag, he pushed the main gate open, rushing down the path toward the main house, shouting as he ran, ¡°Dad, Mom, Qianqian, Sister and Brother-in-law are back¡­¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80: The Boy Next Door

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Boy Next Door


    Then, a girl dressed in pink cotton clothing emerged, like a pink butterfly fluttering from the red brick tiled house.


    Like a whirlwind of pink, she rushed to Gu Qiaoqiao and hugged her tightly, exclaiming with joy, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve missed you to death¡­¡±


    This was her younger sister, Gu Qianqian.


    The little girl¡¯s excited face was flushed red, and her eyes, identical to Gu Zishu¡¯s, shimmered with tears.


    The sisters had grown up together and this had been the first time they were apart for so long.


    Then a middle-aged woman hurried out of the house.


    ...


    Her neatly cut short hair, her delicate face, and her eyes looked moist under the sunlight.


    Behind her followed a somewhat gaunt middle-aged man.


    Wearing glasses, with slanted sword-like eyebrows and pursed lips, he strode at an even pace, appearing like a schoolteacher from the Republic of China era.


    He seemed stern, yet a faint smile lingered on his face.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s restless heart finally settled snugly inside her chest.


    Then her body warmed, and her limbs relaxed¡­


    Those were her mother Lian Yuhong and her father Gu Tianfeng.


    All three of them were now standing right in front of her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tightened her grip on her sister¡¯s hand and finally, unwillingly, let go, her voice choked with emotion, ¡°Qianqian, Sister missed you too.¡±


    Then, with eyes brimming with tears and a heart full of anticipation, she looked at Lian Yuhong approaching eagerly. She wanted to throw herself into her mother¡¯s embrace when,


    Unexpectedly, it seemed that the first thing her mother noticed was Qin Yize, her smile brightening but somewhat strained.


    ¡°¡­ Mom¡­ Dad¡­¡± Qin Yize hesitated for a moment but still spoke politely.


    ¡°Ah Ze, come in quickly, it¡¯s cold outside, hurry inside. The big kang in the house is really warm¡­¡±


    Lian Yuhong laughed heartily, seeing her daughter¡¯s fair little face, she knew she had been doing well, and coupled with Qin Yize¡¯s polite yet warm greeting,


    Her heart finally settled.


    Then she turned to her daughter, ¡°Hurry and bring Ah Ze inside, why are you standing there like a fool?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, watching as Lian Yuhong already started walking with Qin Yize toward the courtyard, somewhat unable to react.


    Gu Qianqian whispered in her ear, ¡°Mom said, a son-in-law is like half a son, you¡¯re about to lose your favor, haha¡­¡±


    Saying so, she giggled softly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found it amusing and stroked her sister¡¯s hair, pinching her glowing red cheeks affectionately, ¡°You little rascal¡­¡±


    After that, they followed Lian Yuhong into the main house.


    The houses on this land were different from those inside the pass.


    There were no east or west wing rooms. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was only one main house; some would build a lower front room by the entrance that was almost the same size as the main house.


    The Gu Family had a simple household, so there were only five rooms facing Chaoyang in the main house.


    Next to the main house was the storage room, for grain, frozen goods, and other sundries.


    The door was in the very center.


    Upon entering, the kitchen and entrance hall were one and the same.


    There were rooms to the left and right.


    The group entered the room on the left, which served as the living room and dining room.


    Along the windows, there was a row of large kangs.


    The floor of the room was laid with red bricks, and on the north side stood an Eight Immortals table with two chairs beside it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood dumbly at the doorway, even feeling disoriented for a moment.


    But she was pushed gently into the room by her giggling younger sister following behind.


    Afterward, Gu Qiaoqiao finally calmed down.


    Yet, to the rest of the family, her emotional unease went unnoticed.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, however, were deep with concern.


    No matter how he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, it seemed as if she hadn¡¯t been home for more than a decade.


    The Gu family home was bustling with activity.


    Qin Yize, following local custom, took off his shoes and climbed onto the kang, which truly was a wonderful thing from the North.


    Sit down, it¡¯s nice and warm.


    He thought, after returning to base, he should also buy some red bricks, and then find a few local bricklayers, but he remembered that the deputy commander of the guard was quite skilled at installing kang heaters.


    With these kang heaters installed in the base¡¯s family courtyards, they would surely be a lot more comfortable.


    In fact, the local residents all had kang heaters in their homes; it was just that the family courtyards in the base, being newly built, had no one to light fires, so the ice-cold kang heaters were less comfortable than sleeping in beds.


    However, the base was gradually being built up, so many of the infrastructure elements were also being improved bit by bit.


    Zishu, the younger brother with a delicate name, was actually quite mischievous, jumping up and down on the kang, like a playful monkey.


    Rural people are enthusiastic; when someone has guests, they all like to join in the fun.


    Today was no exception for the Gu Family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao saw the faces of the women who used to call her a curse in her previous life, but she just smiled and didn¡¯t speak.


    No one paid it any mind.


    After all, in their eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao was still a new bride.


    Being shy was definitely expected.


    Someone glanced towards Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s belly.


    In the kitchen, Gu Qiaoqiao pretended not to know and continued to help her mother peel green onions.


    Lian Yuhong glanced at the meat and vegetables on the table, feeling relieved she had prepared in advance, otherwise, how would she have entertained the new son-in-law today.


    A few days ago, Qiaoqiao had called saying not to fuss over or pick them up in the next few days.


    Luckily, the son-in-law called on the first day of the lunar year to say he would come back with Qiaoqiao if time permitted.


    Thinking of this, and looking at her daughter, a flash of maternal love crossed her eyes, ¡°Qiaoqiao, do you want to eat a bean-stuffed bun?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly nodded, ¡°Mom, I want one, I really do.¡±


    ¡°The bean-stuffed buns are in the storage room, go get them yourself¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up happily, put on her down jacket, and looked at Qin Yize, who was chatting with her father in the room, then glanced at Gu Zishu.


    She pursed her lips, feeling like her brother was about to be whisked away by Qin Yize.


    The most distinctive feature of a rural courtyard is its size.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at the blue sky and took a deep breath; the air was really good.


    A whiff of it was soothing to the body and mind.


    She took a basin and walked towards the storage room on the east side.


    Then, she saw a tall and slender youth standing across from the hedge.


    His features were as tranquil as distant mountains, full of a gentle and graceful air, his complexion pale, but his eyes shone like black cleansing stones.


    He seemed to have been waiting there for a while. Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, he appeared somewhat nervous but still softly began, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, you¡¯re back¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gripped the basin tightly in her hands and gazed at the youth, who, despite wearing worn clothes, could not hide his elegance.


    He was her neighbor, having grown up together since childhood, two years younger than her and one year older than her brother. His name was Chang Qing.


    It was Grandpa Gu who had named him.


    He lost his mother at an early age; his stepmother was cruel, always beating or scolding him.


    His father, honest to the point of being pitiful, dared not utter a word.


    There was a time when she couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore and rushed over to argue with that woman, only to be defeated.


    Chang Qing¡¯s stepmother was a true shrew, hurling disgusting insults that left Gu Qiaoqiao, a twelve-year-old girl, only able to cry silently.


    Later, the woman received a lesson from Grandpa Gu and became much more subdued.


    Ever since then, Chang Qing tended to follow behind her, timidly calling her ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao.¡±


    And who could know that this youth before her would, seven years later, become the youngest physicist in Hua Country, winning an internationally prestigious award.


    Then, that leading institute of physics held a welcome reception in the hotel where she worked.


    She, who never interacted with guests, went to the banquet hall that day to deliver a case of wine out of the blue.


    As she opened the door, she saw the young man standing on stage.


    She didn¡¯t recognize him.


    But Chang Qing, as if mad, ran down from the award podium towards her, calling out as he ran, ¡°Sister Qiao, Sister Qiao¡­¡±


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could react, he had grasped her arm and instantly started crying like a child, ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡¯ve finally found you, I¡¯ve been searching for you for four years, but you were actually here, sob¡­¡±

 Chapter 81 - 81: Chang Qings Three Wishes!

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Chang Qing¡¯s Three Wishes!


    Actually, when Gu Qiaoqiao married and went to the Imperial Capital in her past life, she was eighteen years old, and Chang Qing was sixteen.


    It was just that after hearing he had been admitted to a university in the provincial city, he seemed never to have returned to the village.


    However, Gu Tianfeng always received all sorts of books from the provincial city.


    And some review materials for Zishu and Qianqian.


    Gu Tianfeng loved books.


    Gu Qianqian loved studying.


    ...


    These were things they liked, which the Chang Family simply did not need.


    Gu Tianfeng guessed it was Chang Qing, but he also could not destroy Chang Qing¡¯s good intentions.


    So, people in the village thought those books were sent by Sister Qiaoqiao.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao, watching the youth standing across the fence, seemed to overlap with the man who had been crying noisily.


    She clearly remembered herself, still in a daze, being pulled outside by Chang Qing.


    That conversation, that scene, she thought she had forgotten, but actually, she hadn¡¯t forgotten at all.


    He said, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, from now on, consider me as your family, your little brother; we will wait together for Zishu to come out.¡±


    He said, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, you know I don¡¯t have family either, don¡¯t ignore me.¡±


    He said, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, from now on, I will protect you, not letting you suffer any grievances anymore.¡±


    He said, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, please, give me a chance to take care of you¡­¡±


    He still had tears on his face, but he kept smiling at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    His hand didn¡¯t loosen at all.


    Worrying that if he let go, his Sister Qiaoqiao would be lost to him forever.


    By that time, Chang Qing¡¯s leaders and colleagues who had reacted came rushing over.


    After all, such an incident had occurred during a banquet that had been going smoothly, leaving many people confused.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, who had been mute for many years, just looked at him without speaking.


    And at that time, her hair had turned white, and she was extremely thin.


    Then a colleague curiously spoke up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew he meant no harm, but his words still caused a drastic change in her expression.


    ¡°Hey, Chang Qing, who is this old lady?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Chang Qing became furious, swung a punch that landed squarely on the man¡¯s nose, causing blood to flow immediately. Then he pounced on the man, pinning him to the ground, swinging punches while bellowing, ¡°She is my Sister Qiao, my only family, if you dare speak disrespectfully again I will beat you to death¡­¡±


    The scene was chaotic.


    Afterward, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t avoid it, after all, her job was hard-won. Even though An Xiaolan was the chairperson of the hotel, Lijing Ho was not under her control alone.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao was really an insignificant person, the power struggles among the higher-ups had no impact on her.


    Thus, she always had a good time working here, and the salary was generous too.


    From that day on, whenever Chang Qing had time, he would come to pick her up after work, handing over his hefty bonus and paycheck into her hands.


    In front of her, he smiled with the satisfaction of a child.


    He took her to see the gardens of emperors, he took her to see Yan Lake filled with white reeds¡­


    He clumsily cooked for her, told jokes to cheer her up.


    He went with her to visit her brother in prison and transmitted her words to Gu Zishu.


    That was the only warm eight months she had.


    He was a genius, a special talent for the country, and even if he wanted to be ordinary, the country would not allow it.


    That day, he came to say goodbye.


    He couldn¡¯t tell her the truth, but when Gu Qiaoqiao saw the two soldiers following him, she knew he was leaving.


    ¡°`


    At that moment, his expression solemn, he looked intently at Gu Qiaoqiao and said word by word, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I have three wishes in life, The first is to create a simulated vocal cord to enable you to speak, the second is to marry you, so you, I, and Zishu can be together forever, the third is to break the space-time laws and return to 1989 to prevent any tragedy from happening!¡±


    In that instant, Gu Qiaoqiao was astonished at the sight of the boy next door who seemed to have grown up long ago.


    Although she knew these three wishes could never be realized, Gu Qiaoqiao still cried.


    Standing at the door at that moment, Chang Qing¡¯s lean body was standing erect, his eyes filled with determination as he said, ¡°Wait for me to come back, you must wait for me to return¡­¡±


    Regrettably, she broke her promise!


    He was her warmth, but her little brother Zishu was her only hope to keep living.


    Her brother died. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She could no longer live on in desperation.


    She left him the house and all her savings, then unhesitatingly ended her own life of suffering!


    The winter wind blew in from one side of the hedge, and then she suddenly realized.


    Suppressing the tears in her eyes, she smiled and looked at Chang Qing, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back!¡±


    Indeed, she had returned, back to 1986 where none of the tragedies had occurred!


    Chang Qing¡¯s gaze was as clear as mountain spring water; he fidgeted with his whitened but visibly too short cotton jacket, lowering his head slightly as he asked, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, have you been doing well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been fairly well.¡±


    ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, you¡­ it seems like you¡¯ve grown taller¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve also gotten taller. I remember the last time I left, you weren¡¯t as tall as me, but now you¡¯re half a head taller than I am¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 19 centimeters taller than you¡­¡± Chang Qing¡¯s voice carried a trace of joy, as if being taller than Gu Qiaoqiao was something quite exciting.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised and curiously asked, ¡°Are you just making that up?¡±


    ¡°I know the height of the hedge, then I calculated it¡­¡± Chang Qing said, turning his face away shyly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed.


    This child was actually always extremely bright.


    ¡°Does your stepmother still beat and scold you?¡±


    ¡°As long as I can still go to school, none of that matters¡­¡± Chang Qing said with a smile, seemingly indifferent to his stepmother¡¯s daily beatings and scoldings.


    Meanwhile, at the big pit, Qin Yize was listening to Gu Tianfeng talk about the origin of the wooden tea bowls placed on the kang table.


    They were completed by Grandpa Gu and Gu Qiaoqiao together.


    Qin Yize seemed intrigued. He picked up a tea bowl and scrutinized it carefully.


    The material was a very rare greenish-blue wood.


    The inside was as smooth as jade, and the light green color of the tea inside the bowl matched its hue.


    There were four in total.


    Each was carved with plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.


    Utterly exquisite.


    ¡°The plum blossom and bamboo were carved by Qiaoqiao, while the orchid and chrysanthemum were carved by my father. It¡¯s been seven years now; back then, Qiaoqiao was still in elementary school¡­¡± Gu Tianfeng reminisced.


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°The plum blossom and bamboo are a bit immature, but they have a lot of spirit¡­¡±


    Her hands were truly skilled!


    A twelve-year-old child managed to carve such vivid patterns into wood.


    And he had also seen the Eighteen Arhats recently carved by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    They could be called works of divine craftsmanship.


    Unable to stay out of the limelight, Gu Zishu stood on the red brick ground, excitedly saying, ¡°Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, I¡¯m really good at acrobatics. Let me show you¡­¡±


    And without waiting for Gu Tianfeng¡¯s intervention, he did a backflip without using his hands for support right on the ground, and then, finding it not quite satisfying, he did another.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 82 - 82: Inexplicable Irritability

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Inexplicable Irritability


    Then, standing on the ground with eyes sparkling full of anticipation, she asked, ¡°Brother-in-law, how was it?¡±


    Qin Yize was surprised and raised his eyebrows but hadn¡¯t expected that this kid would actually be a good prospect.


    Only sixteen this year, if sent to the Special Preparation Team, they might truly be able to make a name for themselves.


    However, as Gu Zishu was the Gu Family¡¯s only son, it was just a fleeting thought for him.


    With gentle eyes and brows, he praised, ¡°Not bad, your agility, resilience, and angles are all well mastered. Who did you learn this from?¡±


    Gu Zishu grinned proudly, ¡°Brother-in-law, I learned from the circus troupe that came to town last year.¡±


    ...


    Self-taught and quite skilled, impressive!


    Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyes widened in annoyance, ¡°Gu Zishu, can¡¯t you stay out of trouble for a bit? Go get your brother-in-law a skewer of candied hawthorns.¡±


    Qin Yize was taken aback and then couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    They were treating him like a child.


    But he didn¡¯t dislike the feeling, yet he still waved his hand, ¡°Zishu, don¡¯t bother, I don¡¯t eat sweets.¡±


    ¡°Those are candied hawthorns your mom made herself, with haw apples and winter mushrooms, boiled with rock candy. They taste quite good, give them a try.¡±


    Qin Yize did not decline further.


    After all, although he felt he was a strong and upright man, in Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyes, he was probably just a child.


    To refuse would have been unappreciative.


    This was Qin Yize¡¯s third visit to the Gu Family.


    Gu Tianfeng was a true scholar with a proud backbone, never feeling inferior in standing to the Qin Family.


    So, his attitude toward Qin Yize was very normal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mother, a typical rural woman, was capable and honest but always felt uneasy and nervous around him.


    And then there was Gu Zishu, a real monkey, fearless and greatly admiring of him.


    He and Gu Qianqian were twins. It was said that Qianqian was the best in studies and was the most studious of the three children, favored by Gu Tianfeng.


    The atmosphere in the Gu Family was very warm.


    Though they were poor, theirs was a typical happy household.


    At this thought, Qin Yize picked up another teacup engraved with a plum blossom. He noticed there was a line of writing, very small and somewhat blurry.


    So, he turned and held the teacup up to the sunlight streaming through the window to take a closer look, but his gaze fell upon the view outside the window.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was carrying a basin, and since her back was to him, he couldn¡¯t see her expression, but Qin Yize clearly saw the bright eyes of a handsome youth on the other side of the fence.


    And the laughter that seemed about to spill out of those eyes.


    He didn¡¯t always keep his gaze on Gu Qiaoqiao, but whenever he did look at her, his eyes would light up even more.


    He had seen that youth before. He hadn¡¯t expected that in less than a year, he would shoot up like bamboo after rain, now taller than Gu Qiaoqiao. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was the neighbor of the Gu Family.


    Named Chang Qing.


    Qin Yize put down the cup quietly, his gaze still on the boy and girl standing on either side of the fence.


    The winter scenery was bleak and solemn.


    Yet today, it seemed to be exceptionally vivid.


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows finally twitched, and the hand holding the teacup slowly loosened.


    And Gu Tianfeng also saw the two children talking over the fence in the courtyard outside the window.


    He sighed, ¡°Chang Qing lives a hard life. His mother died early, and his stepmother is brutal. From childhood, it¡¯s either beatings or scolding.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone care for him? What about his father?¡± Qin Yize continued to gaze at the two, but he voiced the question in his heart.


    ¡°His father is weak and doesn¡¯t dare to say a word. If others intervene, that woman throws a tantrum, screaming and threatening to take her life. In the end, Chang Qing is the one who suffers. And as you know, parents beating their children is a common occurrence. What I can do is ensure he doesn¡¯t starve and that he has books to read. Ah Ze, did you know that kid is incredibly smart, with an extraordinary memory, a genius¡­¡±


    Speaking to this point, Gu Tianfeng sighed again, ¡°I¡¯ve watched him grow up since he was little, yet all I can do is this much; I feel ashamed¡­¡±


    Qin Yize finally withdrew his gaze, yet his curiosity about what they were discussing lingered.


    Moreover, it seemed they were talking quite cheerfully.


    Suppressing a trace of inexplicable irritation in his heart, Qin Yize turned to Gu Tianfeng and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already led him onto a bright path. You¡¯ve done well, and there¡¯s truly no need for guilt.¡±


    Qin Yize could be very incisive when he spoke, yet his words were always apt.


    Hearing this, Gu Tianfeng first paused, and then as though awakening from a dream, felt enlightened.


    He looked at Qin Yize, ¡°Ah Ze, do you mean I shouldn¡¯t feel guilty?¡±


    ¡°Why should you feel guilty?¡± Qin Yize asked back.


    ¡°But I hear the sounds of beating and scolding from that courtyard every day; I can¡¯t do anything, and it pains me¡­¡±


    Seeing that Gu Tianfeng was genuinely troubled, Qin Yize spoke calmly, ¡°For Chang Qing, reading books is the most important thing in his life, only through which can he change his fate. You¡¯ve made that possible for him. To read books, he needs to be well-fed and healthy, and you¡¯ve made that happen too. As for the rest, consider it a toughening of his spirit. So, you should be proud of yourself!¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s voice was not loud, but to Gu Tianfeng¡¯s ears, every word sparkled with wisdom!


    His usually stern features softened and, with a broad laugh towards Qin Yize, he said, ¡°Good kid, I like what you say. Let¡¯s have a few drinks later¡­¡±


    Qin Yize smiled faintly, yet his gaze involuntarily drifted back outside the window.


    Those two were still talking¡­


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°You must be in junior three, right?¡±


    Chang Qing started school late; he was twelve when he entered the first grade. However, he was clever and skipped grades several times, though he also dropped out a few times. All in all, his education journey was quite arduous.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to skip to senior three when school starts and then take the college entrance exam.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned and blurted out, ¡°So fast, can you handle it?¡±


    Then she felt foolish; the child was a genius, after all.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements with the principal of County No.1 Middle School. I¡¯ve promised to be the top scorer in the city, and the principal will help with my student record and documentation. Moreover, being able to study up to now is already my limit; I can¡¯t bother Uncle Gu much longer because I¡¯ve grown up¡­¡±


    Chang Qing¡¯s voice was soft, with a smile on his face.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t say anything; Chang Qing was clever, and his future was bound to be brilliant.


    ¡°Then, Sister Qiaoqiao, I wish you success on the gold list in advance!¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said sincerely, with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I will.¡± Chang Qing nodded firmly.


    The encouragement from Sister Qiaoqiao was incredibly important to him!


    ¡°Come over for dinner tonight; there¡¯s lots of delicious food.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao invited warmly.


    ¡°No, I still need to gather firewood later.¡± Chang Qing smiled as he declined. Then, from the pocket of his worn cotton jacket, he took out a clean paper package and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, this is the kind you love the most, the black sticky ones. I dried them out, and they taste quite good.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, he placed the paper package into the bowl held by Gu Qiaoqiao and hurriedly ran off.

 Chapter 83 - 83: Why ask about the exam results when you are having a good time?

    Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Why ask about the exam results when you are having a good time?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at the paper-wrapped bundle in the pot.


    The black, oily fruit was delicious.


    She really did enjoy eating it.


    In summer, she would search the entire garden for the black, oily fruit to eat.


    But she had never thought that the fruit could also be dried in the sun.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened the paper bundle and took out a piece to eat.


    ...


    It was a bit sour, a bit sweet, very different from the fresh taste.


    But it was indeed very tasty.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about Chang Qing, who had already run off out of sight, and imagined that in his previous life Chang Qing must have been very sad to learn of his own death.


    She knew he wanted to repay her father for his kindness.


    But that kindness would equally bind him.


    Without her and her younger brother as burdens, he should lead a more relaxed life in the future.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put the paper bundle into the pocket of her down jacket, went into the storeroom, took about a dozen bean pastries, and returned to the main house.


    All those who came to gawk had left.


    Some people still wanted to come, but seeing that it was mealtime, they dismissed the thought.


    Usually, the absence of a pair of chopsticks doesn¡¯t matter, but today was the newlywed son-in-law¡¯s return, so there had to be some consideration.


    As a result, the Gu Family¡¯s home quieted down.


    However, it was only the sort of quiet that comes from not being disturbed; the Gu Family¡¯s home was very lively today.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, along with Lian Yuhong and Gu Qianqian, were busy bustling about in the kitchen.


    Meanwhile, on the big kang bed in the living room, Gu Zishu was listening with great piety to Qin Yize as he recounted interesting stories that he could tell about his experiences in the mountains and borderlands over the past few years.


    Gu Zishu listened with sparkling eyes.


    However, after listening for a while, he began to play along with Qin Yize. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes he crawled forward on the kang bed,


    sometimes he held up his mom¡¯s feather duster, squinting his eyes and mimicking the motion of ¡®tat-tat-tat.¡¯


    His mouth continuously made ¡®bang bang¡¯ noises.


    Even the usually impassive Qin Yize couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Actually, Gu Zishu had been just as lively the first couple of times Qin Yize came.


    And the child¡¯s love and yearning for the military, as well as his knowledge of various weapons, were truly impressive.


    He was exceedingly well-versed.


    If he were to get into the military academy, he might be able to display his talents.


    Qin Yize couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Zishu, how are your grades? What rank did you get in the final exams?¡±


    Gu Zishu¡¯s movements suddenly froze.


    He blinked and stared at his brother-in-law in bewilderment.


    Everything was going so well, why ask about exam scores?


    That question was too profound.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to answer.


    With a flip, Gu Zishu rolled off the kang bed, hurriedly put on his shoes, and ran outside.


    As he lifted the door curtain, Gu Qianqian¡¯s small face appeared, and she called out teasingly to Qin Yize, ¡°Brother-in-law, Gu Zishu ranked third on the final exams¡­ Too bad it¡¯s from the bottom¡­ Haha¡­¡±


    Gu Zishu, infuriated, waved his little fists threateningly, ¡°Gu Qianqian, shut up.¡±


    ¡°You dare to threaten me, I¡¯ll have sister take care of you,¡± Gu Qianqian turned to go snitch.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled as she watched her brother and sister.


    Especially her brother, who definitely had ADHD.


    But she really liked her lively little brother who bounced around so much.


    It seemed as if the nightmare of her previous life was gradually receding.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s smile grew even deeper.


    The families on this land are almost all from the pioneering eastward movement.


    There are hardly any locals who were born and raised here.


    However, there¡¯s no shortage of distant relations and extended family.


    The Gu Family, though, they¡¯re purely newcomers, save for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s maternal grandmother¡¯s side, Grandpa Gu has no relatives here.


    Thus, as night fell, the usually quiet Gu Family home buzzed with unusual liveliness today.


    Yet Lian Yuhong felt unsettled.


    There was none of the pride that one¡¯s daughter had grown up; it was just sadness, and tears threatened to fall.


    But she had to hold them back since her son-in-law was sitting in the room.


    Watching her eldest daughter Gu Qiaoqiao skillfully chopping vegetables, cooking, and plating dishes, Lian Yuhong wondered, what kind of life did she lead at the Qin Family?


    How had her daughter, in just over six months, become as proficient as a seasoned restaurant chef?


    To think, at home, she rarely even let her wash dishes.


    Firstly because she only had two daughters.


    Secondly because she never forgot what her father-in-law said: Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands were meant for a sculptor.


    Not for cooking or preparing meals.


    Though it might have been a joke, she was always a competent woman, and her husband never just stood by idly.


    He wouldn¡¯t let her do the housework all by herself.


    So, as long as she managed, she never asked her daughters to lift a finger for such tasks.


    But what was she seeing now?


    Lian Yuhong wiped away a secret tear, and then forced a smile, praising, ¡°My daughter is so skillful, the food smells amazing.¡±


    It really did smell good.


    Especially the dishes stir-fried in a big iron wok over a cornstalk fire had an extraordinary aroma.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao noticed something off in Lian Yuhong¡¯s voice and expression, and looking over without understanding why, she saw her mother gazing intently at the spatula in her hand.


    Gu Qiaoqiao instantly understood.


    Lian Yuhong had really misunderstood the Qin Family.


    In two lifetimes combined, she had only cooked for half a month at the Qin Family¡¯s home.


    Her culinary skills had nothing to do with them.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re thinking too much. I hardly ever cooked at the Qin Family¡¯s home, just washed dishes a few times, but I did tidy up the house often.


    Sweeping and mopping floors, I¡¯ve always done that efficiently.¡±


    Lian Yuhong seemed skeptical, ¡°Really, you¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled, ¡°Why would I lie to you? Besides, being good at cooking isn¡¯t something shameful. I learned it from Grandma Qin. Don¡¯t you know how smart your daughter is?¡±


    Lian Yuhong stared blankly at Gu Qiaoqiao for a long moment before conceding that her daughter was right. Being good at cooking was something to be proud of, especially for a girl.


    Thus, she quickly hid her sorrow, thinking to herself how fortunate it was that the son-in-law was in the living room; how embarrassing it would have been if he had seen her.


    Lian Yuhong continued to praise, ¡°My daughter has always been clever and skilled, there¡¯s nothing she wants to learn that she can¡¯t master.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sister, if you worked a bit harder, you could have taken the college entrance exams, maybe you¡¯d be a university student too,¡± Gu Qianqian said with regret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t feel much about it. Marrying Qin Yize was one thing, but she really didn¡¯t like studying that much.


    What she preferred was sitting there, using Grandpa¡¯s carving knife, creating beautiful worlds from her imagination.


    But with so many opportunities in this life, she certainly wouldn¡¯t settle for being an assistant chef. She knew that becoming a true sculptor required serious study.


    At a minimum, she had to take advanced courses at the Art Academy.


    In fact, she never understood why her grandpa vacillated between delight and sorrow about her exceptional sculpting talent.


    It really was strange.


    Did Grandpa not want her to carry on his legacy?


    Or was it because she was a girl?


    But she never saw him pressuring her brother.


    Gu Qiaoqiao only spaced out for a moment before she said to Gu Qianqian, ¡°Qianqian, you study hard. Zishu is restless; our family is counting on you.¡±

 Chapter 84 - 84 A Warm and Happy Dinner

    Chapter 84: Chapter 84 A Warm and Happy Dinner


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re putting a lot of pressure on me with those words.¡±


    Sitting on a bench tending to the fire, Gu Qianqian deliberately pouted and complained.


    Gu Qiaoqiao picked up a thin slice of pork belly and placed it into Gu Qianqian¡¯s mouth, then pinched her tender cheek affectionately and said, ¡°Qianqian, your sister is serious, once you get into university, I¡¯ll support you. If you want to study abroad, I¡¯ll send you there, whatever you want to do, I¡¯ll support you¡­¡±


    A voice in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart was making a vow: In this lifetime, she would definitely protect her sister well, never letting her be lonely and helpless, without a path to follow.


    As Gu Qianqian savored the delicious pork belly, she said with emotion, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so good to me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll study hard and get into Imperial Capital University.¡±


    Lian Yuhong, sitting nearby, scolded jokingly, ¡°Even if Qianqian gets into university, your dad and I will support her. You just focus on leading your own good life, that¡¯s important.¡±


    ...


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t argue, just smiled, ¡°Of course, with you and dad here, there¡¯s hardly any need for me, is there¡­¡±


    ¡°You were so stubborn about not finishing high school, just short of one year. Do you regret it now? It¡¯s not because your dad and I didn¡¯t support you.¡±


    Lian Yuhong thought her daughter might be jealous, so she hurriedly explained.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled, ¡°Mom, I have my own plans.¡±


    Gu Zishu came running in from the outside and sneaked a peek at Qin Yize playing chess with Gu Tianfeng, wondering if his brother-in-law might have forgotten to ask him about his final exam results.


    But he was quite hungry and said urgently, ¡°Mom, is the food ready? My sister¡¯s husband must be starving¡­¡±


    That cheeky kid really did deserve a beating.


    Yet Gu Qiaoqiao still lovingly stuffed a piece of spare rib meat into his mouth, ¡°Are you the one who¡¯s hungry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, so my brother-in-law must be hungry too. Sister, you¡¯re not being a good wife¡­¡±


    Gu Zishu kept eating hungrily while idly chattering away.


    That little rascal really couldn¡¯t be silenced with meat.


    But what a wonderful little brother he was, as long as he didn¡¯t poke a hole in the sky, the rest could slowly be taught.


    As night gradually fell, the living room of the Gu family was brightly lit, and Qin Yize, when in Rome, chose to eat on the large brick bed.


    Two bed tables were joined together, and the dishes came out in succession.


    They were nearly all specialties of the North.


    Pork belly stewed with sauerkraut, chicken stewed with mushrooms, braised spare ribs, braised carp, frozen tofu stew with big bones, stir-fried potatoes with chili¡­


    The tempting aroma of food wafted in the air, placed one by one on the bed table.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew that her father and mother must have known they were coming back, so they had spared many of the New Year goods.


    However, it didn¡¯t matter, with her around, the days of the Gu family would get better and better.


    And Gu Tianfeng went from being somewhat unfamiliar with Qin Yize to getting to know him, and then to appreciating him.


    Thus, he was particularly happy.


    Though Qin Yize might be a noble gentleman born into a prestigious family, due to his frequent stays abroad, there were times when he was a very hearty man.


    Seated cross-legged beside the bed table, he didn¡¯t seem out of place at all.


    So the meal at the Gu Family was very joyful.


    After the meal was over, it was time to give out gifts.


    Qin Yize brought a set of books for Gu Tianfeng.


    Seeing the light in her father¡¯s eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao knew that the books must be precious.


    For Lian Yuhong, it was a large piece of imported woolen cloth with a very nice feel.


    For Gu Qianqian, a pink electronic watch, which Gu Qiaoqiao knew Qin Xiaoyu also had one.


    For Gu Zishu, an airplane model.


    There were even nutritional supplements for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandmother.


    The gifts were somewhat heavy.


    Looking at Qin Yize, Gu Qiaoqiao wondered whether the gifts were his idea or Grandma Qin¡¯s.


    No matter who had prepared them, it was all a sincere gesture, and for her to say anything would be inappropriate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao therefore closed her mouth.


    At night, Gu Qiaoqiao and Gu Qianqian slept together.


    Qin Yize and Gu Zishu stayed in the room to the east of the kitchen.


    The large kang was already warmed up nicely.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had also taken out the gifts she bought for the family, and Gu Qianqian especially liked the pink wool batwing sweater that Qiaoqiao had bought for her.


    Stretching out her arms, the sleeves fluttered like butterfly wings, giving a sense of floating ethereally.


    The little girl¡¯s eyebrows were curved in happiness.


    The night was growing deep.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao had washed up, she paused and then followed Qin Yize into her brother¡¯s room.


    The room was very tidy, and the bedding was all new.


    The pillowcases were hand-embroidered by their mother, featuring two butterflies ready to take flight and peonies.


    Gu Zishu was jumping around excitedly.


    In short, he was never properly behaved.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave him a flick on the back of his neck, which made him behave slightly better, but he kept staring at Gu Qiaoqiao with his eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked curiously, ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡±


    Gu Zishu blurted out, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re also going to sleep here? I¡¯m telling you, no way, you better go back to your own room¡­¡±


    Qin Yize, who was beside them drying his hair, chuckled lightly with a glimmer in his eyes, and Gu Qiaoqiao, annoyed, slapped her brother on the back of his head.


    This time Gu Zishu didn¡¯t avoid his sister¡¯s palm, and after being hit squarely, he yelped and scurried next to Qin Yize, pointing at Gu Qiaoqiao and complaining, ¡°Brother-in-law, you deal with her. I¡¯m a grown man now, and she still hits my head, which really hurts my dignity.¡±


    This silly little brother of mine. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at him helplessly, then softly asked Qin Yize, ¡°Are you comfortable staying here?¡±


    ¡°I used to stay like this when I came over before, I¡¯m quite used to it¡­¡± said Qin Yize with an implied meaning.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao realize, right, according to the timeline, it hadn¡¯t been a year since the last time Qin Yize came to pick her up.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re comfortable, you should rest early,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said before glaring at the restless Gu Zishu, ¡°Behave yourself, I¡¯m going to check your winter vacation homework tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Gu Zishu wailed.


    His sister was so mean, bringing that up in front of his brother-in-law. Besides, he couldn¡¯t dare to show it.


    There was still a week left before the school term started.


    He had planned to cram the night before school started.


    So, Gu Zishu swiftly dove under the covers and didn¡¯t dare to make another peep.


    Qin Yize watched Gu Zishu with amusement, finding that the kid seemed quite afraid of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    It probably had something to do with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s willingness to strike him.


    After speaking, Gu Qiaoqiao left her brother¡¯s room.


    On the other side were the rooms of Grandpa and Grandma.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment and then pushed the door open.


    She turned on the electric light, and everything inside was exactly the same as she remembered, no changes at all.


    It was a separate suite with a study, bedroom, and a dedicated washing room.


    The room was a bit cold, and Gu Qiaoqiao looked around at the familiar arrangements, at the old wedding photo of her grandparents.


    Once again, tears unavoidably welled up in her eyes.


    In her previous life, she also had an archenemy.


    It was a family living on the west end of Stone Town.

 Chapter 85 - 85 The Secret of Grandpas Study

    Chapter 85: Chapter 85 The Secret of Grandpa¡¯s Study


    The master of that family was three years younger than my father, an orphan named Kang Shan. Grandpa Gu, taking pity on him, raised him and then found him a wife to start a family.


    Although it wasn¡¯t the grand five-room brick house, he still built Kang Shan a modest abode with two rooms in the front with brick walls and one in the back made of mud bricks.


    Grandpa Gu wasn¡¯t wealthy, but he had done all that benevolence and righteousness required.


    Yet, he never expected that very family would become the culprit that drove his sister to death.


    When their mother fell gravely ill, Gu Qianqian somehow borrowed five thousand yuan in high-interest loans from Kang Shan.


    The foolish sister even pressed her thumbprint and signed her name.


    ...


    A week later, their mother, filled with regret, passed away in the county hospital.


    So, when she returned, she was greeted not only by two coffins but also by an IOU.


    With compounded interest, the debt had already reached over ten thousand.


    To Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, this amount was astronomical.


    And his family, going around the town, cursed her for being a bad omen, claiming misfortune befell anyone involved with her.


    Thus, they took over her home.


    She didn¡¯t manage to take a single possession with her when dozens of people, armed with wooden sticks and hoes, drove her out of Stone Town.


    She took refuge with her grandmother, who suffered a stroke due to the sudden calamity. After her uncle had buried her mother and sister, he went to reason with Kang Shan, only to be beaten and left with a broken leg. Her aunt knelt before her, imploring her to leave quickly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was the harbinger of doom; she mustn¡¯t let her destroy their family.


    Her uncle, who was not favored by her father, sold his blood at the hospital to gather enough money for her travel fare, sent her on a train, promising to visit her once he had saved up the fare.


    Asking her to take good care of herself.


    Those were dark days, the most heart-wrenching memories of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s past life.


    Once her situation improved, she would secretly send them money.


    But she never dared to return to see them.


    She felt like she truly was a harbinger of doom, indeed bringing misfortune to anyone she touched!


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked into the study.


    This was where Grandpa read and carved.


    Grandpa didn¡¯t have many savings, and the items in the house were quite simple.


    The only valuable thing was a set of carving knives, which she had already taken to the Imperial Capital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat down; the room was cold, yet her heart couldn¡¯t be calmed at all.


    Her hatred was too intense.


    So intense that when she was alone, even breathing felt suffocating.


    Grandpa had the habit of reading and taking notes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao went through them slowly, absorbing his reflections and insights on his readings.


    She organized the notebooks, planning to look through them more carefully when she had time.


    On the side of the study close to the window stood a stone shelf, topped with a root carving.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was intimately familiar with it.


    She casually took a seat, eyeing the tidy desk, her hands tapping unconsciously on the surface.


    Then suddenly, her fingers paused.


    They stopped on a specific part of the desk.


    She looked closely, and though nothing seemed amiss, her fingers detected an indescribable oddness when placed upon it.


    Knowing her own sensitivity, she refrained from inspecting further and instead focused on feeling deliberately.


    Then, a vision suddenly surfaced in her mind: a cloud pattern. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A complicated design.


    At the center, there seemed to be something the size of a grain of rice. Her fingers followed the pattern towards this minuscule entity and pressed down.


    With a click, a previously smooth segment of the desk slowly rose, revealing a box.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Her eyes widened at the scene unfolding before her.


    Just as it happened, the slightly ajar door was pushed open, and a clear voice followed, ¡°It¡¯s very cold in here, how long have you been staying¡­¡±


    What he wanted to say might have been ¡°for a while¡± or ¡°for a long time.¡±


    In any case, whatever it was, he swallowed it back in shock at the sight before his eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to look at Qin Yize at the door.


    Wearing only a sweater, with his features slightly flushed from drinking, even the corners of his eyes seemed to be tinged with a blush.


    For a moment, the room fell into complete silence.


    After a few breaths, Qin Yize apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he seemed to want to leave.


    After all, this might be some secret of the Gu Family.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao react, blurting out without thinking, ¡°Don¡¯t go, come over here quickly¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew that the man before her was trustworthy.


    Qin Yize saw Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s somewhat pale face and hesitated only a moment before striding over.


    Standing beside Gu Qiaoqiao, he joined her in looking at the black box placed on the stand.


    ¡°What is this? Grandpa never mentioned it to me¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was about to reach out her hand, but Qin Yize quickly stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t rush¡­¡±


    With that, he scanned the surroundings and then lowered his head to observe the black box, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. Without further hesitation, he reached out and took the box.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also looked over curiously.


    Qin Yize handed the box to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°This box seems to be all of a piece, really strange¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao took it and looked at it carefully in the light.


    However, inside her heart a storm seemed to rise.


    Why did Grandpa hide a box in his desk?


    And in her previous lifetime, she had no idea there was anything strange about this desk until she died.


    The box was square.


    About the size of a book.


    It weighed around five jin.


    Like jade, yet like wood.


    With faintly visible patterns.


    But there was no spot that seemed to open it.


    It was like a square block of black stone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt it with her fingers.


    There was something inside.


    And the thing inside seemed to respond to her fingers.


    What was that feeling?


    It was like spiritual energy attracting each other.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said to Qin Yize, ¡°Do you think we can chisel it open with an axe?¡±


    Qin Yize looked pensively for a moment, then suddenly raised an eyebrow in surprise. He then gestured for Gu Qiaoqiao to place the black box on the table, murmuring, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is a Qiankun Unified Mechanism Box.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Qiankun Unified Mechanism Box?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked involuntarily.


    ¡°I heard Great Grandfather mention that in the past some master craftsmen could create secret mechanisms and hidden weapons, of which this is one. It is said that this mechanism is formidable, impervious to axe or fire. Only a special method can open it.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at the box, ¡°What could be inside it?¡±


    Qin Yize, however, picked up the box and placed it back in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands, frowning, ¡°It¡¯s too cold here, take it back and study it slowly.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down, hesitated for a moment, then placed it on the stand. Following the pattern of clouds, she pressed on something as small as a grain of rice; the stand, carrying the box, slowly descended.


    The desk returned to its normal state.


    No one would be able to imagine the secret hidden within.


    Qin Yize, however, did not want to stay any longer, turned off the light, and led Gu Qiaoqiao out of the room.


    They reached the entrance to the kitchen, where it felt considerably warmer, before he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, seemingly asking nonchalantly, ¡°Did you and Chang Qing grow up together since childhood?¡±

 Chapter 86 - 86 She

    Chapter 86: Chapter 86 She


    Gu Qiaoqiao had not yet recovered from the shock of the black box when she heard Qin Yize¡¯s words, and she was stunned.


    Her big eyes blinked several times, and her expression was very bewildered, with the naive charm of a young girl.


    Qin Yize felt a momentary stagnation in his chest, and after a few breaths, he returned to normal.


    His gaze was cool, and feeling his own boredom, he gave a slight smile, ¡°I was just asking casually.¡±


    He then stopped talking and walked back to his room at an unhurried pace, gently closing the door behind him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, puzzled, glanced in his direction and then turned to head towards her and her younger sister¡¯s room.


    ...


    The night of winter offered nothing more than moonlight flowing like water.


    It seemed that even the guard dog, Big Yellow, had been so cold that it ran back to its kennel.


    The nighttime Stone Town had only a few homes with lights on, all other places were pitch dark, as if everyone had already settled into a deep sleep.


    The night was exceptionally tranquil.


    Qin Yize was lying on the warm kang, while the carefree little boy, Gu Zishu, by his side had long since fallen asleep.


    Like most boys or men, his snores were lively and joyful.


    Even with curtains, the moonlight flowed in like water.


    It seemed that the countryside¡¯s moonlight was especially bright, and, moreover, felt much closer.


    Yet, the scene from the day suddenly flashed before his eyes.


    The boy and girl standing opposite each other across the hedge.


    He wondered if Gu Qiaoqiao, who was insistent on the divorce, and then changed her mind midway, would change her decision again in a few days?


    Having lived for twenty-two years, his mind was much more mature than those of his peers.


    As such, there were many things that needed planning and consideration.


    Yet, he had seemingly never pondered so much over a girl¡¯s state of mind.


    Even though that girl was the wife listed on his household register.


    But even so, he still couldn¡¯t figure her out.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had, in fact, really changed.


    In the strictest sense, she had grown up¡­


    Qin Yize sighed almost inaudibly, and slowly closed his eyelids.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also tossed and turned, unable to sleep.


    However, her thoughts were not of Qin Yize; her mind was completely occupied by the mysterious black box.


    What was inside?


    If the box was made by her grandfather, what had he put inside it?


    And moreover, he had told no one.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shivered, realizing it wasn¡¯t that her grandfather didn¡¯t want to tell, but rather he hadn¡¯t had the chance to.


    She and Qin Yize had met because her grandfather got sick, and Qin Xuan and Qin Yize had rushed over upon hearing the news.


    On the day they arrived, her grandfather had passed the critical period, and the doctor declared everything normal; her grandfather was also discharged from the hospital.


    He could eat, drink, sleep, and his face was rosy, just like before.


    Then, under such joyful circumstances, the marriage between Qin Yize and her was arranged.


    Seeing his son agree, Qin Xuan had also consented.


    But, on the evening of the day when they were preparing to depart back to the Imperial Capital, her grandfather passed away quietly in his sleep.


    He had a tranquil expression, a smile lingering on his lips.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned over, and tears traced down from the corner of her eyes; if her grandfather were still alive, he would be only sixty-four years old this year.


    Perhaps her grandfather really had not had the chance to tell his family.


    In her past life, would this black box have ended up in Kang Shan¡¯s hands?


    After obtaining it, did she open it?


    Or perhaps she destroyed it or sold it¡­


    In any case, all of this remains unknown.


    And what exactly was Grandpa¡¯s background that he would create such a thing?


    For the first time, Gu Qiaoqiao seriously pondered this.


    Regrettably, aside from knowing that Grandpa was somewhat familiar with the Imperial Capital, she knew nothing else.


    And Grandpa never mentioned anything either.


    Meanwhile, in the North Mountain Villa District of the Imperial Capital.


    Adjacent to the most beautiful Xingzi Lake of the summer, there stood a villa covering thousands of square meters.


    In the moonlight, one could see it was a building that fused Eastern and Western characteristics beautifully.


    Gu Cheng got out of the car and walked toward the villa.


    The butler of the villa hurriedly came forward to take the coat from Gu Cheng¡¯s hands, saying attentively, ¡°The lady has been waiting for you for quite a while.¡±


    Gu Cheng nodded and walked toward the living room.


    Inside, the villa was as warm as spring.


    The floor was covered with pure hand-woven Turkish carpets that felt soft and made no sound when stepped upon.


    The whole living room was luxurious yet elegant, which, in the eighties, could truly be considered a place of wealth in the mortal world.


    And the crystal chandelier, cascading like a waterfall, shone with dazzling light.


    Under its brilliance sat a noblewoman, lounging on the sofa, her brows slightly furrowed as if deep in thought.


    With a melon seed-shaped face, phoenix eyes, and black hair neatly coiled behind her head, she wore an exquisite silk cheongsam and a scarf draped over her shoulders.


    She was impeccably maintained; time appeared to have left no trace on her.


    She was Ning Wanru, nominally the Second Lady of the Gu family.


    Gu Cheng was her only son, but he was not Gu Qingfeng¡¯s biological son, merely a stepson.


    She had given birth to Gu Cheng at seventeen, and while he was now fifty-four, she was already in her early seventies.


    Yet she seemed even younger than Gu Cheng.


    Gu Cheng sat down next to Ning Wanru, and the butler gently placed the teacup down before discreetly withdrawing.


    ¡°Has Gu Qingfeng been out of danger?¡± Ning Wanru asked with calm in her voice.


    ¡°Yes, he was transferred to a regular ward today, but he still hasn¡¯t woken up¡­¡± Gu Cheng replied. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°His health has always been good, and he has had a personal doctor taking care of him around the clock. How did he end up in the hospital? Did you find out anything?¡± Ning Wanru asked, perplexed.


    Gu Cheng shook his head, ¡°No, according to those who were with him, it was sudden. He coughed up blood out of nowhere, and then he collapsed¡­¡±


    Ning Wanru furrowed her brows; that old man had a heart of stone, there was hardly anything that could shake him.


    So how did he suddenly cough up blood?


    ¡°Did he see something?¡± Ning Wanru suddenly asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± As Gu Cheng said this, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he continued, addressing Ning Wanru, ¡°Mother, this is a good opportunity.¡±


    If Gu Qingfeng died, everything of the Gu family would be his.


    After all, wasn¡¯t that what he had been waiting for today?


    Ning Wanru glanced at Gu Cheng, and a cold smirk flashed across her lips, ¡°Easy for you to say, but that old man keeps such a tight guard, nothing gets through to him. How can you act hastily? Moreover, you are at a crucial moment right now, how can you afford to be reckless?¡±


    ¡°Mother, that insider called today, saying the old man has sent another two people up north to look for the eldest son, but there¡¯s still no news¡­¡±


    ¡°We need to see him alive or see his body dead. That old bastard won¡¯t stop until he sees a coffin. As long as there¡¯s no grave to be seen, he will keep on searching,¡± Ning Wanru said bitterly.


    ¡°So, what do we do next?¡± Gu Cheng asked.


    ¡°Follow the old practice; buy those two people over to work for us,¡± Ning Wanru said, continuing, ¡°You must keep a close eye on them. Should there be any news, you need to make sure you¡¯re the first to know. Otherwise, all that the Gu family has will truly have little to do with you. You need to realize that besides Yubao Square, that old man also has a Jade Mine. That is where the real Golden Mountain lies. Compared to it, Yubao Square is nothing more than a shop.¡±

 Chapter 87 - 87: A Single Stone Stirs Up a Thousand Ripples.

    Chapter 87: Chapter 87: A Single Stone Stirs Up a Thousand Ripples.


    ¡°Mother, what if the eldest young master is still alive with a big family?¡± Gu Cheng asked with some concern.


    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± she replied. ¡°We¡¯ll ensure they never appear before Gu Qingfeng. Eliminating future problems, you and I will be the heirs. You have been father and son with Gu Qingfeng for fifty years; naturally, the Gu Family¡¯s wealth should belong to us¡ªall of it can only be ours!¡±


    Ning Wanru¡¯s voice grew firmer as she spoke the last sentence, her eyes gleaming with an eager, somewhat manic light.


    She had been with Gu Qingfeng for over fifty years, and now she was old. Seeing Gu Qingfeng¡¯s aged, frail figure, she had lost interest.


    But the Gu Family¡¯s wealth could only belong to her and her son.


    She wouldn¡¯t let anyone take even the tiniest bit from her hands!


    ...


    Gu Cheng looked at Ning Wanru with a sinister expression. ¡°Mother, if there are any descendants left, should we kill them all?¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Ning Wanru scolded. ¡°What era do you think this is, to entertain such thoughts?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ever heard of winning without a fight?¡± Ning Wanru said with a cold smile. ¡°Having blood on your hands always leads to trouble. Moreover, your grandson and I will take over the Gu Family and secure a place in the political realm, so we must be even more cautious. I knew this during the Republic of China era, and you should be particularly mindful of this today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother, I understand. That¡¯s why I admire you the most¡­¡± Gu Cheng said sincerely.


    There were many things he did not understand, but he knew that he and his mother were the ultimate victors.


    Ning Wanru sighed deeply, her eyes distant. ¡°Never underestimate the power of a small stone. Even if cast into a lake, it can stir up a thousand ripples.¡±


    Back then, she had been just a small stone, disrupting the serene and envy-inducing happiness of Gu Qingfeng and his wife, Lady Yu, and caused a massive stir.


    So much for marital bliss and a match made in heaven¡ªit was just an illusion in the absence of outside forces.


    Gu Cheng replied with a knowing smile, ¡°Mother, I understand. If we really find the eldest young master, we don¡¯t need a drop of blood¡ªjust a small stone can ruin everything.¡±


    ¡°Good, as long as you understand.¡± Ning Wanru seemed tired and looked at Gu Cheng. ¡°I have already made arrangements for you. In a month, you can get another half-rank promotion. Also, how do you plan to handle Gu Jianhua?¡±


    ¡°I plan to have him manage a northern company as the general manager for two years before returning to the Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, let¡¯s do it that way,¡± Ning Wanru agreed, then after a moment of thought, continued, ¡°Jiansheng has also graduated. Send him to Yubao Square; I will talk to Zhang Yi.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it that way. Mother, it¡¯s late; you should rest.¡±


    With that, Gu Cheng stood up.


    Ning Wanru waved him off, ¡°Go on, go on. I¡¯m just going to lie here a while longer; I don¡¯t feel like moving much anymore in my old age.¡±


    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re not old. When we go out together, many people think we are siblings,¡± he said.


    ¡°At this age, you¡¯ve learned to flatter, huh? Just go already,¡± Ning Wanru waved him away again, then as if remembering something, warned, ¡°But you need to restrain yourself a bit. Your wife has given you three sons and two daughters, give her some face in public.¡±


    Gu Cheng nodded nonchalantly and walked towards the door.


    By this time, the moon had already reached its zenith.


    The entire world seemed to have fallen into slumber.


    The next day, Qin Yize got up early and went for a run with the ever-present Gu Zishu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, unable to contain her excitement, had already taken Gu Tianfeng and the cook Lian Yuhong to her grandfather¡¯s study.


    When they saw the black box, both were equally shocked. After looking it over, Lian Yuhong, who was simple-minded, lost interest and said to the father-daughter duo, ¡°You two take it out and study it. It¡¯s too cold in this room; don¡¯t let Qiaoqiao catch a chill. I¡¯ll go and cook.¡±


    With that, she hurried off to the kitchen.


    To Lian Yuhong, eating was the most important thing.


    Gu Tianfeng was clueless about it as well.


    However, his thoughts had gone a bit further, ¡°Qiaoqiao, Ah Ze is trustworthy. I will remind your mom not to tell your brother and Qianqian just yet. We¡¯ll talk about it after it¡¯s been opened.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded in agreement; she felt the same way.


    But after looking for a long time, Gu Tianfeng couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, so he asked Gu Qiaoqiao to put everything back as it was.


    After breakfast, Gu Tianfeng planned to have Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize visit his mother-in-law¡¯s family in the neighboring village.


    Before they could leave the house, through the window, they saw two middle-aged men and women walking into the yard.


    It was Kang Shan and his wife, Li Cuihua.


    Kang Shan was not very tall, with dark skin and small eyes, appearing very honest and simple.


    His wife was the same.


    Watching him enter the room with a broad smile on his face, and seeing how respectfully he treated her parents, Gu Qiaoqiao contemplated.


    Who would have thought they could turn on you just like that?


    When Kang Shan saw Qin Yize, he was quite restrained. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Kang Shan addressed Gu Qiaoqiao affectionately, ¡°They say a young girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood. Qiaoqiao, after moving to Imperial Capital, you¡¯ve changed. You look even more sophisticated than city folk.¡±


    Li Cuihua nodded along, eyeing Gu Qiaoqiao with an envious look.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed the emotions surging within her and spoke indifferently, ¡°Uncle Kang seems to have gotten a bit older.¡±


    Uncle Kang?


    Why did this child call him Uncle Kang?


    Kang Shan felt a bit awkward, ¡°Qiaoqiao, haven¡¯t you always called me ¡®little uncle¡¯? Why have you started calling me ¡®Uncle Kang¡¯ now?¡±


    ¡°My grandfather only had my dad for a son, so where would a ¡®little uncle¡¯ come from? If outsiders heard this, who knows what they¡¯d think.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t intend to feign politeness; it was best to lay everything out in the open.


    So, her words were straightforward and unapologetic.


    As for this scoundrel who caused her sister¡¯s death, took over their home, broke her uncle¡¯s leg, and drove her out of Stone Town, she couldn¡¯t manage to gradually scheme in silence, discreetly, step by step¡­


    There¡¯s a saying that fits well: blind punches may well kill the master. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being too polite can make others think you¡¯re easy to bully.


    Like that human trafficker¡ªcaptured yet still daring to threaten her¡ªwasn¡¯t it because he thought she was easy to push around?


    But when she actually got tough, the trafficker was so scared he didn¡¯t dare put up a fight anymore.


    Fearing he might truly die at the hands of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    However, aside from Qin Yize, who remained composed, everyone else seemed a bit stunned by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s behavior.


    Kang Shan now had a rather unpleasant look on his face.


    And Li Cuihua was cursing inwardly, this slut; she had always thought she was no good, and sure enough, after becoming a city girl, she looked down on others with disdain.


    Were it not for the Qin Family being in Imperial Capital, she wouldn¡¯t have had to come to see the faces of the Members of the Gu Family.


    Gu Tianfeng was the first to snap out of it, visibly angry. He had thought the child had become sensible, but here she was being unreasonably obstinate.


    He found her words jarring to his own ears, let alone to Kang Shan¡¯s.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, what kind of way is that to speak?¡± Gu Tianfeng said, barely containing his anger.

 Chapter 88 - 88 If possible, he also wants to help her!

    Chapter 88: Chapter 88 If possible, he also wants to help her!


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking the truth, and besides, my grandfather already raised him and did his utmost. How could he still want to carry on my grandfather¡¯s name? Besides, his family name is Kang; he probably doesn¡¯t like me calling him ¡®little uncle¡¯ anyway.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled as she looked towards Kang Shan, ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I, Uncle Kang?¡±


    Kang Shan, ¡°¡­¡±


    Lian Yuhong hurriedly tried to smooth things over, ¡°You girl, always rattling on. Hurry and go see your grandma with Ah Ze. Your mother will make dumplings for you tonight.¡±


    Then, she warmly pulled Li Cuihua alongside, smiling very sincerely, ¡°This child has been spoiled rotten by Ah Ze. Just yesterday, as soon as she got back to the village, she grabbed a stick and gave Zishu a beating. Let¡¯s not be like her; come up to the kang and have some candy¡­¡±


    Although Lian Yuhong wasn¡¯t highly educated, she was exceptionally adept at dealing with people.


    In her indirect way, she not only refrained from putting down her daughter but made everyone feel that Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize were a loving couple.


    ...


    So, Li Cuihua, being an adult, couldn¡¯t hold a grudge against a child.


    Li Cuihua¡¯s expression improved greatly, and she also started to smile; she had heard about the incident.


    They said that as soon as Gu Qiaoqiao returned yesterday, she chased Gu Zishu with a stick, some saying that going to the city had inflated her temper, while others mentioned that Zishu was just too mischievous.


    If he wasn¡¯t disciplined, he¡¯d be out of control.


    Afterward, Lian Yuhong extended her hand, pushing on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s back, ¡°Go early and return early. Mom will make you sour cabbage and pork dumplings tonight¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled.


    But the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes, which swept over two people. These two were dressed modestly in cotton-padded jackets made by themselves, covered by a khaki outer coat.


    The outer coats were very new, clearly new clothes made for the New Year.


    The Kang family had four children, three sons and one daughter.


    The sons were at an awkward age.


    They couldn¡¯t do the work of adults yet, but their appetites nearly matched.


    So, the Kang family¡¯s days were ordinary. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, aside from a few who went out to do business, the days of other people in the village were also plain and simple.


    In the North¡¯s countryside during the eighties, they were still not keeping up with the pace of the reform and opening up.


    Therefore, compared to the South, they were always a few years behind.


    And this Kang family, Gu Qiaoqiao had never heard from Gu Tianfeng in her last life that they had struck it rich, so where could they have gotten five thousand yuan to lend to his sister?


    Five thousand yuan, half of ten thousand!


    Even three years later, in Stone Town, that was still a considerable sum of money.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed Qin Yize as they walked outside.


    Soon, they left Stone Town.


    Her grandmother¡¯s house was an hour¡¯s walk from Stone Town.


    It was in Lian Family Village, the closest to Stone Town.


    There was only one road wide enough for a horse cart that zigzagged through the fields.


    Here, there weren¡¯t any other means of transportation, but everyone was accustomed to it.


    For rural folks, walking for an hour or so was nothing at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat silent, seemingly calm, yet her mind was in tumult.


    She kept feeling like the events from her past life were beads scattered on the ground, without a thread to string them together.


    Where could Kang Shan have gotten the money for usury?


    How did my naive sister get tricked?


    All of these seemed like questions that would never find answers.


    Qin Yize was carrying things when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    The plains of the North stretched endlessly.


    Because spring had already arrived, some of the snow had melted, exposing the dark soil.


    But far away, it was still a vast expanse of white.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was deep in thought when suddenly, Qin Yize next to her came to a halt.


    She walked a few more steps before she realized it.


    Looking up in a daze, she saw Qin Yize.


    Because he was facing the light, his features weren¡¯t very clear, but his deep, ocean-like eyes were unmistakable.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt the sunlight was blinding and squinted unconsciously.


    Then Qin Yize walked over unhurriedly.


    He stopped a step away from Gu Qiaoqiao, leaned in slightly, and gazed intently at her.


    His heart was filled with too many questions.


    How could one person have so many faces?


    Just when you thought you had seen all there was to her, she would prove through her actions that there was much more.


    The couple he had seen that morning had an honest appearance, typical of Northern farmers.


    Perhaps they had some ulterior motives, or maybe they were eager to get to know him.


    That was all quite normal.


    Moreover, he had heard about this matter from Gu Tianfeng yesterday.


    From the conversation, he hadn¡¯t detected any deep-seated hatred between the two families.


    However, the way Gu Qiaoqiao acted just now, not to mention her harsh words, but that one look.


    It was chilling to the core!


    He had always been doubtful, but it was rare for him to feel a chill down his spine like he did today.


    Yes, that¡¯s right, that look was not only startling but also sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    Regrettably, the couple was only focused on smiling flatteringly at him.


    They indeed didn¡¯t see it.


    He looked closely at his little wife who said yes to marriage, divorce, and then regretted it at the drop of a hat.


    Her face hadn¡¯t changed.


    Her complexion was fair, and under the sunlight, it seemed to radiate a faint luster.


    Her curled eyelashes trembled lightly like butterfly wings, and although she never wore lipstick, her lips were as fresh as flower petals and were slightly parted at the moment.


    It seemed as though she had a thousand words to say, yet she didn¡¯t know how to begin.


    And those eyes full of thoughts, under a state of complete unguardedness, spilled their contents like flowing water.


    Whenever she would think, it seemed she isolated herself from the world.


    And she wasn¡¯t ready to let anyone know her troubles.


    Even her parents were kept at a distance.


    For the first time, Qin Yize looked at Gu Qiaoqiao so intently. Although he felt she had grown up, she was only nineteen years old, after all. What had she experienced that made her coldness and hatred inadvertently surface from time to time, sometimes with a desolation he couldn¡¯t comprehend?


    They were married last July, which was just a short seven months ago.


    She had spent these seven months within the Qin Family.


    He could understand her hatred for Bai Yun, her disdain for her own parents and Xiao Yu.


    But her about-face toward Gu Zishu yesterday and her hatred for that couple this morning made him feel that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s behavior was abnormal.


    Her harsh words puzzled him.


    When Kang Shan spoke to her, he was clearly at ease and even showed affection, evidently that¡¯s how they used to communicate.


    Yet she suddenly became aggressive.


    He was somewhat shocked to discover that he could no longer ignore what he saw or heard.


    He wanted to understand her, he wanted to know her troubles.


    If possible, he also wanted to help her!


    However, seeing the defensive shield Gu Qiaoqiao had put up again, Qin Yize knew she wouldn¡¯t tell him.


    A restless heart gradually calmed and settled.


    But inside, there was a feeling of emptiness¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao, not understanding, asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Qin Yize paused for a moment before replying indifferently.


    Just as he was about to stride away, he suddenly heard a young boy¡¯s slightly hoarse voice not far away, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, he continued, ¡°Big Brother Qin¡­¡±

 Chapter 89 - 89: Never Bully the Young and Poor!

    Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Never Bully the Young and Poor!


    Gu Zishu said that he was the only one¡¯s brother-in-law, and he, in fact, did not want to call him brother-in-law.


    Qin Yize turned his head to see a thinly dressed youth coming down another narrow goat path, carrying a bundle of broken branches on his back.


    It was Chang Qing.


    He curled up the corners of his mouth and nodded to him.


    Then he lowered his head to observe Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression, and indeed, the guardedness and alienation, along with the full heart and eyes of troubles, seemed to be just his misperception after all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao revealed a brilliant smile to Chang Qing, radiant just like the first time he saw it.


    ...


    It turned out, she could still smile like that.


    It¡¯s just that the person wasn¡¯t him.


    Chang Qing pulled at the corners of his mouth, suppressing the sourness in his heart.


    Sister Qiaoqiao and Big Brother Qin are really a good match.


    Just quietly looking at each other, it seemed as if everything else around had receded, as though in this world, there were only the two of them.


    Chang Qing felt he should be very happy.


    After all, he was the man Sister Qiaoqiao had fallen for at first sight, and only such an outstanding man deserved his Sister Qiaoqiao.


    However, he tugged at the corner of his mouth, yet he couldn¡¯t smile.


    Seeing it was Chang Qing, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But at the same time, she frowned, ¡°Chang Qing, did you go to gather firewood early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, gathering wood early allows me to revise English, and with no one to disturb me, it¡¯s really nice,¡±


    Chang Qing hurriedly explained.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, helping him wasn¡¯t urgent in these few days; after all, she would be staying at home this period.


    Thinking so, she did not say anything, but pulled out a piece of candy from her pocket, stepped forward, and unbidden, stuffed it into Chang Qing¡¯s cotton jacket pocket, speaking as if coddling a child, ¡°This candy is really tasty, not too sweet, and it can also restore energy. Don¡¯t overexert yourself, you need to be healthy to enter the exam hall and get good results¡­¡±


    Chang Qing didn¡¯t refuse anymore, with his head half-lowered, a layer of moisture filled his eyes.


    When he was ten, if it hadn¡¯t been for Sister Qiaoqiao rushing over, his crazed stepmother might have killed him.


    He naively thought they could always be neighbors.


    He thought they could go to college together.


    He stubbornly believed Sister Qiaoqiao would always be his Sister Qiaoqiao.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected that Sister Qiaoqiao would get married, and on the other side of the fence, there would no longer be that bright and warm smile¡­


    And the man standing beside her was a handsome man, Sister Qiaoqiao¡¯s husband!


    Chang Qing desperately suppressed the sourness in his heart, desperately tried to control his breathing, but it was no use. He carelessly wiped his face with his sleeve, then stopped dodging.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had cried in front of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    There was nothing shameful about it.


    He simply raised his head, finally smiled, and said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I understand now, Sister Qiaoqiao, you guys should go on, I need to get back too.¡±


    Saying this, he politely nodded and then turned around and hurried away.


    Qin Yize stayed silent, first because he had only met Chang Qing a few times and wasn¡¯t familiar with him, and second because the young man didn¡¯t need sympathy or pity.


    He didn¡¯t need to say anything.


    Silence was the best language.


    The two continued walking forward, with Gu Qiaoqiao evidently not dwelling too much on Chang Qing¡¯s woeful circumstances.


    She stepped on the snowy ground, which creaked under her feet, and her half-high boots sank into the soft snow beside the carriage wheel tracks.


    A breeze came, picking up the loose snow from the ground and fluttering it onto her hair, quickly melting among the strands.


    At this moment, the vast world was empty except for that unhurried man.


    This inexplicably delighted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, her pace alternately quickening and slowing, her footsteps light, boots covered in snowflakes.


    In the distance was a grove of poplar trees, with flocks of sparrows fluttering about.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at the blue sky. The sky was so clear, the clouds so soft.


    She felt her heart at this moment seemed to become soft as well.


    Qin Yize inexplicably recalled the little squirrel he had made eye contact with in the snow burrow, which had also been joyfully hopping around in his hidden snow burrow.


    He still walked with stable strides, but his gaze was intently fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The corners of his mouth, unbeknownst to even himself, curved upwards slightly.


    It was as if tender twigs at the bottom of his heart were sprouting.


    They seemed to want to push through the thick snow, quietly blooming.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze finally landed on the man who was as pale as snow, and for once, she found him considerably pleasant to look at.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao, in a good mood, asked Qin Yize, ¡°Guess what saying I thought of when I saw Chang Qing?¡±


    Qin Yize seemed not to expect Gu Qiaoqiao to speak to him. He raised his eyebrows subtly, yet asked lightly, ¡°What saying?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao cocked her head, ¡°You¡¯re so smart, take a guess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bully the poor young!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed heartily, took a few frolicsome steps, and then laughed again as if she remembered something, a smug glint flashing in her eyes, ¡°Right, it¡¯s ¡®Don¡¯t bully the poor young.¡¯ One day his stepmother will regret it bitterly, hehe¡­¡±


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t speak.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then started speaking on her own, ¡°Chang Qing is so clever. Even though he hasn¡¯t attended high school, he can still get into university.¡±


    Really, so confident?


    He knew about this; Gu Tianfeng had mentioned it last night.


    But what slightly surprised Qin Yize was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s term of address for Chang Qing¡­


    That kid?


    He asked nonchalantly, ¡°You¡¯re only two years older than him. Why do you call him a kid?¡±


    ¡°In my eyes, he is certainly a kid¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said nonchalantly, ¡°He is like my little brother, only he is much more sensible than my actual brother.¡±


    To Gu Qiaoqiao, Chang Qing, at seventeen, was indeed still a child.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes darkened, watching the oblivious Gu Qiaoqiao, thinking to himself that Chang Qing might not really like being her little brother.


    Don¡¯t ask how he knew.


    Anyway, he just knew.


    After that, the two of them talked intermittently.


    Most of the talking was done by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize chose to listen quietly.


    Just like that, before they realized it, they arrived at Lian Family Village.


    As the name suggests, Lian is a major surname in this village.


    Even as a major surname, the village was really small, with only about a hundred households.


    At that time, every household still had big red couplets and blessings pasted up.


    This added a splash of color to the modest mud houses.


    Only a few people had become rich; many still lived just to get by.


    They also believed that by sticking to their homes and their own land, they would not starve.


    Moreover, compared to ten years ago, the days now can truly be described as turned upside down.


    At the very least, every family had surplus grain, and rice and wheat flour were no longer rare commodities.


    Gu Qiaoqiao remembered clearly, when she was young, her grandparents and Lian Yuhong along with their three children were all rural residents, but because her father was a public school teacher, they ate rationed grain.

 Chapter 90 - 90 Corn Pancakes with Sauce Small Fish

    Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Corn Pancakes with Sauce Small Fish


    And every Chinese New Year, Gu Tianfeng would bring back two kilos of rice.


    On New Year¡¯s Eve, Lian Yuhong, reluctant to cook it all, would add millet into the pot and make mixed rice stew.


    And she, her favorite was to pick out the white rice grains with chopsticks.


    But now, there was no need to pick.


    Whenever she wanted, her bowl was filled with white rice.


    Lian Family Village lay low, and in the summer, there were always puddles one after another, harboring loaches and palm-sized crucian carp.


    ...


    Her younger uncle loved taking her fishing.


    A warmth surged at the bottom of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    Now her grandmother was healthy and could even join her eldest uncle in the fields planting rice in spring. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, villagers on the street, seeing it was Gu Qiaoqiao, greeted her warmly.


    Then the older children would run to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandmother¡¯s house, surely to deliver a message.


    They ran fast, eating the candy Gu Qiaoqiao had given them while they ran.


    The candy from the big city was really delicious.


    So fragrant and sweet.


    By the time Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize reached the door, Granny Lian had already appeared at the doorstep with her eldest son and his wife, all beaming brightly.


    There was no helping it, for this small village, Qin Yize was a distinguished guest from the Imperial Capital.


    Moreover, such a guest was a dual PhD and medical scientist.


    The villagers might not be too stirred by the identity of the heir of the Qin family, as it was too far-fetched and beyond their understanding.


    But a PhD medical scientist was often heard about on the radio.


    Therefore, everyone revered him a great deal.


    Granny¡¯s house was a mix of mud and brick with five rooms, the rooms also had clay walls with old newspapers pasted from years ago.


    They had turned yellow from the smoke.


    Nevertheless, the large heated brick bed was really warm, and Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize were ushered onto it.


    Since her deceased grandfather had been ill and left behind debts, although the Gu family helped out, they were not wealthy themselves.


    So, their lives were not easy.


    The eldest uncle was capable, but he was simple and unworldly, just knowing to work hard in silence.


    Whereas the younger uncle was smart but lazy and did little, always hanging around with societal layabouts in town, from Gu Tianfeng¡¯s early teachings to his eventual giving up.


    Thus, Gu Tianfeng particularly disapproved of his younger brother Lian Dongsheng.


    However, he had a very good impression of the eldest uncle.


    Now, seeing her eldest uncle standing straight on the snowy ground, looking at her grandmother¡¯s swift movements, and the playful young cousin, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes moistened again.


    Although there were not many relatives, they all loved each other dearly, and although they were not wealthy, their lives were stable and happy.


    In this life, she would not allow anyone to disrupt this, she would definitely protect the peace and happiness of these two families for a lifetime.


    Sitting on the warm heated brick bed, the aunt and grandmother carried in sunflower seeds and popcorn and quickly went to cook.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to help, but was sent out of the kitchen by her grandmother.


    She had no choice but to walk out of the kitchen helplessly.


    The eldest uncle spoke nervously and awkwardly with Qin Yize.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao regretted not bringing Gu Zishu along.


    That guy could talk for half an hour even without anyone responding to him.


    With him here, there would definitely be no awkward silences.


    Fortunately, at this time, the younger uncle came back.


    Although he was lazy and slick, he was good-looking.


    His eyes sparkling with a sly but charming grin that made people instantly like him.


    This year he was twenty-three. Even though girls liked him, the younger uncle still remained single.


    Could not help it, the girl agreed, but her family absolutely did not.


    She disliked him for his laziness and his poverty. For any girl marrying in, there weren¡¯t good days ahead.


    I remember Grandma and Yuhong mentioned that a girl who liked my uncle wanted to elope with him, but he sternly refused her, and from then on always walked around her when he saw her.


    So, all things considered, my uncle wasn¡¯t without his good points.


    And Uncle was always smiling, never seeming to worry.


    He was still the same at that moment.


    Even upon seeing Qin Yize, he didn¡¯t show a hint of nervousness.


    In his hand, he carried a small iron bucket, grinning as he said, ¡°Qiaoqiao, Ah Ze, you guys came at the perfect time. Yesterday, I set a net in the Ice Cave, and today I scooped up half a bucket of small fish. I¡¯ll have Grandma make Sauce Small Fish for you. If it¡¯s served with a big pancake, you can¡¯t imagine how delicious it will be¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled mischievously.


    Qin Yize lifted the corner of his mouth and spoke calmly, ¡°I remember one time I went to Shandong and stayed overnight at a villager¡¯s home, where we had Sauce Small Fish with pancakes. It indeed tasted very good.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had to admit that although Qin Yize was cold in nature and grew up surrounded by wealth,


    in his eyes, people weren¡¯t separated into classes of wealth or poverty. In his eyes, there were probably only good people and bad people, enemies and relatives.


    Uncle laughed even more joyfully, ¡°I also think that Sauce Small Fish goes best with big pancakes, let¡¯s have it for lunch today.¡±


    With that, he took the bucket of fish and headed to the kitchen.


    Then I heard my uncle¡¯s clear voice, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s have pancakes and Sauce Small Fish for lunch. Qiaoqiao and Ah Ze both love it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­¡± Grandma happily agreed.


    The granddaughter and her grandson-in-law were honored guests; their wish was her command.


    After that, Uncle seemed much more relaxed.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao had never known that her uncle could get along so well with Qin Yize.


    If Gu Tianfeng knew, he certainly wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    The noon meal was very heartwarming.


    A big pot of Sauce Small Fish, a big basin of golden cornmeal pancakes, chicken stew with mushrooms, blood sausage with sour cabbage and fatty pork, cold mixed cabbage and dried tofu¡­


    Indeed, a full table was set.


    This was bringing out all the tasty foods they had.


    It was clear from Grandma¡¯s New Year that they hadn¡¯t bought much good food due to being several thousand yuan in debt¡ªlet alone not having money, they didn¡¯t even feel right to eat and drink luxuriously.


    Who knew what those who lent them money would think if they saw?


    After the meal and a little rest, Gu Qiaoqiao reluctantly left Grandma¡¯s house.


    The road back was with the wind.


    Qin Yize, hands tucked in his coat pockets, walked quickly but still kept pace with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered something and asked Qin Yize, ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°The day after tomorrow¡­¡± Qin Yize said gravely.


    The day after tomorrow at midnight, there would be a military train headed to Border City carrying some experimental base materials, and he was going to accompany it.


    He looked off into the distance without asking whether Gu Qiaoqiao would follow him or stay at home.


    This girl had big ideas nowadays.


    What she wanted to do, and what she didn¡¯t, seemed to already be planned out.


    As for whether Gu Qiaoqiao actually wanted to spend her life with him, Qin Yize had grown too weary to analyze.


    Maintaining things as they were was fine too.


    Moreover, the family quarters at the base had just been established, and the conditions were poor. Moreover, the temperature there was almost twenty degrees colder than here.


    So, it was a good choice for Gu Qiaoqiao to honestly stay at the Gu Family home for now.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave a soft hum and asked no more.


    Quietly, she followed Qin Yize toward the direction of Stone Town.


    At that moment, it was a little after three in the afternoon.


    The wind howled across the open field.


    The sky also darkened, as if it was about to snow.

 Chapter 91 - 91: Can a Good Tiger Not Withstand a Pack of Wolves?

    Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Can a Good Tiger Not Withstand a Pack of Wolves?


    They were walking along the road between Stone Town and Lian Family Village.


    It was a stretch where there was neither village in front nor store behind.


    The wind seemed to be getting stronger, with the howling north wind sounding especially mournful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tightened her scarf and quickened her pace.


    The weather was ghastly, far too cold.


    She longed to be home, sitting on the warm heated brick bed, eating the sour cabbage-filled dumplings her mother had made ¨C what bliss that would be.


    ...


    Just then, Qin Yize suddenly stopped beside her, his eyes narrowing dangerously.


    His demeanor turned sharply intense.


    Qin Yize suddenly grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and whispered lowly, ¡°There are wolves ahead¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face instantly turned pale, and her heart started to thump wildly.


    This area was very close to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia.


    Wolves often ran over from there.


    But that was only hearsay; they had never actually seen one.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat confused.


    Qin Yize pointed toward the northwest, where Gu Qiaoqiao could only see several swiftly moving dark spots.


    Were those wolves?


    Qin Yize quickly assessed the situation, then grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and bolted toward the nearest shelterbelt of trees.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was a mess.


    Instinctively, she ran forward following Qin Yize.


    Running faster than she ever had in her life.


    Once they reached the forest, looking back, those dark spots had gotten much bigger.


    In the vast wilderness, they had smelled the scent of food, so their running speed had increased significantly.


    Qin Yize, pulling Gu Qiaoqiao along, ran to a large poplar tree that had been standing for decades, quickly crouched down, and commanded coldly, ¡°Quick, climb up using me!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no time to think about anything else.


    She stepped on Qin Yize¡¯s body, hugged the trunk, and as Qin Yize stood up firmly, he pushed her boots with a backhand to boost her onto a branch of the poplar.


    Qin Yize looked up, watching Gu Qiaoqiao, who was pale and gasping for breath, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t be scared, climb higher, it will be safer.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those words seemed faintly familiar.


    Don¡¯t be scared¡­


    Her heart pounded fiercely again, and she stared helplessly at the retreating figure as helplessness and despair once again spread through her.


    Her hands clenched tightly around the branch until a stabbing pain brought her back to her senses.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid!


    This time, even without Qin Yize, she wouldn¡¯t be scared!


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly climbed a few more meters upwards, stopping at a safe distance before looking back toward Qin Yize.


    She then saw Qin Yize kick down a young poplar tree planted last year and break off several surplus branches.


    He then ran in the opposite direction from Gu Qiaoqiao.


    All this happened in just a few minutes.


    The pack of dark shadows finally converged in front of Qin Yize.


    The wolves were at their fiercest, having nearly starved all winter.


    Green, unblinking eyes stared fixedly at the dangerous human before them.


    They didn¡¯t attack immediately.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart was still racing.


    The pack of wolves confronting Qin Yize numbered five.


    They say even a good tiger can¡¯t hold off a pack of wolves.


    Would he be devoured by them?


    Just at that moment, the five wolves simultaneously lunged ferociously at Qin Yize.


    Although this human was permeated with danger, she ultimately could not resist the temptation of food.


    The wolf is a cunning and cruel animal.


    Their target was Qin Yize¡¯s throat.


    They were determined to strike accurately in one go.


    Gu Qiaoqiao clutched the tree trunk tightly, forcing herself to calm down.


    She saw Qin Yize swinging the tree trunk in his hands rapidly, striking several wild wolves that were scattered around.


    Then, like a cheetah, Qin Yize struck at the wild wolf closest to him.


    Struck with one blow!


    The wolf¡¯s leg was broken, and it fell to the ground with a thud.


    The scent of blood from the broken leg seemed to make the wolves¡¯ eyes turn greener, and the injured wolf staggered to its feet and lunged at Qin Yize again.


    A few moments later, Gu Qiaoqiao finally calmed down.


    Qin Yize was indeed brave; although he was far away, she could feel that he had no fear.


    However, the wind was growing stronger at this time.


    The sky turned even more overcast.


    Two wolves had already been beaten by Qin Yize to the point where they could no longer get up.


    The remaining three wolves, clearly very smart.


    They lunged at Qin Yize from three different directions.


    Although repelled by Qin Yize¡¯s tree trunk, Gu Qiaoqiao clearly saw that his coat was torn open.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her hand, swiftly tore off the hair tie that was holding her hair and broke off a tree branch, snapping it into ten-centimeter-long pieces.


    She looped the hair tie around her right thumb and index finger, then flipped it, placing the stick on the other side of the rubber band, and a makeshift slingshot, like those used by rural children, was formed.


    She took a deep breath, her hand moved with her thought, and as soon as she released her hand, the stick flew toward the eyes of a wolf behind Qin Yize like an arrow released from the bowstrings.


    Just like the last time the fruit knife hit the center of the target.


    It struck the right eye of the wild wolf accurately.


    The force was greater than Gu Qiaoqiao had imagined.


    The wolf howled painfully and rolled to one side.


    The eyes, that was the wolf¡¯s most vulnerable part.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate, and shot the second stick towards another wolf¡¯s eye.


    Although the wolf was on guard, it could not withstand the stick that flew as swiftly as a sharp sword, striking accurately above the wolf¡¯s right eye once again.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao got into her stride, one stick after another flew swiftly, specifically targeting the wolves¡¯ eyes.


    Qin Yize also saw from afar, on the tree branches, Gu Qiaoqiao shooting sticks, not knowing what was launched, all accurately hitting the wolves¡¯ eyes.


    Although shocked, there was no time to think deeply as Qin Yize quickly kicked down a wolf, then swung the tree trunk backward, hitting another.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then aimed at another wolf¡¯s left eye, just about to shoot again.


    But suddenly, the rubber band broke¡­


    At that very moment, the tree trunk in Qin Yize¡¯s hands also knocked another wolf to the ground.


    A gust of north wind roared.


    The remaining wolves seemed to have given up.


    No longer trying to devour Qin Yize, but limping towards the northwest direction.


    Suddenly, they disappeared into the vast field.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked into the distance, the two on the snow probably were beaten to death by Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize did not relax, carefully observed then headed towards Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s direction.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was still sitting astride on the branch, as the wind blew, her scattered hair was tousled somewhat.


    Qin Yize looked up, extended his hand, and softened his voice, ¡°Come down¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly slid down the trunk.


    Then, reaching a point more than three meters above the ground where there were no more branches to climb, Gu Qiaoqiao got stuck there.


    She looked down at Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize spoke sternly, ¡°Jump down, I¡¯ll catch you.¡±

 Chapter 92 - 92: You in Your Previous Life

    Chapter 92: Chapter 92: You in Your Previous Life


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at the hands Qin Yize stretched out, gritted her teeth, let go, and threw herself toward Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize accurately caught Gu Qiaoqiao, spun around, and held the jumping young girl steady on the ground.


    A fragrant scent wafted over.


    Though she wore a down jacket, he could still feel that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body seemed very soft.


    Qin Yize¡¯s body stiffened, and after a few moments, he nonchalantly let go of her.


    Gazing intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, he noticed her fluttering black hair and asked, ¡°Did you make that slingshot out of a hair tie?¡±


    ...


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded and showed him the rubber band that had broken into two pieces, ¡°It¡¯s already broken.¡±


    ¡°Who taught you?¡± Qin Yize asked with a hint of surprise.


    You from your past life¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao silently said to herself.


    She remembered him once saying to her not to underestimate some seemingly insignificant things, which, if used well, could save your life at a critical moment.


    Then he pulled off the hair tie she used for her hair, picked up a stone from the ground, and shot it at a flower in the courtyard.


    The flower was indeed hit.


    Petals fluttered down to the ground.


    Back then, she accused him of being ruthless to the flower.


    That was one month before her accident.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hid the thoughts that were surging in her eyes and raised her eyebrows playfully, ¡°No one taught me, I just played like this when I was little¡­¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze was profound, but he did not pursue the question further.


    What astonished him was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s accuracy, one hundred percent!


    He could achieve such a probability, and it was said that a sharpshooter in the Northwest Special Zone could as well.


    But for Gu Qiaoqiao¡­


    A boundless chill welled up in Qin Yize¡¯s heart, countless questions nearly burst forth.


    Yet he suppressed them again and again.


    Putting those thoughts aside, he reached out and naturally tucked Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hair, which had become disheveled by the wind, into her large scarf.


    Then, taking her hand, he walked swiftly toward Stone Town.


    As for those two wolves, they could wait until he had safely escorted Gu Qiaoqiao back.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was still somewhat frightened at that time.


    After calming her breathing, she felt the warmth of Qin Yize¡¯s palm.


    His hand was always so hot, and being held by him, she felt as if her whole body was warmed up.


    However, she also felt a bit awkward and unnatural.


    Trying to pull her hand away, she struggled a few times, to no avail.


    She glanced at Qin Yize¡¯s calm profile and then noticed his coat, belatedly asking, ¡°Are you all right¡­¡±


    Qin Yize shook his head and did not speak.


    His expression was calm, no longer showing what he might be thinking.


    And as for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s belated concern, he seemed to be indifferent to it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thus closed her mouth.


    After safely delivering Gu Qiaoqiao home, Qin Yize and Gu Tianfeng, along with an excitedly howling Gu Zishu, dragged the two dead wolves back.


    At the same time, they informed the mayor to notify the nearby villagers that hungry, desperate wild wolves had come over from Inner Mongolia, and to caution everyone visiting relatives to be safe.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao got up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky.


    Laughter and shouts of excitement from Gu Zishu came from the yard.


    After tidying up, Gu Qiaoqiao went to the living room stove and leaned on the windowsill to look outside.


    The two wild wolves had been almost completely dealt with.


    The wolf pelts were hanging on the wall of the storeroom.


    As for the wolf meat, Qin Yize was no longer concerned with it, and Butcher Zhao from the town dealt with it instead.


    And he seemed to be more interested in the wolf pelts.


    ¡°`


    Gu Qiaoqiao quietly breathed a sigh of relief; the occasional strangeness in Qin Yize towards her had ceased to be a question she would ask why about.


    The encounter with the wolf yesterday had also lightly passed by.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought of Qin Yize¡¯s coat and quickly descended into the pit to her brother¡¯s room.


    The coat hung by the door, its lapels already torn and clearly not fit to be worn outside.


    Did he have other clothes?


    Gu Qiaoqiao really didn¡¯t know. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right at this moment, Qin Yize had entered the room.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, he paused for a brief moment, then went to the closet, took out a large envelope from his travel bag, and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took it with surprise and asked, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The Jade Pendant from Great Grandfather, and my salary and bonus.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly pushed it back, ¡°I¡¯ve said I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression turned bland, his eyes and eyebrows slightly frosty, sweeping away the gentleness of the past few days. His voice wasn¡¯t loud but carried an undeniable firmness, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯ve gone back on your word, nor will I question the various strange things about you. All I know now is that we are still legally husband and wife, so if you want to make things clear between us, wait until the day we divorce.¡±


    Having said that, he no longer looked at Gu Qiaoqiao but proceeded to hang a clean coat and sweater on the clothes rack by the door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood there without moving.


    She held the envelope, feeling it burn her hand.


    Qin Yize turned around, saw that Gu Qiaoqiao was still there, and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, is there anything else?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned and left.


    But she also took the envelope with her.


    Qin Yize watched Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s retreating figure vanish before retracting his gaze.


    With hands in his pockets, he gazed distantly out at the somewhat gloomy sky outside the window.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, she refreshed his understanding of her time and time again.


    The wooden sticks, sharp as swords, each one hitting the wild wolf¡¯s eyes, fast, accurate, ruthless!


    That was a distance of several hundred meters, how did she do it?


    And she never hid her actions, fearlessly lying, with the lies rolling effortlessly off her tongue.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had too many secrets.


    So many that¡­


    Before he understood them clearly, he would not let her leave!


    In his field of vision, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figure appeared; she was inspecting the wolf skins, looking from left to right, trying to discern a flower in them.


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curved slightly, and he walked out at an unhurried pace.


    He stood beside Gu Qiaoqiao and spoke languidly, ¡°The wolf skin has been processed. In a month and a half, you send one of them to Grandma in the mail, and give another to your maternal grandmother¡­¡±


    ¡°To my Grandma?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Yize in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate; give the other one to Great Grandfather¡­¡±


    ¡°Great Grandfather has one. I got it myself, but there was only one at the time, so I could only give it to Great Grandfather. Now, finally, I¡¯ve managed to secure one for Grandma; she won¡¯t say anymore that I don¡¯t care about her.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s tone was steady, even carrying a faintly imperceptible trace of mirth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t decline any further.


    The wolf skin would be great for Grandma to use.


    ¡°Grandma may say that, but she¡¯s the one who cares about you most at heart,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao softly said.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Yize responded faintly, as if absentmindedly noting, ¡°Grandma misses you too. Just now, when she called, I told her you were still sleeping, and she sounded quite disappointed.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, unclear about Qin Yize¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Does Grandma need me for something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Should I give Grandma a call?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead¡­¡± Qin Yize said succinctly.


    With an ¡°Oh,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao obediently turned and walked towards the main house.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Don¡¯t think he couldn¡¯t see that Gu Qiaoqiao, having left the Imperial Capital, was prepared to never again associate with the Qin family.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 93 - 93: Its You Who Chose to Give Up!

    Chapter 93: Chapter 93: It¡¯s You Who Chose to Give Up!


    The Gu Family¡¯s courtyard was large, and beyond it was no other home, just an unfrozen, still unthawed river.


    There were several fruit trees in the courtyard.


    He recalled that when he visited at the end of last summer, the crabapple tree was full of bright red fruits hanging from its branches.


    Back then, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes and brows were brimming with joyful smiles. She had picked a basin of crabapples for him and sat across from him, her chin propped in her hands, watching him eat with a smile¡­


    Back then, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed as transparent as a clear spring, you could see right to the bottom at a glance.


    But now¡­


    ...


    Qin Yize furrowed his brows, perhaps because he had spent a lot of time with Gu Qiaoqiao lately, he couldn¡¯t help but think of her.


    He felt that once he returned to the base, he should be able to stop thinking about her just as before.


    Thinking this, Qin Yize felt somewhat relieved and then got busy with Butcher Zhao.


    After more than half an hour, the wolf meat in the courtyard was processed, and all the social obligations were handled by Lian Yuhong.


    Gu Tianfeng and Qin Yize sat again on the living room¡¯s heated brick bed, chatting casually.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, who was sitting by the Eight Immortals table, calling Grandma Qin.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Qiaoqiao would still be talking with Grandma.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected either that Grandma Qin would truly miss her so much.


    She had thought it would be a short conversation, but it kept on extending. Then Qin Xiaoyu told her that Shang Qing wanted the Gu Family¡¯s phone number, but she was unsure of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s desires, so she didn¡¯t dare to give it rashly¡­


    In short, she thought that leaving the Imperial Capital would mean losing contact with them forever, but in reality, that was not the case.


    At night, Gu Qiaoqiao was driven to Qin Yize¡¯s current room by Lian Yuhong.


    Gu Zishu was reluctant to leave, but still obediently went to the large heated brick bed in the living room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mind; given Qin Yize¡¯s cold nature, she guessed that even if she stripped naked in front of him, he would still remain indifferent.


    She sat on a chair soaking her feet, her head bowed, lost in thought.


    When Qin Yize came back from outside, he saw a pair of feet as delicate as jade carvings swaying in the basin of water.


    The owner of the feet seemed lost in a reverie.


    She didn¡¯t even notice when he came in.


    Suddenly, Qin Yize felt the temperature in the room seemed much higher than in the living room.


    He paused for a moment and then walked towards the chair next to Gu Qiaoqiao, sitting down on another chair and placing a small paper box on the table.


    With a deep look, Qin Yize glanced at the curious Gu Qiaoqiao who was now looking up at him and spoke softly, ¡°these are the upper canines of those two wolves¡­¡±


    Wolf¡¯s Fang?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It was truly her first time seeing wolf¡¯s fangs, especially the upper canines.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that people in Northern Tibet and Inner Mongolia revere wolf¡¯s fangs. I¡¯ve even seen bone carvings of wolf¡¯s fangs; they are very distinctive. These two have been processed; you can take them and carve them as you like. They are said to ward off evil spirits,¡± Qin Yize explained calmly and lightly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took over the paper box, which contained four fangs, all curved like bull¡¯s horns. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She picked one and examined it closely against the light. It seemed nourished by oil, smoother than white porcelain, gleaming with a subtle cold light.


    If something were carved on this, it would definitely be more valuable than nucleus carving.


    Joy was unmistakably etched between Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brows. ¡°The quality of these wolf¡¯s fangs is really good. I¡¯ve heard upper are righteous and lower are evil; for amulets, they use the upper canines, though many people also use dog¡¯s teeth to impersonate them¡­¡±


    Qin Yize moved his eyebrows noncommittally.


    ¡°You know how to handle wolf skins and even wolf¡¯s fangs¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao turned her eyes to Qin Yize, asking with a hint of surprise, ¡°Who did you learn all this from? Do you practice this at the base too?¡±


    ¡°The base doesn¡¯t practice this; I learned it from Engineer Chen in Inner Mongolia.¡± Qin Yize saw that Gu Qiaoqiao really liked them and felt his efforts hadn¡¯t been in vain. Moreover, these were indeed perfect for her.


    So the voice was very gentle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at the Wolf¡¯s Fang, thought for a long time, and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep one, and you can take the others away.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t like them?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Gu Qiaoqiao quickly shook her head.


    ¡°Then they are all yours¡­¡± Qin Yize stood up, pointing to the basin at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s feet, he asked, ¡°Has the water gone cold?¡±


    It was then that Gu Qiaoqiao realized the water in the basin had indeed cooled down. She hurriedly placed the Wolf¡¯s Fangs carefully into a box and sincerely said to Qin Yize, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She then hurriedly wiped her feet, put on cotton slippers, carried the water out to pour away, and then came back inside to look at Qin Yize and asked with rare concern, ¡°Do you soak your feet? If you do, I¡¯ll get the water ready for you.¡±


    The living conditions of the Gu Family and the Qin Family were worlds apart, especially in winter, when it was very inconvenient to take a bath.


    However, it was comfortable to soak the feet, with the basins made of wood and specially designed bottoms that were comfortable to step on.


    Qin Yize gazed intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was standing at the door ¡ª it was indeed the first time something like this had happened.


    Was it because of those Wolf¡¯s Fangs?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Qin Yize changed his shoes and took the wooden basin specially prepared for him to the kitchen.


    In the large iron pot in the kitchen, there was hot water.


    He carried the wooden basin back to the room, only to see that Gu Qiaoqiao had already crawled into her quilt.


    The distance between their quilts was neither close nor too distant.


    The room was similar to their bedroom in the Imperial Capital, yet strangely, that wisp of the young girl¡¯s delicate scent seemed even more suffocating than it was in the Imperial Capital.


    It made Qin Yize feel that the water in the wooden basin seemed even hotter than before.


    He also suddenly felt the temperature in the room rising.


    He took a deep breath, lowered his gaze, and refrained from looking at the young girl who was leaning on the pillow, pondering the Wolf¡¯s Fangs.


    The night deepened, and the moonlight was like water.


    The two of them, not having much in common to begin with, hadn¡¯t spoken since the light was turned off.


    The room was utterly quiet.


    The large kang was very warm. Gu Qiaoqiao sneakily glanced at the seemingly asleep Qin Yize and thought to herself that actually, Qin Yize was a man full of mysteries.


    And he was too clever. In any field he engaged in, he always excelled.


    Problems that, in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t fathom even if she racked her brains, in Qin Yize¡¯s hands, a few light words would make everything crystal clear.


    His world was much bigger and more complex than what she knew.


    She wondered who the woman who could step into his world would be.


    Then, thinking about it, she fell asleep.


    In the dimness, Qin Yize¡¯s half-closed eyes slowly opened, a deep glint passing through. He slightly turned his eyes to look at the sleeping Gu Qiaoqiao.


    This time, he finally confirmed that Gu Qiaoqiao really had no interest in him at all.


    This realization made Qin Yize¡¯s heart rise with a strange sensation.


    The feeling was somewhat sudden, somewhat inexplicable.


    Yet, it inexplicably made it seem as if there were sparks burning in the bottom of his heart. Qin Yize clenched his hand, the palm hot to touch.


    And this change had nothing to do with primal desires.


    He took a deep breath and quietly exhaled.


    The corners of his mouth slowly curved into a meaningful smile, while in his heart he murmured lowly: Gu Qiaoqiao, you actually had a chance to start a new life¡­


    It was you who gave it up!

 Chapter 94 - 94: What should we do next?

    Chapter 94: Chapter 94: What should we do next?


    The next morning was surprisingly sunny and beautiful.


    Qin Yize changed into a clean coat, his eyebrows sharp, his eyes bright, and his posture as straight as a poplar tree, like a carefully carved piece of beautiful jade or a sheathed sword hiding its cold light, exuding an indescribable charm all over.


    Several of Qiaoqiao¡¯s female classmates looked on with envy.


    What kind of luck did Qiaoqiao have to marry such an excellent man?


    And they, perhaps, might never meet someone like Qin Yize in their whole lives, right?


    Out of jealousy is jealousy, after all, Qiaoqiao did grow up here, except for a few girls with strong jealousy, most were happy for Qiaoqiao.


    ...


    They didn¡¯t know that Qin Yize was leaving today, so after a few words with Qiaoqiao, they all left one after another.


    At this moment, Lian Yuhong passed a triangular cloth bag to Qin Yize, speaking with unease and guilt, ¡°Ah Ze, we don¡¯t have much to offer, these are pickles I¡¯ve made and some freshly cooked meat sauce, take them to the Border City Base, you can change things up a bit.¡±


    Seeing all those bottles and jars, Qiaoqiao felt overwhelmed, ¡°Mom, the base has everything, and he still needs to take the train too, it¡¯s so inconvenient to carry these.¡±


    Lian Yuhong paused, feeling that perhaps her offerings weren¡¯t that presentable.


    But Qin Yize took them, smiling and saying, ¡°The pickles you make are delicious. I was actually going to ask you to pack some for the base, but I didn¡¯t expect you had already prepared them, so I will take them¡­¡±


    Then, he naturally placed them in his travel bag.


    Qiaoqiao wanted to say more, but was interrupted as Gu Zishu squeezed over, looking up and asking, ¡°Brother-in-law, when will you come next time?¡±


    Seeing Gu Zishu, Qin Yize¡¯s gaze instantly softened.


    Though he had no younger brothers, he did have two cousins, but both of them were afraid of him.


    They had been afraid of him since childhood.


    Moreover, they weren¡¯t very close to him.


    So, he genuinely liked Gu Zishu, reaching out to tousle his head, ¡°Study hard so that in the future, you can do what you like.¡±


    Gu Zishu nodded, promising, ¡°Please rest assured, brother-in-law, I¡¯ll study hard to be someone like you in the future!¡±


    Now, to Gu Zishu, Qin Yize was not only an impressive scholar but also a brave warrior who fought against hungry wolves.


    Qin Yize smiled and patted Gu Zishu¡¯s shoulder as a gesture of encouragement.


    Gu Tianfeng gave a few instructions before he and Lian Yuhong watched the four children leave.


    Gu Tianfeng was a person with delicate thoughts; he read a lot and thought very differently from Lian Yuhong.


    He noticed that something was off between his daughter and son-in-law.


    But it wasn¡¯t detachment or indifference. If it were indifference, Qin Yize wouldn¡¯t have sent Qiaoqiao up the tree first and then faced five hungry wolves alone.


    If it were detachment, Qin Yize wouldn¡¯t have gone to great lengths yesterday to deal with the four wolf fangs.


    And then gave them all to Qiaoqiao.


    But if it¡¯s not this or that.


    What exactly was the problem between them?


    And these questions, he couldn¡¯t ask; he could only have his wife inquire through his daughter.


    With Gu Zishu and Gu Qianqian around, Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t need to speak up; those two kids were enough.


    Just the day before yesterday, Gu Qianqian encountered a tough question and came to ask Qiaoqiao. Qianqian had her middle school exams this year, so she had a lot of homework for the winter vacation.


    Qiaoqiao was stumped by this question.


    Forget about the ninth grade math problems; she had even forgotten elementary school word problems.


    She was thinking of sending Qianqian to the neighbor¡¯s to ask Chang Qing, but unexpectedly, Qin Yize took the notebook and started explaining patiently to Gu Qianqian.


    His method of explanation was very flexible, which not only gave Gu Qianqian an epiphany but also taught her to apply the concept broadly.


    Therefore, Gu Qianqian admired her brother-in-law enormously.


    It was a pity that the brother-in-law only stayed for three days before leaving.


    With Gu Zishu and Gu Qianqian there, the journey was very lively.


    Qin Yize¡¯s usually cool and distant eyes softened.


    When they reached the crossroads, several people stopped.


    Qin Yize glanced into the distance, then turned to Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°Do you still remember Li Dazhi from the Provincial Research Base?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was initially stunned, then nodded, ¡°Mhm, I remember.¡±


    Qin Yize took out a piece of paper from his coat pocket, ¡°This is Li Dazhi¡¯s phone number and address, you can go to him if you need anything.¡±


    At this moment, Gu Zishu and Gu Qianqian, as if blessed with a telepathic moment, looked at each other and walked towards a pile of snow ahead.


    The sister and brother-in-law were about to have a private conversation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the piece of paper and looked at the flamboyant handwriting on it, wondering why Qin Yize was telling her to find Li Dazhi if she needed anything.


    Could it be that he knew she had no intention of going to Border City?


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it, thank you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said politely.


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curled up, his eyes darkened, but he just looked deeply at Gu Qiaoqiao and then fell silent.


    Meanwhile, the bus had arrived. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize got on the bus, taking a seat by the window. As the bus slowly started, Gu Zishu ran alongside it for a while before stopping, yet he continued to wave at Qin Yize.


    The young boy¡¯s thoughts were always the purest.


    Although they had only spent three days together, those three days had revealed to Gu Zishu many things he had previously been unaware of.


    So, he was the one who found it hardest to let go.


    In the end, Qin Yize¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, who had already turned away. As the bus rounded the corner, it left Stone Town.


    Qin Yize gazed out at the vast wilderness beyond the window, the thoughts he had suppressed earlier starting to churn once more.


    In his twenty-two years of life, he had mostly lived the life he wanted.


    Doing the things he desired.


    No one stopped him; no one forced him.


    His world had always been free.


    He felt like an eagle soaring through the blue sky, able to fly to any place he chose.


    The only variable was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    For the first time, he had gone against his wishes and married her.


    But he had never intended to let her into his world.


    Nor had he ever thought of understanding everything about Gu Qiaoqiao.


    People from two different worlds, that was the norm.


    But in reality, it wasn¡¯t so.


    A twenty-day leave to visit relatives.


    Three days spent here.


    With his sharpness, he could thoroughly understand someone.


    But, on the contrary,


    The more he got to know Gu Qiaoqiao, the less he understood her.


    And this realization seemed to set his blood on fire.


    He believed that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s world must be unimaginably splendid and mysterious; therefore, he needed time to think rationally about it.


    What should he do next?


    Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital.


    Lin Qinghuan quietly went to the western district police station, handing a piece of paper to the chief, who dialed an internal number based on the digits written on it.

 Chapter 95 - 95: We Even Share the Same Surname

    Chapter 95: Chapter 95: We Even Share the Same Surname S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°`


    The station chief¡¯s expression was somewhat unfathomable.


    Because the person on the other end of the phone was powerful and mysterious.


    He tightly clenched the handset in his hand.


    Several minutes later, he put down the phone and, smiling at Lin Qinghuan, said, ¡°Lin Girl, you can take the people away now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Cheng¡­,¡± Lin Qinghuan sweetly voiced her thanks, then left the station chief¡¯s office.


    ...


    Very quickly, Lin Qinghuan left with Zhu Jianguo, Bai Yun, and Ning Yuli through a side door.


    Afterward, they got into a red sedan.


    Bai Yun¡¯s complexion was very pale, and she looked haggard, her entire appearance more disheveled.


    She sat there, head bowed, silent.


    Ning Yuli was the same, especially when she saw the radiant and beautiful Lin Qinghuan, she felt even more ashamed.


    Zhu Jianguo had no choice but to grit his teeth and express his thanks, ¡°Thank you for getting us out.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, if you¡¯re going to thank someone, thank Old Master Bai and Madam Gu¡­¡±


    After finishing her sentence, she glanced at the three people behind her and continued, ¡°They couldn¡¯t show up in person; I was just running an errand. I certainly can¡¯t take the credit.¡±


    ¡°Madam Gu?¡± Ning Yuli¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Are you referring to my Great Aunt?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s her.¡±


    Ning Yuli lowered her head and wiped her tears, thinking that her family had given up on her.


    ¡°You all know that this isn¡¯t just a matter of a few sisters; it also involves a struggle between two Old Patriarchs. By doing this errand, Great Grandfather will surely be angry with me,¡± Lin Qinghuan said somewhat melancholically.


    Zhu Jianguo quickly said, ¡°Qinghuan, we¡¯ve taken note of your kindness. Just say the word if you ever need anything in the future, and I promise to oblige.¡±


    But in her heart, Bai Yun scoffed.


    This Lin Qinghuan had a good relationship with Qin Yize¡¯s Great Grandfather, was even more favored than Qin Xiaoyu, whom Qin Xiaoyu disliked the most.


    Don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know Lin Qinghuan¡¯s cunning thoughts, only that she was taking another path.


    Feigning nobility while at the same time desiring to erect a memorial archway.


    As if everyone else is a fool.


    But this favor, she had to accept, even if she did not want to.


    Who was she to provoke the people behind Lin Qinghuan.


    Ning Yuli didn¡¯t think so much and sincerely thanked her, ¡°Qinghuan, I really appreciate your help¡­¡±


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s gaze drifted subtly onto Bai Yun.


    Bai Yun suppressed the disdain in her heart and said weakly, ¡°Qinghuan, they say adversity reveals true friendship, I won¡¯t forget your kindness.¡±


    Lin Qinghuan smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite, you guys. Go home, take a bath, and wash off the bad luck¡­¡±


    No one spoke again.


    Although they hadn¡¯t suffered much in those days, their experience felt like an eternity.


    The car slowly drove ahead.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the hospital¡¯s VIP ward, Gu Qingfeng had finally regained consciousness.


    By a hair¡¯s breadth between life and death.


    He mustered the strength to come back.


    He couldn¡¯t die, he still had unfinished business in this world.


    They say that to be old and not die is to play the rogue.


    He intended to cling to life for a few more years, until he found that mother and son.


    A crowd had gathered around the sickbed.


    ¡°`


    Gu Cheng and his sons¡­


    The Old Master Gu, weary, spoke, ¡°You all go out first, I¡¯m fine, I need to rest for a while.¡±


    Then, turning to an old man beside him, he said, ¡°Uncle Gu, you stay.¡±


    Gu Cheng nodded respectfully and, after expressing his concern, said to the Old Master Gu, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll be waiting next door, just call me if you need anything¡­¡±


    The Old Master Gu nodded and then let out a soft sigh, ceasing to talk.


    Gu Cheng left with his sons.


    Thoughtfully, he shut the door properly.


    Outside were people loyal to Old Master Gu, and Gu Cheng had no choice but to take his sons to the adjacent room.


    Meanwhile, inside the sickroom, Old Master Gu listlessly stared at the ceiling.


    Gu Cheng had come to his side at the age of four, and back then, timid and afraid to speak, he still knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed three times.


    Having been his father for fifty years, he¡¯d treated Gu Cheng as his own son.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t possibly give all his considerable estate to him.


    Yubao Square was the Gu Family¡¯s legacy, and neither Gu Cheng nor his children possessed the necessary talent.


    Yubao Square would fall into decline within a few years if left in their hands.


    It was tolerable for the decline to happen within the Gu family¡¯s bloodline, but if it happened at the hands of outsiders, he would be too ashamed to face his ancestors after death.


    The Jade Mine was discovered by his biological son, Gu Kun, at the age of twelve, a gift bestowed upon Gu Kun by the heavens.


    He could not leave the Jade Mine to Gu Cheng.


    By now, with his help, Gu Cheng¡¯s family was wealthy and powerful, and on top of that, they owned the villa on North Mountain and three courtyard houses located in the southern and northern parts of the city.


    Not to mention the collection of precious gems and jewels; these were enough for Gu Cheng¡¯s family to enjoy for generations.


    He, however, was determined to find his own biological son. He stubbornly believed that given Gu Kun¡¯s intelligence and craftsmanship, Gu Kun and Lady Yu would not have met with any mishaps.


    But in the event that Gu Kun truly had met with an accident and he had no descendants, all his wealth could only be left to Gu Cheng.


    In his heart, he was not resigned to this.


    He did not wish for fate to be so cruel to him.


    Uncle Gu was silent for a moment before asking Gu Qingfeng, ¡°Old Master, do you have any instructions?¡±


    After a long pause, Gu Qingfeng finally said, ¡°Call Zhang Yi here. I have something to ask him¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call him right away.¡±


    Uncle Gu was also nearly sixty this year, but he was in robust health, striding towards the outer living room.


    Twenty or so minutes later, Zhang Yi arrived, drenched in sweat. Seeing that the old master had awakened, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.


    Old Master Gu gestured to Uncle Gu with his eyes, who quickly understood and briskly walked out, guarding the door.


    Old Master Gu took a breath and directly asked, ¡°The day I fainted in front of Yubao Square, I saw a young girl who looked very much like my missing wife. Can you recall who that girl is?¡±


    Zhang Yi was startled.


    Then he quickly replied, ¡°Old Patriarch, if it were any other day, it would be hard to say, but on the day you fainted, Elder Shen had just left, and at that time, Yubao Square only had one customer.¡±


    The Old Master Gu¡¯s eyes brightened as he asked eagerly, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the young woman who sold the pendant to Elder Shen, she¡¯s also the nucleus carver I mentioned to you a while back, the daughter-in-law of the Qin Family. I don¡¯t know her name, but the nucleus carving is signed ¡®Qiao Sheng¡¯.¡±


    ¡°The Qin Family¡¯s daughter-in-law?¡± Gu Qingfeng was stunned.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her. She carved another Eighteen Arhats, very exquisite work. I didn¡¯t buy it, but Elder Shen was interested and took it away directly.¡±


    ¡°What is the child¡¯s last name, do you know?¡± Old Master Gu asked, frowning.


    ¡°According to Elder Luo¡¯s grandson, her last name is Gu, the same as yours¡­¡± Zhang Yi said cheerfully.


    Old Master Gu¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, staring straight at Zhang Yi, and then his breathing became rapid.


    His complexion turned pale.


    Zhang Yi, frightened, was about to call the doctor, but the old man, holding his chest, stopped him with a stern voice, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ call the doctor.¡±

 Chapter 96 - 96: Do not covet things that dont belong to you

    Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Do not covet things that don¡¯t belong to you


    Zhang Yi hurriedly poured a glass of water and carefully helped Old Master Gu take a sip, though his heart was also pounding.


    Could this Gu Qiaoqiao be related to the Gu Family?


    Old Master Gu finally regulated his breathing and calmed down.


    For so many years, he had clung to hope only to return in disappointment.


    He had been disappointed too many times.


    He was already tough enough to withstand any blow.


    ...


    ¡°Tell me about that child¡¯s situation,¡± Old Master Gu said gravely.


    So, Zhang Yi recounted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s two visits to Yubao Square in detail.


    Unfortunately, there was no useful information here.


    After pondering for a moment, Gu Qingfeng said to Zhang Yi, ¡°Can you get in touch with that child now?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Zhang Yi shook his head, then looking cautiously at Old Master Gu, he added, ¡°The Bai Family and the Qin Family are neighbors; they must know for certain, though I heard a few days ago that there was a falling out between the Qin and Bai families. I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Never mind that for now, just go and ask¡­¡± Old Master Gu urged.


    Zhang Yi hastily went to the living room to call the Bai Family.


    The call was answered by Bai Yun, who had already returned home. She didn¡¯t want to pick up at first, but the phone kept ringing incessantly, and Father Bai and Mrs. Bai happened to be out of the room.


    After hearing Zhang Yi¡¯s questions, she thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re asking the right person. Although we¡¯ve had our differences, we used to get along very well.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, do you know her family members then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know; Gu Qiaoqiao told me herself,¡± she said.


    Ten minutes later, Zhang Yi hung up the phone and approached the hospital bed.


    Lying on the bed, Gu Qingfeng stared intently at Zhang Yi.


    Zhang Yi quickly began, ¡°That girl¡¯s name is Gu Qiaoqiao; she¡¯s from the North. Her family includes her parents and twin siblings, a brother and a sister. Her father is a teacher, and her mother is a homemaker¡­¡±


    ¡°What about her grandparents?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked tentatively.


    ¡°They¡¯ve passed away. It¡¯s said that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather once saved the son of Old Lady Qin on the battlefield, so the two families have kept in touch ever since and later became related by marriage of their children.¡±


    ¡°¡­Dead¡­¡± Old Master Gu suddenly felt an inexplicable pain in his chest and murmured.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve been gone for over a year¡­¡±


    After a long pause, Gu Qingfeng asked again, ¡°Do you know what her grandfather¡¯s name was?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that,¡± Zhang Yi shook his head. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Master Gu pondered for a moment, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Bai Yun that the Gu family has been farmers for generations, always living in the countryside, relying on farming for a living. The farthest they¡¯ve ever gone is to the county town¡­¡±


    There was silence for a long while before Gu Qingfeng suddenly asked, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    Zhang Yi nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s basically it.¡± He glanced at Old Master Gu before adding, ¡°Old Patriarch, the things I¡¯ve told you may not be one hundred percent accurate. The Bai family had an argument with the Qin family over these two young ladies just the other day, to the point where they went to the police station. So, if you really suspect something, it would be better to investigate thoroughly.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng nodded but said nothing.


    He, of course, intended to investigate.


    ¡°Zhang Yi, can you bring that young lady here?¡± asked Gu Qingfeng.


    Zhang Yi shook his head, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao has gone to Border City with her husband Qin Yize. Rumor has it that it¡¯s a border area in the North; they¡¯ve been gone for several days now¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng whispered low.


    After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yi couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Old Patriarch, I have something I¡¯d like to say to you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with the way you¡¯re searching for people. You¡¯ve been looking for so many years, how could there be no news at all? Could it be that the people you sent out aren¡¯t making every effort?¡± Zhang Yi cautiously ventured.


    Gu Qingfeng pondered for a while before saying, ¡°I understand what you mean. I sent two groups of people to search, one in the open and one in secret. Only Uncle Gu and I know about the secret group, and everyone involved is trustworthy¡­¡±


    Zhang Yi thought carefully and realized that his previous thoughts might have been wrong.


    The Second Lady and the others also didn¡¯t know where the person was.


    They might not necessarily be trying to throw off the trail, but they were definitely keeping a watch on Old Master Gu, and within Old Master Gu¡¯s men, there certainly were people from the Second Lady and Gu Cheng.


    You can know someone¡¯s face but not their heart.


    However, regarding Uncle Gu, Zhang Yi did know that he was the life-and-death friend of the Old Patriarch as well as the son of the Gu Family¡¯s old steward¡ªeven if nominally a master and servant, in reality, they were like brothers.


    Would such a person betray the Old Patriarch?


    Zhang Yi¡¯s doubts, however, could not be voiced, no matter what.


    ¡°Send for Uncle Gu to come in; I have something to discuss with him. Zhang Yi, you go back to Yubao Square first, and I¡¯ll call you if there¡¯s anything,¡± Gu Qingfeng instructed softly.


    After pouring a cup of water for the Old Patriarch, Zhang Yi left the room.


    Uncle Gu was waiting at the door; having heard Zhang Yi¡¯s message, he hurriedly pushed the door open and then firmly shut it behind him.


    Zhang Yi exchanged a few words with Gu Cheng, who seemed to casually ask what had been discussed.


    Zhang Yi told Gu Cheng that the Old Master asked about Yubao Square business, then politely excused himself from Gu Cheng.


    Gu Cheng watched Zhang Yi¡¯s departing figure with a venomous gaze, muttering hatefully, ¡°Once I get my hands on Yubao Square, the first person I¡¯ll drive away will be you!¡±


    In the sickroom, Gu Qingfeng asked Uncle Gu to investigate the family members of Qin Yize¡¯s wife, Gu Qiaoqiao, especially Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather.


    Uncle Gu agreed to the task, and by this time, Gu Qingfeng also felt very tired. After attending to Gu Qingfeng who settled to sleep, Uncle Gu left the sickroom.


    Gu Cheng was still waiting outside.


    Uncle Gu stood at the door, stared fixedly at Gu Cheng, and then spoke coldly, ¡°Stop trying to find out what you shouldn¡¯t know. People should learn to be grateful and content, and not covet what doesn¡¯t belong to them!¡±


    Having said that, Uncle Gu instructed his trusted aides to keep a close watch on the sickroom, inside and out, and then he strode away.


    He sighed inwardly; the Old Patriarch had nurtured the appetites of both Gu Cheng and the Second Lady to be too large, and as a result, their desires had grown too.


    Gu Qingfeng was not unaware of their ulterior motives.


    Yet, Gu Cheng¡¯s biological father had died trying to save the Old Patriarch, and it was also due to the Old Patriarch that Gu Cheng¡¯s family met a tragic end at the hands of the Cheng Residence.


    The Old Patriarch could not bring himself to sever ties of gratitude and duty, let alone when he had raised Gu Cheng for fifty years, nurturing a naturally profound bond.


    Unfortunately, ever since the Lady and the young master left Gu Garden, there had been no news up to now.


    If the Lady was still alive, she would be almost eighty by now; perhaps she had long since passed away¡­


    His footsteps were heavy, yet surprisingly steadfast, hopeful that this time the news would be true.


    The Old Patriarch could not withstand another blow.


    At this time, Gu Cheng¡¯s eyes were cold as a serpent¡¯s, resentful that everyone seemed to underestimate him. Once he had real power, he would make sure that both Zhang Yi and Uncle Gu paid for their disrespect.


    He took a deep breath, straightened his Zhongshan suit, and prepared for an important meeting at headquarters this afternoon.


    The new superior would be attending.

 Chapter 97 - 97 Chang Qing, I Feel Like Im Dreaming

    Chapter 97: Chapter 97 Chang Qing, I Feel Like I¡¯m Dreaming


    He was already of this age, with only a few years left in office, but fortunately, he had paved a very good path for his eldest son.


    This time, sending him to a branch in the North as a general manager, he believed that spending a few more years at the grassroots level would definitely ensure a promising return to the Imperial Capital in due time.


    Now, he had also given up the desire to advance any further.


    Controlling everything about the Gu Family was what he should focus on now.


    Especially the jade mine, he would keep a tight grip on it.


    Yubao Square belonged to his five children.


    ...


    And the old thing ¨C Gu Garden, belonged to his own mother.


    That was what they deserved!


    As for the eldest young master¡­


    It¡¯s better he remains dead and without descendants, otherwise¡­


    With a soft snort, Gu Cheng also left the hospital.


    ¡­


    In Stone Town, a northern mountain village, the afternoon sun shone through the window, casting its light on the girl lying on the heated kang.


    Her little face slept rosily, flushed like the dawn, her curled eyelashes flickering like butterfly wings,


    Her black hair spread over her shoulders, like a sleeping sprite.


    Chang Qing dared not move, only quietly setting down the bag of neatly prepared sparrows, his heart pounding as he stood at the edge of the kang, staring unblinkingly at the sleeping Sister Qiaoqiao.


    His hands tightly clenched the bag¡¯s opening, palms sweaty with moisture.


    It felt as though his back was drenched in sweat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, seeming to wake up. Startled, Chang Qing put down the bag and was about to leave.


    But suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao slowly opened her eyes.


    She seemed to have had a dream.


    Looking at everything familiar in the room, and the warm sunlight on her body, her expression suddenly turned bewildered.


    Her gaze fell on Chang Qing standing on the floor.


    Chang Qing, still in his old cotton jacket, with a youthful face and slim figure, caused Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes to suddenly moisten as she stared intently at him and murmured, ¡°Chang Qing, I think I was dreaming¡­¡±


    Chang Qing furrowed his brow in thought, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, were you dreaming just now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was dreaming¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes looked vague as she spoke in a low voice to Chang Qing.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao appear so helpless tightened Chang Qing¡¯s heart, and after a few moments, he smiled jokingly, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, it must have been a very beautiful dream.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head in alarm, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a beautiful dream, it was a nightmare!¡±


    Chang Qing was suddenly stunned, then placed the bag on the table and asked gently, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, was the nightmare very scary?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very scary,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao almost whispered, ¡°I dreamt that I got married, then something awful happened, and eventually, all my family was gone, and I¡­ jumped off a cliff¡­¡±


    As Chang Qing listened, he stiffened, and for some reason, it felt like a dormant consciousness was about to awaken in his mind.


    This change made his face turn pale, and his heart began to race chaotically.


    It seemed as if his own consciousness was about to slip from his control.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, who seemed detached from this world, clenched his fists tightly, and quickly suppressed his turbulent emotions, raising his voice, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, it was just a nightmare. Don¡¯t think about it anymore. Today, I caught some sparrows. Let Aunt Gu stew them with potatoes. As Li San¡¯s Grandpa said, it¡¯s really delicious¡­¡±


    Sparrows?


    Stewed with potatoes?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the bag set neatly on the table.


    About a dozen, just a small pile.


    She stared at Chang Qing, dazed, a bit unsure, ¡°Before this, was I always having nightmares?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were having nightmares, forget them once you wake up.¡±


    ¡°So, I didn¡¯t get married and I didn¡¯t go to the Imperial Capital.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened, tears started rolling down as she choked up, ¡°Chang Qing, I¡¯ve always been here in Stone Town, I haven¡¯t gone anywhere, right?¡±


    Chang Qing was stunned.


    A sudden surge of inexplicable sadness welled up in his heart.


    He dared not think what this sadness actually meant, but such a Sister Qiaoqiao made him want to cry along with her.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s somewhat flushed cheeks, holding back repeatedly, seeming afraid to scare her, his voice was very soft, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, are you confused from sleep? Didn¡¯t you just send Big Brother Qin off this morning? It¡¯s only been a few days since you returned from the Imperial Capital¡­¡±


    Big Brother Qin?


    Qin Yize!


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly startled awake; she hadn¡¯t been dreaming, she was just confused from sleep.


    Confused enough that, in this familiar setting, seeing the young Chang Qing, she na?vely thought that nothing had ever happened.


    She had just sent Qin Yize away.


    He must have just reached the provincial city.


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused for a moment, hastily wiped her tears away and said embarrassingly to Chang Qing, ¡°I really was confused from sleep, Chang Qing, didn¡¯t I scare you?¡±


    Chang Qing shook his head, his eyes flickering with a spark of light, he thought, how good it would have been if everything Sister Qiaoqiao said was true.


    She hadn¡¯t gotten married, and there was no hero named Qin Yize who could fight off wolves. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nothing had happened, everything was just as it always was.


    Even if she didn¡¯t like studying, he would find all the ways to coax her to continue, he would join her for the college entrance exam, applying to whatever school she chose.


    He wanted to go to university with her.


    When he earned money, he would buy Sister Qiaoqiao the silver beaded bracelet she loved the most.


    That was what they saw together in the county town the year before last.


    Unfortunately, neither of them had any money back then.


    Thinking this, Chang Qing¡¯s face turned somber, his head half-lowered, not speaking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself, her nonsensical ramblings must have frightened Chang Qing, she got up from the bed, squatted at the edge, stretched out her hand to touch Chang Qing¡¯s head, then pinched his ear, muttering like an old mother, ¡°A tap on the head, no scares, a pinch on the ear, scared for a while¡­ Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t swat, it¡¯s alright now¡­¡±


    Chang Qing¡¯s body stiffened suddenly.


    His heart also started thumping rapidly, his thoughts disrupted by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s actions.


    He quickly stepped back, his pale face blushing with a crimson hue.


    Somewhat flustered, and also inexplicably delighted, he nervously stammered, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I, I¡­wasn¡¯t scared¡­really¡­¡±


    Seeing how Chang Qing looked, Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled.


    She looked down at the small pile of neatly prepared sparrows, ¡°Come to my house for dinner tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°No, she will scold me again if she finds out¡­¡± Chang Qing whispered in refusal.


    This ¡®she¡¯ referred to Chang Qing¡¯s stepmother, a rather twisted woman. Knowing that Chang Qing ate good food at the Gu¡¯s, she would stand with hands on hips and scold for an hour.


    Though not naming names, it was implied that it involved the Gu family as well.


    Chang Qing didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for the Gu family.


    So, after growing up a bit, he stopped going to the Gu family¡¯s place for meals.


    Gu Qiaoqiao giggled, ¡°Then come out at seven tonight, I¡¯ll put food in the cracks of the fence, just like before. That woman won¡¯t notice.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98: Not Arguing with Fools

    Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Not Arguing with Fools


    ¡°`


    Chang Qing seemed to be gradually regaining his composure, though the roots of his ears were still a bit red. He sneakily glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and, seeing that she appeared to have emerged from her dream, he quietly exhaled in relief.


    He nodded at Gu Qiaoqiao, eyes sparkling, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I¡¯ll wait for you over there.¡±


    He would never reject the affections of Sister Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the edge of the kang bed, swinging her legs and suddenly asked Chang Qing, ¡°Chang Qing, do you know the allegory of Zhuangzi and the butterfly in his dream?¡±


    Chang Qing nodded, ¡°Mmm, I know it.¡±


    ...


    Then he waited quietly for what Gu Qiaoqiao would say next.


    ¡°Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, and when he awoke, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was Zhuangzi or a butterfly. Perhaps the person called Zhuangzi was nothing but a butterfly¡¯s dream. A dream is a state of being; hence, awakening is also a state. Chang Qing, what do you think, is it Zhuangzi¡¯s dream that contains the butterfly, or is it the butterfly¡¯s dream that contains Zhuangzi?¡±


    At the moment when Qin Yize left, Gu Qiaoqiao had a sense that everything was just a dream.


    In fact, she knew she was deceiving herself, but there were times when her mind was in disarray. Were the experiences from her past life just a nightmare?


    And now, it was merely the beginning.


    Chang Qing furrowed his brows in thought.


    After a moment, he replied very seriously, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, the dreams that people have are nothing but images, sounds, thoughts, or feelings produced by the imagination while sleeping. It¡¯s a psychological activity during sleep. A dream is just a dream, while Zhuangzi dreaming of the butterfly is a poetic representation of philosophy, a romantic conjecture of the unknown world¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Chang Qing as he explained earnestly, then suddenly let out a chuckle.


    She was the one who was confused.


    Her current self was real, and the experiences from her last life were real as well.


    It was just that she had been greatly favored by the heavens!


    Chang Qing had work to do, and after exchanging a few words with Gu Qiaoqiao, he left reluctantly.


    Lian Yuhong walked in, took the sparrows to the kitchen, while Gu Qianqian and Gu Zishu started playing checkers.


    Gu Tianfeng was reading a book.


    In the living room, the large kang bed bathed in sunlight, radiating a warm and cozy feeling.


    Despite the home¡¯s bare walls, there was a sense of peaceful time, and current stability.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mood was better than it had ever been.


    She walked briskly to her grandfather¡¯s study.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Tianfeng would have heated the kang bed in there so thoroughly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out the black box, placed it on the kang table, and started to examine it closely.


    Gu Tianfeng came in, saw his daughter absorbed in her task, and decided not to disturb her.


    Instead, he quietly left.


    But he added another log to the fire under the big stove in the kitchen ¨C his eldest daughter had always been afraid of the cold, so this room had to be kept nice and warm.


    Meanwhile, Gu Tianfeng was also curious about what was inside the black box.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered over the box until it was time to turn the lights on in the evening, yet she couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    At seven o¡¯clock in the evening, Gu Qiaoqiao came to the fence wall carrying a small basin wrapped in thick cotton cloth.


    Chang Qing quietly emerged from a corner and whispered, ¡°Sister Qiao¡­¡±


    His arrival made things easier. Gu Qiaoqiao quickly opened the basin and handed it to Chang Qing, ¡°Hurry and eat, I mixed the rice with the vegetables for you, and the sparrow bones are stewed until tender, so you can eat them directly¡­¡±


    Chang Qing was indeed hungry.


    Today, because he was catching sparrows and cleaning them up in the snow, he had missed out on gathering firewood, leading to his stepmother forbidding him from eating lunch and dinner.


    She had also beaten him with a stick more than a dozen times.


    In fact, he could have resisted, but he knew that once he did, that woman would throw herself on the ground throughout the courtyard, wailing and cursing foully, not even sparing his deceased mother.


    And his father would just squat in the corner, smoking his dry tobacco pipe.


    Utterly silent.


    He endured it.


    He had been enduring it for over a decade.


    A few more days wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    ¡°`


    So, he watched everything with cold detachment, with only one thought in his mind, as soon as he got into college, he could break free.


    Because Principal Gao said if he really came first in the entire city, he would receive a sum of money as a prize. Though it wasn¡¯t much, it would be enough to cover his tuition fees for the first academic year.


    After that, he could work part-time and study part-time.


    As long as he left this place, he would do well.


    They say, ¡°Don¡¯t argue with fools.¡±


    In his eyes, his stepmother was a woman to the utmost stupidity.


    Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t stoop to her level.


    Chang Qing thought he had become invulnerable, but as he squatted in the corner, eating the hot food, the tears still couldn¡¯t help falling.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t make out Chang Qing¡¯s expression, but she knew he must be hungry.


    She whispered, ¡°Chang Qing, just bear with it a little longer, just over a hundred more days, and once you¡¯re in college, your days of suffering will be over. I¡¯m leaving now, take your time eating, and put the bowl back in the usual place when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll come for it tomorrow¡­¡±


    Chang Qing choked up with a sob, and continued to eat with his head down.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sighed softly and turned to leave.


    If that shrew saw her, it would inevitably lead to another round of senseless hassle.


    She had come to terms with it, this matter was not hers to handle.


    What was before will be the same now.


    She had never considered persuading that woman to treat Chang Qing well; the way things were now was for the best.


    In the future, it could also be a clean break.


    In his past life, Chang Qing had moved his household registration and never again contacted the Chang Family, and moreover, his place of work was a restricted area.


    That family couldn¡¯t find him even if they wanted to.


    Gu Qiaoqiao remembered how gleeful and overactive Chang Qing¡¯s stepmother was when she returned in her past life, and she let out a cold laugh.


    In this life, you¡¯re still the same as in your past life, perhaps even worse than before!


    Just like that, half a month passed.


    Gu Zishu and Gu Qianqian started school.


    Gu Tianfeng went back to work as well.


    That left only her and Lian Yuhong at home.


    The days of lying on the kang, idly waiting for death, were absurdly carefree.


    The only drawback was that Qin Xiaoyu kept calling.


    This was something she had never considered. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Logically speaking, the Gu Family couldn¡¯t afford to install a telephone.


    It was the Qin Family who had helped with the installation, getting an internal rate from the post office, and the call charges were likewise reduced.


    Gu Tianfeng didn¡¯t refuse because with his daughter married off to the Imperial Capital, which was too far away, having a phone would make it more convenient to keep in touch.


    Although they couldn¡¯t talk every day, at the very least they could find someone in case of an emergency.


    Moreover, the call charges for the internal rate were genuinely cheap.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, fortunately, there weren¡¯t many families in Stone Town who needed to make phone calls, otherwise, it would really be a hot potato.


    It was like the television; the Gu Family didn¡¯t have one, which made it quite peaceful.


    In the homes with televisions in the town, the evenings were very lively.


    It was said that the big kang was filled with neighbors from left and right and children from around the town, all coming to watch television.


    But now, it was becoming a nuisance.


    Qin Xiaoyu seemed to have forgotten how she used to treat her.


    Her skin was even thicker than Gu Zishu¡¯s.


    Although it was annoying, it also kept her informed of many things.

 Chapter 99 - 99: The Mysterious Dragon Box and the Red Spirit Jade Marrow

    Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Mysterious Dragon Box and the Red Spirit Jade Marrow


    Bai Yun and the others were released from the station.


    It was Lin Qinghuan, entrusted by others, who picked them up, and it was said that Old Grand Master Qin and Lin Qinghuan were furious.


    Qin Xiaoyu hated Lin Qinghuan the most, so she was quite happy.


    When she spoke to Gu Qiaoqiao about this, her voice was also filled with joy.


    Additionally, Bai Yun had come to apologize, her attitude was very sincere, and she appeared pitiful, which surprisingly, the Qin family did not graciously forgive.


    Instead, they indifferently expressed that what was done was done, but it was best for both families not to interact anymore.


    ...


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew this must be the opinion of Old Lady Qin and Grandma Qin.


    After all, the person Bai Yun had harmed was a daughter-in-law of the Qin family, and as a protective Old Grand Master Qin, it was a severe provocation to the dignity of the Qin family members.


    Therefore, Bai Yun naturally received no favors.


    Shang Qing also often called, and just now, she informed Gu Qiaoqiao that Uncle Gu from Yubao Square was secretly inquiring about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s family situation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about it for a moment and didn¡¯t mind it.


    This must be because Zhang Yi believed those two objects weren¡¯t carved by him, so he wanted to find the person behind Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, after resting for such a long time, it was time for her to start working.


    She had already given the money she brought back to Lian Yuhong, and with Lian Yuhong¡¯s thriftiness, it was likely to last for a year.


    Moreover, she told Lian Yuhong that she would return to the Imperial Capital after May, and had also found a perfect excuse for going to the Border City Base.


    So, she was living at home leisurely.


    And this leisureliness resulted in Gu Qiaoqiao feeling unusually light and agile.


    It was as if she was about to merge with nature itself.


    With such a feeling, Gu Qiaoqiao started to study the Black Stone Box again.


    With half-closed eyes and hands imbued with Spiritual Energy, she gently touched the surface of the Black Stone Box.


    This time, the sensation was wonderful.


    It reminded her of the unity of heaven and man mentioned in martial arts novels.


    Yes, that was it, exactly this feeling.


    A few minutes later, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly startled, and her muscles seemed to tense up.


    Her right index finger had stopped at one point.


    She closed her eyes, concentrating all her energy and Mind Power, and started moving her index finger slowly over the slightly cold spot.


    One by one, mysterious lines formed under Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s finger, connecting into a pattern.


    It was a black dragon with wings.


    As if swimming in the dark vast sea.


    It exuded an intimidating chill.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s finger stopped on the dragon¡¯s head, she was startled to find that this winged black dragon had no eyes!


    It is often said that one should paint the dragon¡¯s eyes.


    A black dragon without eyes looked extremely terrifying.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand paused for a moment, but the horror in her heart was gradually dispelled by a warm sensation from her fingertips.


    Her heart calmed down bit by bit.


    In that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao knew clearly that the Dragon Eye might just be where the box¡¯s mechanism lay.


    But was she supposed to place or carve the Dragon Eye?


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly opened her eyes and looked at the spot where her fingers had traced.


    Then she discovered that the place for the Dragon Eye was slightly indented.


    Upon closer inspection, she saw that the indentation was circular.


    About the size of a soybean.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand touched it again, her mind inexplicably received a piece of information.


    This box was called the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    The mechanism to be activated was the dragon eye.


    It required the highest quality Red Spirit Jade Marrow to be carved into eighty-one lotus petals forming a lotus, which had to be placed in the eye socket of the dragon head.


    That way, the Mysterious Dragon Box could be opened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    What was Red Spirit Jade Marrow?


    She had never even heard of it.


    And to carve eighty-one lotus petals? S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She might be able to do it.


    But where could she find Red Spirit Jade Marrow?


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly put down the Black Stone Box.


    Just then, Gu Tianfeng got off work. Gu Qiaoqiao quickly called him over, pointed to the black box, and said with a bit of pride, ¡°Dad, I know how to open this black box.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and his eyes revealed a surprise; this daughter had been brought up by his father and knew many things he himself did not know.


    It was just that he didn¡¯t want her to follow the path of carving, but without that path, her studies weren¡¯t great either.


    And now she was married.


    Not only married, but her temper and assertiveness had grown.


    Gu Tianfeng suppressed his helpless thoughts and asked eagerly, ¡°I knew my eldest daughter was the smartest, quickly tell dad how to open it.¡±


    ¡°Dad, look,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao showed Gu Tianfeng the position of the black dragon with wings, ¡°This is the dragon head. It needs the lotus carved from Red Spirit Jade Marrow put inside it, then it can be opened.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng followed his daughter¡¯s pointing finger and did indeed vaguely see a black dragon with wings.


    It seemed as though it was surrounded by a black sea.


    And indeed, the dragon¡¯s head had no eyes.


    Gu Tianfeng frowned, ¡°I know about Jade Marrow; it is said to be the essence of jade, formed from the condensation of jade liquids, as recorded in ancient texts, which say that Jade Marrow is a treasure born from the formation of heaven and earth, and that refining it into an elixir can lead to immortality.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that exaggerated?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked dubiously as she looked at the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    ¡°These are all just legends; Jade Marrow isn¡¯t as valuable as the legends suggest, but I have never heard of Red Spirit Jade Marrow; I only know about red agate Jade Marrow.¡±


    ¡°Dad, ever hear Grandpa mention anything about Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked curiously.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did Grandpa ever tell you about his past?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Tianfeng sighed, ¡°Your grandpa only said he fled to the North, and after being separated from his parents, he became a soldier, and later due to injuries, he transferred to Stone Town where he has lived for thirty years¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never thought to ask her grandpa about these things and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°My grandpa had parents too?¡±


    Gu Tianfeng gave his daughter a look, ¡°Nonsense, of course your grandpa had parents.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and laughed embarrassedly, ¡°Then if they were alive, they¡¯d be over eighty by now, right?¡±


    ¡°Supposedly,¡± Gu Tianfeng said uncertainly.


    When he was younger, he had asked about his grandparents, but Grandpa Gu gave him a beating, and he never asked again.


    And Grandpa Gu never mentioned it either.


    ¡°Did grandpa ever say where his ancestral home was?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it written in the family register?¡± Gu Tianfeng glanced at his daughter.


    ¡°Stone Town?¡±


    Gu Tianfeng nodded and glanced at the Black Stone Box, ¡°What¡¯s this box called?¡±


    ¡°The Mysterious Dragon Box.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, whether it can be opened or not, it¡¯s yours. When you go to Ah Ze¡¯s place in a while, bring it with you,¡± Gu Tianfeng instructed softly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback; she had no plans to go to any experimental base.


    Even though there were so many painful memories there, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to touch them again.


    Let the Border City Experimental Base¡¯s family quarters be a permanent memory of her last life!

 Chapter 100 - 100 Preparing to Let Uncle Button Up the Vegetable Greenhouse

    Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Preparing to Let Uncle Button Up the Vegetable Greenhouse


    She had many things to do.


    Her enemies from the last life were unknown, and she must prepare in advance.


    She had lived safely in that residential compound for three years. It was only after arriving at the Imperial Capital that troubles arose; thus, her enemies must be from the Imperial Capital.


    Choo Lan¡¯s family was in Jinling City, and Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s was in Shandong.


    Both had little to do with the Imperial Capital.


    So, the likelihood of them being involved was very small.


    ...


    Even if it were them, going to Border City would be pointless. With Qin Yize as her backer, they wouldn¡¯t dare to cause too much trouble.


    But it was different in the Imperial Capital.


    Although the Qin Family had a large estate, they were not the only influential family.


    Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao lost interest in that place.


    Moreover, she no longer loved Qin Yize.


    So, whoever he chose to be with had nothing to do with her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not share the details with her father; instead, she placed the Mysterious Dragon Box back on the desk as it was before, pressed the switch, and the box slowly sank down.


    The desk¡¯s surface was smooth, showing no sign of the box.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said with a giggle, ¡°Dad, this is the safest place. Once I find the Red Spirit Jade Marrow, I can open it and then we¡¯ll know what¡¯s inside¡­¡±


    Getting excited, Gu Qiaoqiao asked, ¡°Dad, do you think there might be a treasure map inside?¡±


    Gu Tianfeng stretched out his hand and flicked his daughter¡¯s forehead affectionately, ¡°I¡¯ve raised you to be capable, and now you¡¯re talking about treasure maps. Have you been reading too many martial arts novels?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao clung to Gu Tianfeng¡¯s arm sweetly and said, ¡°Such a precious thing, would Dad really bear to give it to me?¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that you discovered it, even if it wasn¡¯t you, as long as you like it, it¡¯s yours. Besides, this thing has a predestined connection with you. In the future, you will be the one to open it. What could Dad possibly regret giving you?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I won¡¯t monopolize it. After all, it¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s relic. The three siblings should all have a share,¡± declared Gu Qiaoqiao solemnly.


    Gu Tianfeng was very gratified. He certainly didn¡¯t want an item of unknown value to cause discord among the siblings.


    In his eyes, nothing was more important than the happiness of a united family.


    After dinner, Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the heated brick bed chatting with her parents.


    It was already mid-March; spring plowing would begin soon.


    The family didn¡¯t own much land.


    Her residency was now registered under the Imperial Capital Qin Family¡¯s household, and like Gu Tianfeng, she also consumed commercial grain.


    Only her mother Lian Yuhong and siblings Gu Zishu and Gu Qianqian each had one mu of land designated for sustenance farming.


    So, it wasn¡¯t as tiring as in other households.


    Nevertheless, there was still a lot to do in the spring season.


    They had to till the land, prepare potato seedlings, and get the vegetable gardens in front and back in order.


    Therefore, Lian Yuhong was always busy.


    Having completed three olive stone carvings, Gu Qiaoqiao needed to take a break.


    She realized that while carving, the Spiritual Energy was not inexhaustible, and it wasn¡¯t as rapid as it had been at the start.


    Most importantly, such forced carvings were too draining, so she needed to take proper rest and replenish her Spiritual Energy.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to stick with using olives; she wanted to carve with jade.


    She also had to start looking for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow because the Mysterious Dragon Box was definitely something to be opened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt that she had a lot to do.


    Regarding her future, Gu Qiaoqiao had already made plans.


    She didn¡¯t want to be just a carver. Once she was ready with the funds, she intended to open an antique store in the Imperial Capital, specializing in various carvings.


    To have such a store, a significant amount of capital was needed.


    Connections were also required.


    If she wanted, the Luo Family would definitely be willing to support her.


    But as for the Luo Family, she didn¡¯t yet understand them well; she only knew Luo Zhenyu and Luo Fan were good people.


    But what about the rest of the Luo family?


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no way of knowing.


    Moreover, if she actively asked for help with such a matter, she would be putting herself at a disadvantage.


    Therefore, achieving this goal so quickly was not feasible; the top priority was to finish carving the walnuts and olive pits in hand.


    And those four Wolf¡¯s Fangs.


    Only by accumulating enough items could she begin the next step.


    Then there was the matter of her family.


    She was confident that she could provide a good life for her family members.


    But, as it stood, Gu Tianfeng and Lian Yuhong would never allow their nineteen-year-old daughter to carve things to support the whole family.


    Especially since she was married.


    So even the money Gu Qiaoqiao gave to Lian Yuhong, she didn¡¯t touch, claiming she had accepted it but actually planning to save it for her daughter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that although she was a good cook, she currently had no time to open a restaurant, and Lian Yuhong, with two children preparing for the middle school exams and a husband who was a teacher to take care of, opening a restaurant in the county town just wasn¡¯t realistic.


    Therefore, the ambitious Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat at her wits¡¯ end.


    For now, the status quo was the only option.


    Fortunately, Gu Tianfeng had a monthly salary, and she had Elder Shen¡¯s passbook, which she estimated would have another salary deposited into it next month.


    It was somewhat like installment payments.


    This was something Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t mentioned to anyone, and she didn¡¯t dare to mention it for the time being, as speaking out would render all her careful planning in vain.


    Moreover, it was quite a shocking matter, and she didn¡¯t want to scare her parents.


    However, she now had several thousand yuan in hand, which was enough for spending.


    So there wasn¡¯t such an urgency anymore.


    However, for her grandmother¡¯s family, she thought of a good way to improve their life.


    Her eldest uncle was honest and capable, a skilled farmer, and although her aunt was somewhat selfish, she was also capable.


    Now that it was the sunny March, and the land had just begun to thaw, she planned to have her eldest uncle plant greenhouse vegetables on the land he contracted this year. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And her younger uncle, being smart and flexible, could be in charge of selling the greenhouse vegetables.


    Since ancient times, food has been the utmost necessity for the people.


    The soil in Stone Town was so fertile it was dripping with oil, and currently, there wasn¡¯t a single plastic greenhouse to be found.


    Because in every household here, the spaces in front of and behind the houses were vegetable gardens.


    In the summertime, there were so many vegetables they couldn¡¯t even be finished.


    No one had yet thought that these vegetables could also be turned into money.


    It wouldn¡¯t be until three years later that the town would begin to cover greenhouses and sell vegetables.


    Stone Town was eighteen miles from the county town and fifty miles from the city.


    One hundred and fifty miles from the provincial capital.


    Not too far.


    With the reforms and opening up, restaurants were sprouting up like bamboo shoots after rain.


    Therefore, the demand for vegetables in the county and the city was increasing year by year.


    The wholesale vegetable market was not yet fully formed.


    So, if handled well, her eldest uncle¡¯s family could not only easily clear their debts, but also have a surplus by the end of the year.


    Thinking about it meant acting on it.


    And for the funding, Gu Qiaoqiao would temporarily cover it for them.


    She had Qin Yize¡¯s passbook, which she had never looked at before and only thought of opening when she had this idea.


    Unexpectedly, there were over forty thousand yuan in it.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s feelings were complex.


    But since Qin Yize had given her the passbook, she decided not to play coy, and would borrow it first, then pay it back once her eldest uncle made money.

 Chapter 101 - 101 Guilt-ridden Gu Tianfeng

    Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Guilt-ridden Gu Tianfeng


    And the uncle, who had been working in the fields with the adults since he was twelve, was absolutely top-notch when it came to growing vegetables.


    However, constructing a greenhouse wasn¡¯t so simple, the initial investment alone was at least a few thousand yuan.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not quite understand how much money was ultimately needed, but she thought the money in the passbook was sufficient.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao shared her idea with Gu Tianfeng and Lian Yuhong.


    At first, Gu Tianfeng and Lian Yuhong were skeptical, but once Gu Qiaoqiao laid out the reasoning and prospects in detail for them, Gu Tianfeng quickly understood.


    Plus, times had changed compared to a few years ago, with more and more individual businesses earning tens of thousands of yuan.


    ...


    Gu Tianfeng had been to the city for an excellent teacher awards ceremony, and he knew that most people in the city lived in apartment buildings.


    Without their own vegetable gardens, they would still need to eat vegetables, and with such a large population, how much vegetables did they consume every day?


    This was a calculation that was almost frightening to consider!


    Therefore, Gu Tianfeng agreed, and naturally, Lian Yuhong followed suit.


    Their daughter had always been decisive.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have insisted on marrying Qin Yize.


    With the Gu Family in so much debt, even if she wanted to help pay it off, she was willing but powerless.


    The only thing she could do was contribute a little to the living expenses, because the Lian Family had spent the past two years selling their autumn grain harvests to pay off debts, aside from what they needed for themselves. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Life was tight.


    If things turned out as their daughter said, perhaps they could pay off all the external debts this year.


    Then, the days for the Gu Family would start looking up.


    Moreover, growing vegetables was extremely simple for her younger brother.


    Thinking this way, it seemed as if the future suddenly brightened.


    But then worries followed, ¡°Qiaoqiao, according to what you say, building a greenhouse requires plastic sheets and wood, and inside the greenhouse, we also need to buy red bricks to construct the Ground Fire Dragon¡­ How much money will all this cost?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know either.


    She took out Qin Yize¡¯s passbook, ¡°I estimate that there should definitely be enough money in here¡­¡±


    When Lian Yuhong saw the numbers in the passbook, she was startled at first, but then as a mother, she truly felt at ease.


    If a man was willing to give all the money he earned to his wife, then what was there to worry about for their future?


    However, Lian Yuhong felt somewhat uneasy and began tentatively, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you should still discuss this matter with Ah Ze.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head firmly, ¡°No need, he doesn¡¯t care how I spend the money¡­¡±


    Although Qin Yize was currently at the research base, he had never been short on money.


    The old master favored him greatly, and aside from his status as the heir to the Qin Family, he owned two street-facing stores in the Imperial Capital East District, which were his own, and he could spend the rental income as he pleased.


    It was a different story for the children of Qin Yize¡¯s second and third uncles.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered that Qin Yize had called home once after reaching the base and had not been heard from since.


    She had only just remembered this.


    It turned out, so-called love really had vanished like smoke and clouds.


    Gu Tianfeng glanced at the numbers on the passbook and subdued the sadness in his eyes, saying to Lian Yuhong, ¡°Let¡¯s treat it as a loan, and when we start making money, we will pay it back to Qiaoqiao with interest.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not object, for after all, it was Qin Yize¡¯s money which should indeed be returned to him.


    Moreover, based on the character of the grandmother and uncle, as long as they made money, they would certainly pay her back with interest.


    Lian Yuhong, hearing this, said no more.


    She had always been most agreeable to Gu Tianfeng¡¯s words.


    As night deepened, the members of the Gu Family each went to rest.


    The Gu Family¡¯s house had many rooms, so each of the children had their own.


    The large kang in the living room was also where Gu Tianfeng and Lian Yuhong rested at night.


    Lian Yuhong, who had been tired all day, was now feeling sleepy and began to doze off.


    Meanwhile, Gu Tianfeng still had the figures from the bankbook flashing before his eyes.


    His heart felt very sour.


    He also felt very ashamed.


    At over forty years old, this was the first time he had seen so much money.


    He would have to save for fifty years without eating or drinking to have that amount.


    He turned his head and looked at his wife, who seemed to have already fallen asleep.


    In the hazy moonlight, his wife¡¯s profile looked peaceful and beautiful.


    But he knew that her eyes were wrinkled, and her hands were calloused.


    Her skin was no longer delicate, her features no longer youthful.


    In the more than twenty years she had been married to him, they had rarely had good times.


    She was frugal to the extreme, carefully planning to keep the family fed and warm.


    He thought back to when he first met her.


    She was only seventeen years old then, having attended school for only one year due to her family¡¯s poverty, but because of her beautiful voice and pretty appearance, she had become the leader of the town¡¯s cultural troupe.


    That day, she had brought the troupe to the school for a comforting performance, her singing voice like that of a celestial being, and her eyes so bright they seemed as if the stars from the sky had fallen into them.


    He had never told her that it was love at first sight for him.


    He had never told her about the troubles he went through to marry her.


    Then she bore him sons and daughters and took care of the elderly.


    The best food was saved for the family¡¯s elders and children, and it was the same with clothes and other necessities.


    She had given too much for this family.


    And he couldn¡¯t even give her a decent bankbook¡­


    Gu Tianfeng turned over, slowly stretched out his hand, lifted the blanket off his wife¡¯s body, and gently pulled her into his arms.


    Resting his chin on her head and inhaling the fragrance unique to his wife, he whispered a promise to her, who was dozing off, ¡°Xiaohong, I will surely give you a good life.¡±


    But Lian Yuhong was so tired, she couldn¡¯t make out what her husband was saying. Following her instincts, she snuggled closer into his warm embrace and fell into a deep sleep.


    Gu Tianfeng tightened his grip; the softness of his wife¡¯s body pressing against him stirred his emotions, but thinking of how tired she had been all day, he suppressed his rising desire.


    Barely closing his eyes, his mind continued to ponder which path he should take¡­


    The next day happened to be Sunday.


    Gu Zishu accompanied Gu Qiaoqiao to Lian Family Village.


    The grandmother and the eldest uncle had never thought about growing vegetables in greenhouses to sell, but the younger uncle¡¯s eyes lit up immediately.


    He often roamed around and naturally knew more than his elder brother did.


    Moreover, he was acquainted with technicians in the county agriculture bureau.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave them three days to consider because it was a significant matter for the Lian family, and the investment was not small¡ªit would also require meticulous care.


    However, hitting the market before other vegetables ripened would definitely bring in a big profit.


    The prerequisite, though, was that the vegetables grew well and there were sales channels.


    The former the eldest uncle was confident about, as his crops and vegetables were the best in miles around.


    As for sales channels, Gu Qiaoqiao thought they could reach out to Li Dazhi in the provincial city. Additionally, Luo Fan had called, saying that the Luo Family owned a large hotel in the provincial city, and instructed Qiaoqiao to seek the hotel manager if anything came up because he had already been informed.

 Chapter 102 - 102: Racing Against Time!

    Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Racing Against Time!


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t cared at the time, but now she realized it was also a channel for sales.


    As for transportation, there was no need to worry, as her younger uncle had two friends who were in the transport business.


    So, as long as Uncle Gu made up his mind, there would be no problem.


    After all, farming still depended on Uncle Gu and his wife.


    At noon, Grandmother used the wolf meat she had received some time ago and had been reluctant to eat; she stewed it with potatoes and made fried flatbreads. Watching her younger cousin devour the food, Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself that the days ahead would only get better.


    After eating, Gu Qiaoqiao took her brother back home.


    ...


    She had thought she would have to wait three more days, but unexpectedly, that evening, Uncle Gu hurried over.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also very happy.


    After all, they had finally taken the first step.


    The next day, everyone went their separate ways, Uncle Gu went to the village chief to discuss leasing some more land, and Gu Qiaoqiao accompanied her younger uncle to the city to withdraw money.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped; the money in the passbook could only be withdrawn in the city.


    A week later, the Lian Family began preparing to set up large greenhouses.


    Meanwhile, in Gu Garden in the Imperial Capital, Gu Qingfeng stared blankly at the information in his hands.


    It was the investigation Uncle Gu had conducted.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather was named Gu Dashan, born on March 8, 1923, originally from Shandong¡­


    His son was named Gu Kun, born on September 9, 1924, during the Chen Hour¡­


    None of these matched.


    ¡°Do you have a photo?¡± Gu Qingfeng, still harboring a sliver of hope, asked Uncle Gu.


    Uncle Gu shook his head, ¡°Old Patriarch, I was just about to discuss this with you. I¡¯m planning to visit Stone Town, as our people are already there searching¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng nodded and instructed Uncle Gu, ¡°Ask more about Gu Dashan¡¯s youth, and make sure to get his photos from when he was young¡­¡±


    He then sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a shame that the Qin family child also left us early, otherwise¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng didn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    If Qin Zhipeng were still alive, he would definitely have paid a visit to inquire.


    ¡°Old Patriarch, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave this afternoon¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Gu Qingfeng said from his sickbed, taking a breath before asking Uncle Gu, ¡°How many more days before I can be discharged from the hospital?¡±


    ¡°The doctor said at least half a month.¡± Uncle Gu, still concerned, advised, ¡°I know you want to go to the Qin Family to inquire about Gu Dashan. To be honest, I went to the Qin Family¡­¡±


    ¡°What, you went to the Qin Family? What did they say?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked somewhat excitedly.


    In a rush, the grudges of the past couldn¡¯t compare to the matters at hand.


    ¡°The Qin Family was quite wary of me at first. Later when I mentioned you were very interested in nucleus carving and wanted to know the master behind it, Old Madam Qin finally said it was her granddaughter-in-law who carved it. Then I asked whom the child had learned it from, and the old lady said it was from her grandfather¡­ What the old lady said matched what I found. As for the rest, it was hard to ask further¡­¡±


    It was already somewhat awkward to visit, and asking too many details could arouse suspicion.


    But it was known that Gu Qiaoqiao learned carving from her grandfather.


    Now the most urgent task was not to inquire around but to personally visit Stone Town.


    ¡°Make sure to inquire thoroughly when you go to Stone Town¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng reiterated, uneasy.


    Uncle Gu nodded solemnly, arranged everything here, and then left.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, a man in his thirties deftly moved from the backyard to the front door of the main house of the Gu Family.


    He had waited a week for this opportunity today.


    The people of the Gu Family were all out.


    He looked around, and there was no one in sight.


    The adults and some elderly had all gone to attend the land leasing and spring farming conference.


    Meanwhile, the others were either at school or at work¡­


    The man took out a piece of metal wire, gently twisted it, and unlocked the door.


    His movements were swift. He located the room where Grandpa Gu had lived, hurriedly scanned it, and then pulled out a camera from his backpack and began snapping photos.


    Upon seeing that old wedding photo, he took several shots in quick succession.


    Afterward, the man placed the camera back in his backpack and silently left through the backyard of the Gu Family¡­ S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the river had not fully thawed yet. He quickly crossed the poplar woods along the riverbank, and on the other side, there was a bicycle parked.


    After mounting the bicycle, the man sped towards the county seat.


    Upon reaching the county seat, he rode into a small yard on the edge of town that he had rented temporarily.


    There were two other people in the house.


    They were the undercover contacts arranged by Uncle Gu, constantly searching for the eldest master of the Gu Family.


    These undercover agents had been replaced several times over the years.


    They had followed an important clue here, but unexpectedly found that the name and birth date were wrong, which is why they stealthily entered the Gu Family¡¯s residence.


    After discussing for a while, they decided it was not feasible to develop the photos there and needed to take them to the city. Thus, after returning the house keys to the landlord, they left.


    Regrettably, they did not have a photo of the young master in his youth; otherwise, they could have easily confirmed his identity by comparing the photos.


    The leader among the three was called Gu Lei, the second son of Uncle Gu. The one who entered the Gu residence to take photos was Liu San, and another was nicknamed Skinny Monkey.


    As usual, after talking on the phone with Uncle Gu in Imperial Capital, they learned he would be arriving by train in the afternoon, asking them to wait for him in the city.


    Thus, they hurried off to the city.


    Meanwhile, after they had left, another person entered Stone Town.


    He was about forty years old, his eyes gleaming with sharpness.


    At this time, the Gu residence was still unoccupied.


    He also knew all clues led here, and this clue held the highest possibility.


    So, after receiving the lead provided by the inside contact, he too had soon arrived at Stone Town, stealthily entered the Gu residence, and swiftly began taking photographs.


    He then left the Gu residence like a shadow.


    The households in Stone Town were individual residences.


    Especially the Gu residence, located on the edge of Stone Town, with a river at its back and a poplar forest across the river.


    Thus, during the morning span, two people entered the Gu residence undetected.


    And the man who left Stone Town boarded a black sedan waiting by the roadside and headed to the provincial capital¡¯s airport.


    By nightfall, the man had arrived in Imperial Capital and handed over the camera to Gu Cheng.


    Gu Cheng didn¡¯t delegate the task to anyone else and personally developed the photos before taking them to the North Mountain villa district.


    He used the fastest speed.


    Whether true or false, now it was all about time.


    Meanwhile, Gu Lei had already left the film at a photo studio. Unfortunately, despite being in the city, it would still take two days to develop.


    Gu Lei thought, since his father was also arriving in two days, there was no rush, so he and the others checked into a hotel in the city.


    North Mountain Villa.


    It was now 11:30 PM.


    Ning Wanru gazed at that photo, her eyes filled with a cold light¡­

 Chapter 103 - 103: Diligence is Supreme!

    Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Diligence is Supreme!


    This day was March 23, 1986.


    Two days later¡­


    The phone in Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hospital room rang.


    At this moment, the one watching over the hospital room was Gu Qingfeng¡¯s personal bodyguard, Old Su, who had followed Gu Qingfeng for twenty years. He was a veteran, and although he was almost forty, he was highly skilled.


    He answered the phone.


    Upon hearing the other person¡¯s words, Old Su couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice excitedly.


    ...


    ¡°What, the young master has been found?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng suddenly sat up from the hospital bed.


    He turned over, got out of bed, and despite his physical weakness and dizziness, staggered into the living room.


    Old Su had already put down the phone, his voice excited yet slightly trembling, ¡°Old Patriarch, the young master has been found, he¡¯s alive. He¡¯s living in Sanwan Village, near our Gu Family Jade Mine in Diannan. Our people have already made contact with him, and he has the Lady¡¯s jade pendant¡­¡±


    At this moment, Gu Qingfeng¡¯s old tears streamed down his face.


    Yet he was half-doubtful.


    He urgently instructed Old Su to immediately find a way to notify another group of people to follow Uncle Gu to Sanwan Village in Diannan.


    The Jade Mine, ah.


    It was discovered by accident when his son, Gu Kun, went to Diannan with his father.


    He had actually been there all this time?


    At this moment, Gu Qingfeng¡¯s mind was in complete turmoil¡­


    Uncle Gu, who had just arrived at Qingshui City, immediately received this message when he called Gu Qingfeng, and heard Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hurried instructions, and Uncle Gu was somewhat stunned.


    But the name and birthdate matched up.


    And the man had the Lady¡¯s jade pendant.


    It was urgent; they needed to go to Diannan immediately.


    Skinny Monkey went to buy the tickets, Gu Lei went to pick up the photos from the photo studio.


    But just as Gu Lei had just turned the corner of the alley, he heard the sirens of fire engines, followed by seeing a huge column of smoke and fierce flames coming from the direction of the photo studio¡­


    The photo studio had caught fire.


    Gu Lei couldn¡¯t possibly get close.


    And there were cries everywhere; it was a chaotic scene all around.


    At this very moment, let alone the photos, the photo studio itself was about to be completely burned down.


    Gu Lei returned to the inn and relayed the situation to Uncle Gu, who also had no time to go to Stone Town then.


    He could only suppress the inexplicable doubts in his heart and hurriedly boarded the train headed to Diannan with three of his subordinates.


    Meanwhile, Qiaoqiao and her younger uncle had already arrived at the provincial capital.


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s older uncle had gained strong support from the village for the greenhouse project this time, and Qiaoqiao had already handed over the money to her older uncle. The timber, plastic cloth, and red bricks were in place, and the greenhouse was already being built.


    The technician from the Agriculture Bureau also went to Lian Family Village, saying it was a bit late, but if cultivated well, the vegetables could be brought to market a month earlier than those grown in open fields.


    Then, under the technician¡¯s guidance, grandma and aunt started sowing seeds in the house.


    Qiaoqiao knew nothing about farming.


    All she could do was resolve the concerns of her older uncle.


    In the past few days, she and her younger uncle had run around the county and then the city; the prospects were very promising, and Qiaoqiao remembered that two years later, the country would start the ¡°vegetable basket project.¡±


    The focus was on enabling people to eat fresh vegetables all year round, and with the implementation of the first phase of the project, the long-standing shortage of staple foods in the country was quickly resolved.


    And now, the timing was excellent; her older uncle could not only gain experience but also accumulate funds in these two years.


    Two years later, with policy support, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.


    So, the Lian family was full of confidence.


    This time, Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to see just how large the Luo Family¡¯s Hotel was and understand the demand for vegetables.


    If the demand wasn¡¯t significant, there would be no need to go to the provincial capital; the city and Qingshui County could handle it completely.


    The Luo Family¡¯s Hotel was in the busiest district of the provincial capital. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first floor housed the restaurant, and the upper two floors were a guest house, decorated with distinct European characteristics that, along with the nearby buildings, formed an architectural group with a foreign flair.


    Seeing such a large hotel, both Lian Dongsheng and Gu Qiaoqiao were a bit surprised.


    They thought they would have to talk more, but after Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s name was mentioned, the hotel manager quickly and warmly invited the two into a private room.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao tried to decline gracefully, she couldn¡¯t resist the quick action of the manager and reluctantly agreed; to continue refusing would seem petty.


    Lian Dongsheng, though a rural man, was adaptable and his eyes spoke volumes, quickly engaging in lively conversation with the manager.


    Of course, the issue of vegetable sales was resolved, and even without Luo Fan¡¯s reminders, the hotel manager was indeed interested in these early-market vegetables.


    After the meal, they prepared to return to Stone Town, as it would soon be too late for the bus.


    The hotel manager made an attempt to keep them a little longer, but then he didn¡¯t insist.


    After seeing them off, the hotel manager quickly dialed Luo Fan¡¯s number.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao and Lian Dongsheng got home, it was just at sunset.


    Lian Dongsheng didn¡¯t return to Lian Family Village; Gu Tianfeng unusually invited him to stay for dinner and they had a drink together.


    This made Lian Dongsheng feel somewhat overwhelmed with honor.


    After all, this brother-in-law generally didn¡¯t think much of him.


    He disliked him for not wanting to do farm work and for being idle¡­


    This only further strengthened Lian Dongsheng¡¯s resolve.


    He was determined to work hard alongside his brother to pay off their external debts this year and to ease some of his sister¡¯s worries.


    As night fell, the moon hung over the willow tips, and its watery light gently enveloped Stone Town, with occasional barking from Big Yellow in the distance.


    This added a touch of remoteness and antiquity to the village.


    In a room at the Border City Experimental Base¡¯s family compound, Qin Yize put down the book in his hands.


    He put on a coat and stood by the window of the dimly lit living room, quietly gazing at the bright moon outside.


    More than once, in the silent depths of night when he was no longer busy, he found himself thinking of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Thinking of that capricious young woman.


    This had never happened before.


    It caused him to feel a fresh emotion slowly fermenting in the depths of his heart.


    Now, aside from his beloved career, he had another focus of attention.


    He knew very well what this meant.


    But the current dilemma was that Gu Qiaoqiao no longer harbored any love for him and really had no intention of coming to Border City.


    Although her hatred had faded, she treated him as if he were a stranger.


    Qin Yize was puzzled.


    Yet, he also felt a fire burning at the bottom of his heart.


    Qin Yize recalled a line he had just read in a book¡ª¡±In the art of war, the supreme act is to subdue the enemy without fighting!¡±


    A dark gleam swept through his starry eyes, his thin lips slowly curved, and a non-committal smile spread across his face¡­


    Ten days later, Uncle Gu and his group brought back a man in his sixties to the Imperial Capital.


    When Gu Qingfeng saw the Jade Pendant, he fainted on the spot.


    When he woke up, he was sitting on a hospital bed, his hand gently caressing the Jade Pendant that he had been searching for fifty years.


    He had personally carved this pendant from fine jade, which had Lady Yu¡¯s favorite orchids engraved on it, also their token of love.


    But now, the owner of the Jade Pendant was no longer there.

 Chapter 104 - 104: Real or Fake?

    Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Real or Fake?


    At night, after settling Gu Kun in, Uncle Gu sat in front of Gu Qingfeng¡¯s sickbed.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hand still held the Jade Pendant, staring blankly in a trance.


    His complexion was different from usual, somewhat gloomy.


    Seeing the Old Patriarch¡¯s expression, Uncle Gu spoke bluntly, ¡°Old Patriarch, don¡¯t you think this matter is too abrupt and too coincidental?¡±


    Most of the residents of Sanwan Village were workers at the Gu Family Jade Mine; Uncle Gu had visited many times over the years, including a few visits by the Old Patriarch in the past years.


    But he never heard of anyone named Gu Kun.


    ...


    Yet, the household registry clearly listed him.


    Name, age, place of origin, all matched up.


    Moreover, this Gu Kun¡¯s son was a locally renowned sculptor.


    The most important thing was that in his hands he held the First Lady¡¯s Jade Pendant.


    And the First Lady had been dead for over forty years¡­


    Gu Qingfeng looked at the Jade Pendant, his face as still as water, and after a long while, murmured softly, ¡°This Jade Pendant belonged to Lady Yu, she never left it behind¡­¡±


    Uncle Gu looked at the Jade Pendant in the hands of the Old Patriarch and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After a moment, Gu Qingfeng suddenly spoke again, ¡°This matter is very strange, if there was no Jade Pendant, I might have believed seven parts of it, but now¡­¡±


    If it was true, why didn¡¯t Gu Kun know about the Mysterious Dragon Box, and if it was false, why would he have the First Lady¡¯s Jade Pendant in his possession?


    This matter, upon careful contemplation, was terrifying.


    Furthermore, although Gu Kun was overwhelmed with tears, when asked about his youthful days, he said he had forgotten a lot¡­


    Uncle Gu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°It¡¯s said that paternity tests can be done abroad, Old Patriarch, whether it¡¯s true or not, just a test will reveal the truth.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng, however, shook his head, ¡°For now, we won¡¯t do the test.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Uncle Gu, puzzled.


    ¡°Just as you were starting to investigate Stone Town, that person was found, and moreover, the timing of the photo studio fire was too coincidental¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to Stone Town again tomorrow, and ask directly. That will bring out the truth¡­¡± Uncle Gu said.


    Gu Qingfeng thought for an instant and asked Uncle Gu, ¡°If this person is an impostor, then this is a conspiracy, but you¡¯ve checked the household registration and it¡¯s not fake. Who could have such capability to make arrangements in advance?¡±


    Uncle Gu¡¯s gaze flickered, looking at Gu Qingfeng, he said, ¡°You know what¡¯s in your heart.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve pandered to their appetites¡­¡± A fierce look suddenly flashed through Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes, ¡°I was wrong before, I knew Ning Wanru and the others were following the investigation as well, but I hadn¡¯t expected, both groups had their people in them¡­¡±


    Uncle Gu¡¯s complexion turned red, he gritted his teeth, and said with shame, ¡°I personally selected these people, yet I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°In the face of interests, some people just can¡¯t hold their ground.¡±


    ¡°Old Patriarch, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Bring all of Gu Kun¡¯s family to Imperial Capital, after arranging everything well, assign trustworthy people to serve by their side, then you send someone abroad to get a test done. If he really is my son, I can¡¯t hurt his feelings anymore, if not, then use him to unearth the people behind him, and spare none of them¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng said in a deep voice.


    Uncle Gu nodded solemnly, ¡°I will arrange everything properly, it¡¯s just that it might take longer to do the paternity test abroad.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know, but to do this test domestically requires special approval from the Public Security, it¡¯s simpler to go abroad.¡±


    Uncle Gu thought for a moment, then said directly, ¡°If it¡¯s fake, the ones behind this are Second Lady and Gu Cheng. What will you do then?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was momentarily stunned.


    It took a while before he spoke, his voice bleak and heavy, ¡°When Ning Wanru and her son first came to the Gu Family, they had nothing. The debt of gratitude for saving their lives has long been repaid. Other than that, I have nothing to do with them. Plus, if they dare scheme against me, I will take back what doesn¡¯t belong to them. If I really can¡¯t find my son before I die, I will make arrangements for all of you, and then I will donate all my property to the state. I won¡¯t leave them a single penny.¡±


    When Uncle Gu heard Gu Qingfeng talk about his final affairs, he couldn¡¯t help the heat in his eyes, and his tears almost fell.


    He also knew that the reason the Old Patriarch turned a blind eye was because Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng had always been obedient, at least they seemed well-behaved on the surface.


    But if they really tampered with anything this time, that would cross the Old Patriarch¡¯s line. The Old Patriarch was naturally obstinate and self-righteous, so in the end, Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng would end up with nothing.


    However, Ning Wanru was so clever. Could someone really catch her in the act?


    Even if they questioned Gu Kun, Uncle Gu thought, could there be any truth in the face of such overwhelming wealth?


    This matter really needed careful planning.


    Uncle Gu then asked, ¡°What about the Gu Family in Stone Town?¡±


    ¡°After I¡¯m discharged from the hospital, I¡¯ll investigate it myself,¡± Gu Qingfeng said, already somewhat out of breath. After all, he was a man in his eighties, but he still pressed on, ¡°And about the Jade Pendant, let¡¯s keep it quiet for now. Once we determine if it¡¯s real or fake, I will deal with it myself.¡±


    Uncle Gu nodded solemnly, helped Gu Qingfeng lie down, and then left the hospital room.


    In the blink of an eye, it was already the beginning of April.


    In the south, the willow trees had tender green leaves in March, while in the north, around mid-April, they would sprout a type of bud locals called ¡°Mao Mao.¡±


    They were fluffy and quite amusing.


    Kids would pluck the Mao Mao and place them on the table, tapping the surface to watch the buds roll around, which was a source of fun for rural children of that era.


    Right now, Qiaoqiao was looking at the willow branches with Mao Mao buds in the vase on the living room¡¯s Eight Immortals table, next to which several azalea flowers had bloomed, and her hand touched the Mao Mao.


    It was her sister who had picked them from outside and then put them in a glass bottle full of water, and unexpectedly, due to the warm room temperature, they had bloomed early.


    Especially those Mao Mao, which Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t seen in many years.


    At that moment, they felt particularly familiar.


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips curled into a smile; she didn¡¯t expect her sister Qianqian to have such an interest in leisure.


    That little girl liked a lot of things.


    She also loved life very much.


    Qiaoqiao thought that in this lifetime, she would fulfill all of her sister¡¯s wishes.


    At this moment, the sunlight was just right, and Yuhong was preparing lunch.


    After flexing her fingers, Qiaoqiao prepared to continue back to her room to carve when the phone rang¡­


    Qiaoqiao answered the phone as usual, naturally starting with, ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me¡­¡±


    A low and indescribably enticing voice came through Qiaoqiao¡¯s ear, as if a feather were gently stirring her heartstrings.


    At that instant, Qiaoqiao¡¯s body stiffened.


    It was Qin Yize.

 Chapter 105 - 105: He Praised Her Again!

    Chapter 105: Chapter 105: He Praised Her Again!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand tightened around the receiver, and on the other end, it seemed like someone was quietly waiting for her to speak.


    A few moments later, Gu Qiaoqiao snapped back to reality and asked, ¡°Did you call for a specific reason?¡±


    ¡°Is everything fine at home?¡± Qin Yize asked indifferently.


    ¡°Yes, everything is quite all right.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s clear voice started to waft around her ear.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    ...


    Qin Yize remained silent, seemingly calmly waiting for her response.


    ¡°I am also quite well.¡± After a few moments, Gu Qiaoqiao replied softly.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Yize also responded softly. It had to be said, his voice was truly pleasant to the ear.


    Especially when transmitted through the phone line, his tone was incredibly enticing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt her ears tickle.


    Just as she was about to pull the phone away a bit, Qin Yize calmly asked, ¡°What have you carved recently?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, her mind somewhat scrambled. Why did this casual chit-chat feel so strange?


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï


    Still, she honestly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve carved three nucleus carvings, one of them features a small bridge, flowing water, and an osmanthus tree.¡±


    ¡°A small bridge, flowing water, and an osmanthus tree?¡± There seemed to be a hint of surprise on the other end of the line, followed by a soft comment, ¡°I think, that must be very beautiful.¡±


    A smile involuntarily spread across Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips.


    Hearing someone praise her work, she was naturally happy.


    Especially since the compliment was from Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s next words flowed much more smoothly.


    ¡°I also think this carving is more exquisite than ¡®The Boat has Sailed Past Endless Mountains.''¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t see the one you sold.¡± His voice seemed to carry a hint of regret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head heated up, ¡°Then you can look at the osmanthus tree.¡±


    ¡°Good, I look forward to admiring your osmanthus tree.¡± He responded quickly.


    It only then dawned on Gu Qiaoqiao, show it to him, but how?


    ¡°This¡­ I am planning to take it to the Imperial Capital to sell¡­¡±


    ¡°When are you going?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no rush.¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice, still cool, now carried a barely noticeable warmth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hummed in response.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t insist on seeing it, and she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Suddenly, something came to her mind that she really wanted to share with Qin Yize, ¡°Oh, I have to tell you something¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, go ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured out how to open the Mysterious Dragon Box¡­¡±


    ¡°The Mysterious Dragon Box?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice carried a hint of confusion.


    With a light tone, Gu Qiaoqiao explained, ¡°It¡¯s the black box found in Grandfather¡¯s study. You called it a Qiankun Unified Mechanism Box; that¡¯s the general term for these kinds of boxes. The one I found is known as the Mysterious Dragon Box.¡±


    There was only a moment of silence on the other end before more praise came through, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you are really smart and impressive!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao heard another compliment from Qin Yize, and her heart was truly joyous.


    Because she knew well, Qin Yize was a proud man who seldom acknowledged anyone.


    In her previous life, he had seemed to praise her only twice.


    Once for an essay she wrote on her reading reflections.


    Once for her carving of Roaring Tiger Forest.


    If, in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t been framed and experienced the ruin of her family, what would her future with Qin Yize have been like?


    A mist began to form in the depths of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    A corner of her heart that no one knew about ached faintly.


    Qin Yize seemed to notice something was amiss and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao realize and hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just feel that even if we know how to open it, it¡¯s useless without the right item.¡±


    ¡°What is needed?¡± he asked with a frown. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It requires a carving of eighty-one lotus petals made from Red Spirit Jade Marrow, which need to be placed in the eyes of the dragon on the box, then it can be opened.¡±


    ¡°Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never even mentioned that there¡¯s such a thing as Red Spirit Jade Marrow.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice sounded very disappointed.


    Qin Yize was silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Red Spirit Jade, is it ¡®red¡¯ as in the color red, ¡®spiritual¡¯ as in spiritual energy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I know where some is,¡± Qin Yize said gravely.


    His words were like a thunderclap from the ninth heaven.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly raised her voice, stomping her foot anxiously, ¡°Qin Yize, you must tell me where it is.¡±


    Even over the phone, Qin Yize could probably feel Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face flush with urgency.


    He first chuckled, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll tell you now. I heard it from Great Grandfather, the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square has a piece of Red Spirit Jade Marrow.¡±


    The Old Patriarch of Yubao Square?


    She didn¡¯t know him.


    Moreover, Yubao Square didn¡¯t accept her items anymore, and how could she possibly meet the Old Patriarch?


    It was simply a joke.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a bit dejected and said lowly, ¡°Isn¡¯t there anywhere else?¡±


    ¡°I only heard he has a piece, passed down from his ancestors, and that Red Spirit Jade Marrow is actually a type of jadeite, but it¡¯s the essence of jadeite, said to possess great spiritual energy, and also extremely rare¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not familiar with the Old Patriarch, and even if I were, it would cost a fortune.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, let me finish talking,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice over the phone even carried a hint of laughter.


    Qin Yize like this was always so calm and composed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never seen him laugh heartily, get angry, or be shocked.


    That is to say, he always managed his emotions very well.


    Something Gu Qiaoqiao could never do.


    Even if she were to live this life again, she would still be the same.


    In fact, people like Qin Yize were extremely rare.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was calmed by his voice and obediently hummed, ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, Uncle Gu from Yubao Square personally came to our house to ask Grandma about you. Uncle Gu has been a butler beside Elder Gu for decades. They wanted to know who the expert behind you was. Grandma told him that the carver was you and there was no expert. Later, he asked a few questions about your grandfather and then he left.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°And then what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for now. He left and hasn¡¯t returned, but I think maybe your carving skills made them skeptical that it could be done by a nineteen-year-old girl, so they came to verify personally.¡±


    However, there were some doubts that Qin Yize hadn¡¯t shared with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He worried that Gu Qiaoqiao would overthink.


    Uncle Gu¡¯s secret investigation into Gu Qiaoqiao was taken seriously by his superiors, who even called him. After all, Gu Qiaoqiao was his wife, and he had another special identity.


    However, after Uncle Gu learned that there was no carving expert behind Gu Qiaoqiao, things calmed down.


    It seemed that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s nucleus carving had piqued their interest.


    After hearing this, Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit surprised and asked, ¡°So if I go to Yubao Square again, how would they react?¡±


    ¡°They might welcome you warmly,¡± Qin Yize teased.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡± Qin Yize remembered the Eighteen Arhats, ¡°Your carvings, I believe, are first-rate in our time!¡±


    He praised her again!

 Chapter 106 - 106 The New Female Teacher

    Chapter 106: Chapter 106 The New Female Teacher


    Bai Yun¡¯s lips curved upward, her voice tinged with longing as she asked Qin Yize, ¡°Then tell me, when I go to the Imperial Capital to sell things in the future, can I talk to them about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Qin Yize fell silent for a moment, then spoke solemnly, ¡°Not many people know that Elder Gu holds the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.¡±


    Bai Yun was taken aback and probed, ¡°What does ¡®not many people know¡¯ mean?¡±


    ¡°Because it is a secret!¡±


    Bai Yun¡¯s eyes held a complex light as she murmured, ¡°Thank you for your trust in me.¡±


    It seemed there was a light laugh from the other end of the line¡­


    ...


    He then said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Bai Yun wondered if she should ask him.


    It is polite to reciprocate, after all.


    Thus, Bai Yun hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°How have you been lately?¡±


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Qin Yize thought to himself, Finally, she remembered to ask how he was.


    At that moment, Lian Yuhong stole a glance at Bai Yun from the kitchen and, seeing her husband just back from work, gestured and whispered, ¡°Qiaoqiao is talking to Ah Ze on the phone¡­¡±


    Gu Tianfeng nodded in understanding.


    He then tiptoed to the room across the hall.


    Soon, Gu Zishu¡¯s howls echoed from outside, ¡°Mom, is dinner ready? I¡¯m starving to death¡­¡±


    On the phone, someone called out for ¡°Doctor Qin,¡± and after Qin Yize responded, he said to Bai Yun, ¡°I have to go to the base, you should hang up the phone.¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh¡­¡± Bai Yun didn¡¯t hesitate to put down the receiver.


    On the other end of the line, Qin Yize listened to the dial tone and slowly put down the phone as well.


    A faint smile played around his lips.


    Bai Yun, who seemed so experienced and mature, could be as simple as a child at times.


    When Qin Yize saw the base guard Luh Fei enter, he regained his usual cool demeanor.


    Luh Fei always had this feeling that Doctor Qin might have just been smiling.


    But Luh Fei kept a straight face and pursed his lips.


    He certainly didn¡¯t dare to ask.


    He stood tall and followed Doctor Qin to another test field in the base to inspect the work.


    He was one of those responsible for protecting Doctor Qin.


    But he felt that maybe in danger, Doctor Qin might need to protect him instead.


    The members of their security team all admired him.


    Because he was not only erudite but also highly skilled!


    Initially, everyone thought Doctor Qin was a frail, beautiful scholar, but during a random spar, he managed to knock down ten men by himself.


    Ten men!


    That was the true definition of fighting ten at once.


    From then on, no one questioned him.


    They all admired him greatly.


    The only downside was that his expression was as cold as the snow atop the mountains.


    Luh Fei was very curious, wondering if Doctor Qin was the same in front of his wife?


    After Bai Yun hung up the phone, she stood there somewhat dazed.


    Her mind was also a mess.


    She didn¡¯t quite understand ¨C had Qin Yize called her just for some small talk?


    Since when had their relationship become so casual?


    And she didn¡¯t even think there was anything amiss.


    She had even told him the secret of the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    And he also told her about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao frowned. Knowing about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow now wasn¡¯t much use.


    Even if the owner of Yubao Square was willing to part with it, she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    It went without saying that it would be exorbitantly priced.


    And such jade items only increased in value over time.


    In short, the most pressing matter was to carve more items¡ªthat was important.


    During the meal, Lian Yuhong asked Gu Qiaoqiao when she would go to Qin Yize¡¯s place, not that she was dissatisfied with Gu Qiaoqiao staying at her parents¡¯ home, but she felt that if the newlyweds had the opportunity, it was better for them to be together.


    Otherwise, even the best relationships could fade with prolonged separation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave a noncommittal response, and Gu Qianqian brought up a new female teacher at their school from the Imperial Capital.


    She was under thirty, dressed very fashionably¡­


    The members of the Gu Family paid it no mind. Though this woman was Gu Tianfeng¡¯s colleague, he had less information about her than his students did.


    However, three days later, Gu Qiaoqiao, on a whim that also served as exercise, went to pick up her sister from school.


    Then, at the school¡¯s gate, she brushed past a woman.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao wore plain attire, and as the wind was strong at the end of winter, she had donned Lian Yuhong¡¯s floral headscarf.


    Therefore, that woman didn¡¯t even give Gu Qiaoqiao a second glance.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao recognized her immediately. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She suddenly stopped at the school gate, staring blankly at the woman¡¯s retreating figure.


    That woman was not yet thirty.


    In her past life, when she knew her, she was in her early thirties, the illegitimate daughter from Sun Yingke¡¯s great-uncle¡¯s family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew her because, the year before the incident, she went back to the Imperial Capital with Qin Yize. At that time, Bai Yun took her shopping, and she had seen them on the street.


    At that time, the woman was arguing with Sun Yingke about something.


    She never forgot the sharp and arrogant Sun Yingke in the karaoke bar on the third day of the Lunar New Year, so she had a deep impression of the woman who pointed at Sun Yingke¡¯s nose and cursed.


    Back then, her life was a mess.


    But somehow, she managed to remember this woman¡¯s face.


    Bai Yun told her that she was Sun Yingke¡¯s great-uncle¡¯s illegitimate daughter, who graduated from a normal school, divorced her husband, and was trying to transfer back to the Imperial Capital from Hebei. No one knew why she was arguing with Sun Yingke, but with that behavior, she even dared to be a teacher, followed by a bunch of gossip¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a heavy weight in her heart. According to the timeline, she wouldn¡¯t bump into her on the streets of the Imperial Capital until two years later.


    But now she had encountered her at the gate of Stone Town Middle School ahead of time.


    So, was she the new teacher Gu Qianqian mentioned?


    By then, school was out.


    Gu Qianqian ran towards her sister like a little butterfly.


    Gu Zishu always walked separately from Qianqian, so the two sisters didn¡¯t wait for that naughty boy and headed home together instead.


    On the way, it was confirmed that the woman was indeed the new teacher Gu Qianqian had mentioned.


    Named Sun Chuxia, she taught history.


    In her past life, she never knew that woman¡¯s name¡ªso it was Sun Chuxia, a completely unfamiliar name.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao got home, she didn¡¯t withhold any information and shared everything she knew with her family at dinner.


    Lian Yuhong, wary of such a woman, sagely advised Gu Tianfeng to keep his distance from her.


    After all, though Gu Tianfeng was already over forty, he remained a striking figure, dignified and distinguished.


    At the very least, he was the most handsome among the male teachers at Stone Town Middle School.


    This was a precaution.


    This made Gu Tianfeng¡¯s face turn red in front of his children as he quickly put some vegetables in his wife¡¯s bowl, urging, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s eat¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched, smiling.


    In their Gu family, where parents loved each other and siblings cared deeply, she would definitely protect it all well in this life!

 Chapter 107 - 107: Have Everyone in the Family Wear a Peace Charm

    Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Have Everyone in the Family Wear a Peace Charm


    After dinner, Gu Qiaoqiao went to Grandfather¡¯s study, which was now her own carving studio.


    Sitting in the chair, she carefully pondered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, calm when nothing happened but considering all possibilities whenever something arose.


    What annoyed her was that she couldn¡¯t remember if Sun Chuxia had visited Stone Town at this time in her past life.


    She had never mentioned this topic during phone calls with her family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao meticulously organized her thoughts, attempting to reason backwards.


    ...


    If Sun Chuxia had taught in Stone Town back then, Sun Yingke would have surely told Bai Yun about it.


    After all, they were once part of the same group.


    But Bai Yun didn¡¯t say a word.


    She only mentioned wanting to transfer back from Hebei.


    Stone Town was regarded as a backwater by city folks; why would Sun Chuxia possibly come here?


    And why was she here now? Really for the sake of education?


    Probably not.


    So, what was her purpose here?


    It couldn¡¯t be for Qin Yize, could it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly dismissed her own hypothesis with a laugh.


    Because there was no need.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes narrowed slightly, and then she let out a sigh, no longer dwelling on it.


    Because there was not the slightest clue.


    She moved her fingers and looked at her inventory; she began carving peace Buddha pendants for her family members.


    Perhaps it was because of the deep desire to bless her relatives, or perhaps it was because Gu Qiaoqiao was undistracted.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s carving speed increased significantly.


    And that sensation of flowing like clouds and water returned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao infused her mind power into the peace Buddha pendants, making these olive nucleus carvings exceptionally spiritually powerful.


    They contained all of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s wishes and blessings for her family.


    It took her a week to carve these peace Buddha pendants, and then she strung them with silk cords for her family members to wear.


    Lian Yuhong and Gu Qianqian were particularly fond of them.


    Gu Tianfeng also couldn¡¯t bear to disappoint his daughter¡¯s kind gesture.


    And since these were personally carved by his daughter, they held special meaning, so he naturally put one on.


    Only Gu Zishu was not satisfied.


    He examined the peace Buddha from every angle, refusing to wear it, and muttered about why a big boy like him should sport such a thing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, without further ado, grabbed the cheeky youngster and forcibly slipped the pendant over his neck, tucking it into his sweater.


    Gu Zishu¡¯s face turned red and his neck thickened as he struggled, but to no avail; he didn¡¯t understand why, but he felt that his sister¡¯s hands, though delicate, possessed surprising strength, and he couldn¡¯t break free.


    However, the next moment he stopped struggling and curiously touched his chest, ¡°Sister, what is this called? Why does it feel warm when worn¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a peace Buddha, just like a peace charm, to ensure you grow strong and as tall as Qin Yize.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The young boy¡¯s eyes lit up immediately.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wear it, I want to grow as tall as brother-in-law,¡± after speaking, Gu Zishu clung to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm, pleading, ¡°Sister, when brother-in-law calls, remember to call me too.¡±


    ¡°Why should I call you?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°I want to report my academic progress to brother-in-law,¡± Gu Zishu said earnestly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slapped her brother¡¯s head, speaking irritably, ¡°He¡¯s your brother-in-law, not your teacher. If you want to report your academic progress, go to our dad.¡±


    Gu Zishu made a quick dash away and made a face at Gu Qiaoqiao from afar. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sister, I know what you¡¯re thinking. You just want to hog Brother-in-law all to yourself, hmph¡­¡±


    With that, he tried to run off.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly called out, ¡°Zishu, go call Chang Qing over, I need to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go,¡± Gu Zishu said haughtily, tilting his neck up.


    ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll smack you?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao threatened, raising her hand as if to slap him.


    This time, Gu Zishu was very agile as he got into a pit, pushed open the window, jumped into the yard, and laughed cheekily.


    ¡°Zishu, go call Chang Qing. When Qin Yize calls later, I¡¯ll definitely let you talk to him,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile.


    Upon hearing his sister¡¯s promise, Gu Zishu happily went over the wall to find Chang Qing.


    It was Sunday.


    As usual, Chang Qing returned home from the high school in the county.


    When he arrived at the Gu Family¡¯s home and received the peace Buddha pendant from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands, his eyes filled with surprise, and he carefully took it.


    The boy did not decline, happily put it on, then carefully tucked it inside his clothes. His eyes shone like stars as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao steadily, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I¡¯ll wear this for a lifetime!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave a wry smile, yet she knew that the amulet could only bring benefits to Chang Qing.


    She curved her lips, reminding him, ¡°This peace charm is good for you, make sure your stepmother doesn¡¯t get hold of it.¡±


    That woman was too annoying; Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to see her own things in her hands.


    Chang Qing looked serious as if swearing an oath, ¡°Sister Qiao, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, it¡¯ll be with me!¡±


    This child¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao started to smile, and before she could say anything, Lian Yuhong hastily brought over the hot meal and placed it on the kang table, urging, ¡°Chang Qing, I saw your stepmother going to the east end for a visit. Eat quickly while it¡¯s still hot.¡±


    For lunch, the Gu Family had sour vegetable glass noodles with a few slices of streaky pork and a pot of rice cooked to two meters, along with a plate of pickled vegetables on the table.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was touched by her mother¡¯s kindness, and she also quickly urged Chang Qing, ¡°Eat up, fill yourself up. Your sister is waiting for you to rank first in the province.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened.


    Chang Qing¡¯s movements were swift, sitting on the edge of the kang, he began to eat.


    Seeing Chang Qing eat so enjoyably, Lian Yuhong smiled contentedly and went outside with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    They gave Chang Qing some space, allowing the child to eat comfortably.


    Lian Yuhong could never comprehend how there could be such heartless women in the world.


    Chang Qing was just a child, and yet such an understanding, capable, smart, and lovely child.


    How could anyone bear to mistreat him?


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao and Lian Yuhong sat on the small kang in the western room. Qianqian had gone to take a nap, while Gu Tianfeng was writing something in the grandfather¡¯s room.


    Seeing Lian Yuhong¡¯s worried and puzzled expression and hearing her doubts, Gu Qiaoqiao wished she could tell her that in this world, some women¡¯s hearts were even more venomous than Chang Qing¡¯s stepmother¡¯s.


    However, at this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was contemplating another matter, whether she should carve a peace charm for Qin Yize as well.


    ¡­


    Imperial Capital.


    The residential compound where the second branch of the Qin Family lived.


    Qin Lang was sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper, while his son Qin Yishan looked furrowed with anger as if quite upset.


    He had just gotten married, though it was a wedding abroad, and they hadn¡¯t been back for long.


    At that time, Qin Lang seemed engrossed in the newspaper content and didn¡¯t move for a long time.


    Unable to hold back any longer, Qin Yishan stood up, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to see Great Grandfather.¡±


    With that, he was about to get up and leave.


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Qin Lang barked loudly, putting down the newspaper and taking off his glasses, angrily saying, ¡°Qin Yishan, are my words falling on deaf ears? Do you think you can fly away now that you¡¯ve grown wings?¡±

 Chapter 108 - 108 Dad, Mom had a few words for you before she passed away

    Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Dad, Mom had a few words for you before she passed away


    Qin Yishan stopped, not daring to walk any further.


    However, he looked at his father and said in a softer tone, ¡°Dad, not only does that business have great prospects and very high profits, but Great Grandfather¡¯s shops are also right on that street. I only need one, not all of them, so why can¡¯t I? I want to give it a try. Perhaps Great Grandfather will agree.¡±


    Qin Lang looked at his son and furrowed his brows, ¡°Have you forgotten what happened last year?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Qin Yishan suddenly froze, and then, somewhat deflated, he sat down on the couch.


    Last year, the day before Qin Yize¡¯s wedding, Old Grand Master Qin publicly announced that he would hand over both shops on the street to Qin Yize and that no one else was allowed to interfere. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This reminded Qin Yishan of the first day of the new year; although he had not attended, he knew that Great Grandfather had given the village girl the Great Grandma¡¯s jade pendant.


    ...


    They, too, were descendants of the Qin Family, but why didn¡¯t they receive the same treatment as Qin Yize?


    It was an unfair situation, to begin with, which they all endured because who was to argue when Qin Yize was the legitimate grandson of the main branch, the heir to the Qin Family¡¯s assets, and the great-grandson who resembled and outshone all others in Great Grandfather¡¯s eyes.


    But to just leave those shops idle, the rent they brought in all went to Qin Yize, whose assets were already substantial. What did he need the shops for?


    Moreover, his heart wasn¡¯t even in it.


    If given to him, he would surely double the size of his own business, at the very least.


    Thinking this, Qin Yishan indignantly said, ¡°I think Great Grandfather has gone senile. Clearly, my sisters are all filial and sensible, but he prefers to dote on Lin Qinghuan from the Lin Family, and in his eyes, there¡¯s only one great-grandson, the rest might as well be foundlings¡­¡±


    ¡°Foundlings?¡± Qin Lang asked, staring with wide eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, foundlings. I bet in the end the Qin Family¡¯s wealth will all go to Qin Yize and Lin Qinghuan,¡± Qin Yishan said with resentment.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? What does Lin Qinghuan have to do with any of this?¡± Qin Lang was so angry he wanted to gag his son. Were these words to be spoken so carelessly?


    ¡°Who knows what kind of relationship Lin Qinghuan has with Great Grandfather?¡± Qin Yishan mumbled under his breath.


    Qin Lang threw a newspaper at him and scolded, ¡°Shut up, I forbid you to speak of this again!¡±


    Qin Yishan dodged to the side, ¡°Dad, deep down you know very well. Great Grandfather asked you to assist him in managing the Qin Family¡¯s assets simply because Qin Yize has no time or interest. He needed to find someone to work for the Qin Family. In the end, you¡¯re just making wedding clothes for someone else.¡±


    A tightness clenched in Qin Lang¡¯s chest, he hated hearing such words the most. He scoffed coldly, ¡°Do you think just anyone can assist your Great Grandfather? You should be very clear about our family. Be satisfied with what you have. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know how much money you have in your hands, and don¡¯t you think your Great Grandfather is a fool!¡±


    Qin Yishan fell silent.


    His father was assisting Great Grandfather in managing the Qin Family assets, and he had also started his own company. Indeed, he had quite a lot of money in his hands.


    But in this world, who would complain about having too much money?


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Qin Yishan, behave yourself from now on. If there¡¯s nothing for you, just scram!¡±


    Qin Lang cursed, frustrated at his son¡¯s stubbornness.


    He knew it was certainly Ah Shan¡¯s wife who instigated this. She must have also heard from his family that that district was soon to be a focus for major redevelopment.


    Qin Yishan didn¡¯t have the guts to actually go and confront Old Lady Qin.


    He left, disheartened.


    After his son departed, Qin Lang stood in front of the window, looking at the crabapple tree in the yard that was budding with flowers and showing signs of green. Yet, his thoughts were on that district.


    Now, almost all of the Qin Family¡¯s assets were in Old Master Qin¡¯s hands. He too was a member of the Qin Family, but not the heir. Clearly, his talent in business surpassed that of that young whelp, yet Grandfather still didn¡¯t trust him.


    Of course, he also watched his own back, having set up his own company in secret. In just seven short years, his assets had multiplied countless times.


    But for some reason, the bigger the business grew, the more he felt the lack of money.


    Because he felt there were so many things to be done.


    And the district about to be redeveloped, according to his vision, would become the busiest business area in the Imperial Capital.


    The value of the shops there was already immeasurable, and what was more important was the major deal he had recently made with his son¡ªif successful, they would need a storefront just like that one facing the street in the future.


    What a pity, it belonged to Qin Yize.


    He knew that if he asked Ah Ze to use that shop, Ah Ze would certainly agree, but Old Grand Master Qin would definitely not allow it.


    Over the years, the old master had become increasingly paranoid, just as Ah Shan said, his eyes saw only Qin Yize.


    Qin Lang ruthlessly stubbed out the cigarette butt in his hand and then tossed it into the ashtray.


    He thought it was time to discuss the matter with the third brother, Qin Song.


    With this in mind, he dressed and drove toward Qin Song¡¯s home.


    Today was Sunday, just the day Qin Song had off.


    Meanwhile, in a hospital in the Imperial Capital, Gu Qingfeng, who had somewhat recovered, called for Gu Kun.


    Gu Cheng, who had been vigilantly by his side, carefully helped Gu Qingfeng to sit up and whispered softly, ¡°Dad, your body has just started to recover, just say a few words with big brother and don¡¯t tire yourself¡­¡±


    Looking at the clearly haggard Gu Cheng, Gu Qingfeng nodded, ¡°Mm, I know, you go rest too, you¡¯re not young either, don¡¯t stay up with me here¡­¡±


    Tears welled up in Gu Cheng¡¯s moved eyes as he choked out, ¡°Dad, I thought after big brother came, you wouldn¡¯t recognize me anymore.¡±


    ¡°At your age, you¡¯re still so childish. Go and rest, I just want to talk to your big brother for a bit,¡± Gu Qingfeng said gently.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll wait in the next room, just call me if you need anything.¡±


    Upon finishing, Gu Cheng turned and walked toward the door.


    Then he thoughtfully shut the door behind him.


    Gu Kun sat down in front of Gu Qingfeng, seemingly unwilling to look at the old man, his head hung low and he seemed somewhat fearful.


    Gu Qingfeng let out a soft sigh, his eyes complex as he gazed at Gu Kun¡¯s age-worn face that no longer showed its youthful visage, observing his rough, large hands tightly clasped together.


    After a long while, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I just want to ask you about your mother.¡±


    Suddenly, Gu Kun looked up, seemingly mustering a lot of courage, ¡°Dad, I know you must be dubious about my identity. When mom and I first left home, we were robbed by a group of bandits; I was hit a few times in the head and can¡¯t remember a lot of things¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes darkened as he spoke solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I made you and your mother suffer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, mom and I were too wilful.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about your mother.¡±


    ¡°Dad, mom had a few words to pass on to you before she died, but I was worried about your health and didn¡¯t say them,¡± Gu Kun said hesitantly.


    ¡°What words, say them quickly¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was clearly skeptical, but he still asked urgently.


    ¡°Do you really want to hear them?¡±


    ¡°Say it!¡± Gu Qingfeng suddenly raised his voice.


    Frightened, Gu Kun shrank back; he didn¡¯t dare meet Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes and instead lowered his head to recite:


    ¡°¡­When I die, if your father comes looking for you, tell him a sentence for me, Xiao Qingfeng, I will be waiting for you on Yellow Spring Road¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was struck dumb on the spot.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Ready to prepare for the end

    Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Ready to prepare for the end


    At that moment, his heart violently stirred together, the pain making his breathing uncomfortable.


    Xiao Qingfeng was the nickname Lady Yu lovingly called him.


    Only he and Lady Yu knew about it.


    He was gasping for air, his chest heaving violently. Lady Yu, Lady Yu, was she waiting for him on Yellow Spring Road?


    He stared fiercely at Gu Kun, unable even to speak.


    But Gu Kun still kept his head lowered, seemingly oblivious to Gu Qingfeng¡¯s agitation.


    ...


    He continued, ¡°¡­My mother said the person she hated the most was you, for if not for you, how could she possibly have been taken by those bandits to the mountains and tormented, and I forgot to tell you, she later gave birth to a younger brother, but who knows which one of those bandits was his father¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s complexion instantly turned a ghastly pale, his heart felt as if pierced by tens of thousands of steel needles, and it seemed he could only exhale without inhaling anymore.


    Gu Kun still continued, his head lowered.


    ¡°That younger brother died when he was four¡­¡±


    ¡°My mother said that if you were still alive, it would mean heaven is blind, and you should have been struck dead by lightning¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s mind had become a blank slate.


    Those bandits, the violation, the childbirth, the unknown father¡­


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï


    And those constantly echoing words Xiao Qingfeng in his ears, tormented his heart, squeezing it in agony.


    It¡¯s fake, it¡¯s fake, nothing could¡¯ve happened to Lady Yu¡­


    With a loud cry, his eyes filled with rage, he lunged at Gu Kun, but in the next moment, his vision darkened, and he collapsed onto the floor beside the bed.


    Frightened, Gu Kun quickly extended his hand to support the Old Patriarch, only to realize he seemed to have stopped breathing.


    Gu Kun fell seated to the ground, his face drastically changing color, then suddenly yelled toward the door, ¡°Gu Cheng, come in quickly!¡±


    Afterward, his eyes rolled back, and he too fainted.


    Gu Cheng, hearing the noise, rushed in and then roared, ¡°Doctor, doctor¡­¡±


    Chaos erupted instantly.


    Gu Qingfeng was rushed to the emergency room, and Gu Kun was taken to another resuscitation room.


    Uncle Gu, who had just found a research institution abroad that could do the identification, upon returning to his friend¡¯s residence, received a call from the Imperial Capital.


    This time, it seemed that the Old Patriarch truly wasn¡¯t doing well.


    Uncle Gu¡¯s face turned pale with fear. After instructing his subordinates who had accompanied him, he hurriedly rushed to the airport.


    Sitting on the plane, Uncle Gu¡¯s brow was furrowed tightly.


    His complexion was gloomy as still water.


    Everything was heading in a good direction before he left, so why had it turned to the emergency room again just a few days after his departure?


    His son, Gu Lei, said that this time, he had been unconscious for ten hours already.


    It was likely more bad news than good.


    Was this an accident or man-made?


    Uncle Gu bit his teeth tightly, wishing he could instantly grow wings and fly to the Old Patriarch¡¯s side.


    Meanwhile, at that time, it was early morning in the Imperial Capital; Luo Zhenyu, accompanied by Luo Fan, arrived at the hospital.


    Gu Cheng had called, saying that perhaps the Old Patriarch really couldn¡¯t make it this time.


    After all, they were old acquaintances from the past; it was only right to see him off.


    Outside the emergency room door, Gu Cheng and Zhang Yi, along with a group of people, were anxiously waiting.


    In Luo Zhenyu¡¯s palm, however, was clenched a nucleus carving.


    It was the one Gu Qiaoqiao had carved, of the light boat having already crossed the myriad mountains.


    This nucleus carving, only he knew its secret.


    He stood outside the door, supported by his grandson.


    Several minutes later, the doctor came out.


    ¡°`


    Notify Gu Cheng that the patient is now in a deep coma, close to brain death.


    The family should be prepared at any time.


    In other words, you can prepare for the worst.


    Gu Cheng, seemingly in disbelief, knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly with eyes bloodshot.


    Taking a deep breath, Luo Zhenyu said to Gu Cheng, ¡°May I see your father?¡±


    Gu Cheng naturally nodded.


    Luo Zhenyu pushed the door open and saw Gu Qingfeng on the operating table, his complexion ashen and his breath thread-thin.


    As a nephew to Gu Qingfeng, Luo Zhenyu naturally felt distressed, but he also knew that even if the Old Patriarch passed away, he had lived a long life.


    The next moment, Luo Zhenyu made a decision, also to repay a debt of gratitude from the past.


    He gave his grandson a look, and Luo Fan cleverly went to the door while Luo Zhenyu pried open the hand that Gu Qingfeng was clenching and placed the nucleus carving in his palm.


    Then he whispered, ¡°Uncle Gu, for better or worse, we leave it to fate.¡±


    Luo Fan brought a chair for Luo Zhenyu and, with earnest words, said to Gu Cheng outside the emergency room, ¡°My grandfather wishes to accompany the Old Patriarch a while longer, please allow us this¡­¡±


    Gu Cheng¡¯s eyes flickered, remembering the friendship between Luo Zhenyu¡¯s father and the Old Patriarch, and looking at the young man¡¯s misty eyes in front of him, he wiped away a tear and choked out, ¡°Alright.¡±


    That sitting lasted three hours.


    In the unseen air, a warm stream that seemed to carry the breath of natural life, the Spiritual Energy, quietly spread from Gu Qingfeng¡¯s palm to his body.


    Slowly pulling Gu Qingfeng out of the dark abyss of despair filled with pain and unwillingness to die.


    An exhausted Luo Zhenyu saw that Gu Qingfeng¡¯s complexion was visibly better than before, as was the faint rise and fall of his chest.


    He took out the nucleus carving from his palm.


    And placed it in his own pocket.


    This nucleus carving could be shown to the world, but not on this occasion, at this time.


    He could not let others discover Qiaoqiao¡¯s secret.


    When Uncle Gu returned, he would personally hand the nucleus carving to Uncle Gu and then place it on the Old Patriarch.


    At least it might allow the Old Patriarch to live on, but as for everything else, one can only do their best and leave the rest to fate.


    After all, the old man was over eighty years old.


    Even he had passed the age of knowing destiny.


    And in doing these things, he trusted only Uncle Gu.


    He whispered a few words to Luo Fan, who nodded and hurried out, saying to the doctor next door, ¡°I feel like the Old Patriarch might be showing some improvement; please come in and check¡­¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The doctors weren¡¯t surprised.


    They were accustomed to these life-and-death situations and had snatched countless lives from the jaws of death.


    They also witnessed the passing of countless lives.


    Therefore, the chief physician, along with the other doctors, began to check methodically.


    Then they found that the patient seemed to have improved a great deal.


    Although still in a deep coma, the vital signs were substantially more apparent.


    Thus, they resumed monitoring.


    Outside, Zhang Yi also quietly wiped away tears.


    But he suddenly caught Gu Cheng¡¯s dark glance, brief but captured by the sharply observant Zhang Yi in a flash.


    His heart skipped a beat in fright.


    So, Zhang Yi made up his mind, even if the old man woke up and blamed him, he would still proceed.


    He earnestly said to Gu Cheng, ¡°I¡¯ll leave Yubao Square in the hands of the second young master for these few days; I want to stay with the Old Patriarch¡­¡±


    Gu Cheng seemed deeply moved, nodding again and again yet expressing concern, ¡°The child is still young, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry¡­ The second young master is very capable,¡± Zhang Yi said with a hoarse voice.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 110 - 110: This Gu Family is finally going to change.

    Chapter 110: Chapter 110: This Gu Family is finally going to change.


    Luo Zhenyu nodded at Zhang Yi and Gu Cheng, with Luo Fan supporting him as he slowly walked out of the emergency room corridor.


    After things here were nearly settled, Gu Cheng calmly made a phone call.


    The calm voice of Ning Wanru came from the other end, showing no emotion, ¡°He¡¯s in a deep coma and will be a vegetable when he wakes up. You don¡¯t need to do anything else. Make sure everything you¡¯ve cautioned is in order, and keep a close watch. If he stays quiet, fine; if not, spare none, but remember not to leave any trouble behind.¡±


    Gu Cheng repeatedly nodded, ¡°I understand, but what about the other side¡­¡±


    ¡°Stick to the original plan.¡±


    Ning Wanru finished speaking, then cautioned, ¡°You should also take care of yourself. The family will rely on you in the future¡­¡±


    ...


    ¡°Yes, I know, Mum, rest assured.¡±


    After a few more words, they both hung up the phone.


    Although Gu Cheng still appeared composed, the fleeting joy in his brows betrayed him.


    Actually, it was all the fault of the old man himself. Had he not gone to seek the elder son, had he not investigated the Gu Family in Stone Town, wouldn¡¯t everything have been perfect?


    The two of them would have still been in a close father-son relationship, and the Gu Family would still be his.


    They wouldn¡¯t have had to plot so strenuously.


    The Old Patriarch becoming a vegetable was the best outcome.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    He could rightfully take over everything of the Gu Family.


    The Gu Family was finally about to change.


    When Uncle Gu finally returned to the hospital, what he saw was the Old Patriarch who had already become a vegetable.


    At this age, becoming a vegetable, the chances of waking up were almost zero.


    So for Uncle Gu, nothing else mattered anymore.


    He stayed by the Old Patriarch¡¯s side relentlessly, and after learning the whole story, he summoned Gu Kun and sternly questioned him.


    Unfortunately, he could not find out anything.


    Because Gu Kun said these were the words the first lady had specifically spoken to Gu Qingfeng before her demise.


    How could he possibly tell him?


    And about this, Uncle Gu was extremely helpless.


    He also felt a bizarre sensation that the DNA test results must be authentic because it gave him an illusion that it had to be true. It couldn¡¯t be anything else!


    Indeed, a week later, the results were out.


    Gu Kun was indeed the elder son of the Gu Family.


    He was also the Old Patriarch¡¯s biological son!


    At this moment, Uncle Gu¡¯s heart no longer felt any ripples.


    He couldn¡¯t do anything for the time being. After putting a nucleus carving that Luo Zhenyu personally brought for the Old Patriarch, he began guarding him single-mindedly.


    Many things were becoming increasingly bizarre, as if everything was veiled in a layer of fog.


    Old Patriarch, you must wake up.


    Seated beside the hospital bed, Uncle Gu silently prayed in his heart.


    By now, it was already early May.


    The willows in Stone Town were sprouting tender green buds.


    The grass by the roadside, from afar, shimmered with a hazy green.


    Spring in the North, arrived late¡­


    In these weeks, Gu Qiaoqiao had also carved quite a few pieces.


    Of the walnuts and olive pits brought back from the Imperial Capital, more than a dozen remained.


    And she already had eighteen pieces carved.


    Selling them in the Imperial Capital would bring in over twenty thousand Yuan.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t plan to sell them all.


    She intended to sell just ten, keeping the rest.


    Having too many would decrease their value.


    Scarcity increases value.


    Even the finest craftsmanship, when it comes to packing it in a basket, loses its luster.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao had decided that for the next few years, she would set aside walnuts and olive pits temporarily.


    It was time to switch to other materials.


    In this vast world, there are simply too many things that can be carved.


    As for the current Gu Qiaoqiao, she really wanted to carve things made of jade.


    However, the jade available for sale in the Imperial Capital was almost always expensive finished products.


    As for the raw stones, for Gu Qiaoqiao at this time, she not only didn¡¯t know their origin but didn¡¯t even know where such things were sold.


    It was said that there were jade mines in Diannan.


    Should she take a trip there?


    Unfortunately, her family wouldn¡¯t allow her to go.


    Unless she sneaked off.


    So, carving jade was still unrealistic.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had found several tree roots, which she had processed over the past few days and was now drying in the shade. She estimated that in two days, they could also be carved.


    After organizing everything, Gu Qiaoqiao stretched and was preparing to get up when she saw Gu Tianfeng pacing outside the door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head in surprise and asked, ¡°Dad, are you looking for me for something?¡±


    Gu Tianfeng, seeing his daughter notice him, walked in and sat on the chair next to her. Looking at his daughter¡¯s face, flushed by the sunlight, he suddenly felt that the child seemed never to have married, still his and Lian Yuhong¡¯s most beloved first child.


    The look in Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyes grew gentler as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao and said with concern, ¡°Qiaoqiao, carving isn¡¯t a matter of one or two days, don¡¯t exhaust yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, dad. Do you need something?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao curiously looked at the notebook in Gu Tianfeng¡¯s other hand and asked, ¡°Dad, what are you holding?¡±


    Gu Tianfeng hesitated only briefly before taking out the notebook, feeling somewhat uneasy for the first time, but still plucked up the courage to say, ¡°I¡¯ve written some stuff. Qiaoqiao, take a look and see what you think of what dad has written?¡±


    Recently, Gu Tianfeng had been mulling over a lot. He had no interest in going into business, nor did he consider himself shrewd enough for it.


    He was not good at ingratiating himself with leaders, which also required skills and time for promotion.


    Farming was out of the question, too.


    He was far behind his younger brother-in-law.


    He hadn¡¯t inherited his father¡¯s carving skills either.


    At that time, Gu Tianfeng felt somewhat desperate.


    Was it true, as stated in the books, that a scholar was good for nothing?


    Then, he remembered something.


    He loved reading books.


    Plus, he had read many books and had a broad range of knowledge.


    He thought, could he try writing a book?


    This was the only skill he had.


    So, he decided then and there and began to write quietly.


    He had written more than 80,000 words. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And still, he felt somewhat unsatisfied.


    Moreover, the story had reached an important turning point. At that moment, Gu Tianfeng thought about sharing it with someone.


    He also wanted to know whether the story was as good as he thought.


    Could it be submitted to a magazine¡­


    But now he needed a reader.


    So he thought of his daughter, Gu Qiaoqiao, which seemed like the most suitable choice.


    If this child could read it through, his confidence would be greatly bolstered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled to hear that her father was writing a book?


    Her eyebrows raised, eager to open it, but Gu Tianfeng held the notebook down and hurriedly said, ¡°Before you read, let me give you a brief introduction.¡±


    ¡°Dad, go on,¡± urged Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°The protagonist of the story is Bai Qi from the Qin Dynasty, a legendary general whose life was full of ups and downs. He fought more than seventy battles in his life without a single defeat, earning the epithets ¡®God of War¡¯ and ¡®God of Killing¡¯. I started writing from his youth¡­¡±

 Chapter 111 - 111: The Book Dad Wrote is So Good

    Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Book Dad Wrote is So Good


    Bai Qi?


    Gu Qiaoqiao secretly thought, she seemed not quite sure who this person was, but she nodded guiltily, ¡°Then I¡¯ll start reading now¡­¡±


    This day was a Sunday afternoon, Gu Tianfeng did not have to go to work, and he was eager to know what thoughts and opinions his daughter had after reading.


    He had originally wanted to watch his daughter as she read, but he felt that would affect her normal reading, so he left the study but glanced back at his daughter¡¯s expression at the doorway.


    He then felt as if he had returned to the moment before the children were born, nervous and uneasy¡­


    Standing foolishly at the doorway for a while, he hurriedly left quietly with a hint of anticipation when he saw his daughter¡¯s expression becoming more focused.


    ...


    Seeing his wife busy cutting potatoes in the kitchen, he hurried over. Recently, his wife had been busy with work in the fields and taking care of the home, while he had been preoccupied with writing and had neglected her.


    He took a stool and sat down, taking the potato and the special potato peeling knife from his wife¡¯s hands, and asked softly, ¡°Why are you peeling so many potatoes?¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao wants to eat potato flour steamed dumplings, and we still have oil shatzel at home. I¡¯ll use sauerkraut and oil shatzel for the dumpling filling, and we¡¯ll have big steamed dumplings tonight.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng, with his wife¡¯s description, felt his mouth watering, even though he had just eaten.


    He chuckled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you writing anymore?¡±


    ¡°Not writing for now, letting Qiaoqiao take a look, I¡¯m a bit unsure.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï


    Lian Yuhong confidently said, ¡°What¡¯s there to be unsure about, your writing is definitely the most interesting!¡±


    Gu Tianfeng gave his wife a sidelong glance, ¡°If it¡¯s so interesting, why don¡¯t you read it then?¡±


    Lian Yuhong¡¯s face went a bit red, and she retorted, ¡°Can you blame me, I can¡¯t understand it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve taught you to read and write over these years, and your educational level has reached that of elementary school graduation. Reading books is no problem for you, you just don¡¯t like to read.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng pointed out bluntly.


    Lian Yuhong gave her husband a sidelong glance, ¡°That¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s those characters¡¯ fault. Whenever I see them clustered together, I get a headache.¡±


    ¡°Making excuses¡­¡± Gu Tianfeng chuckled as he spoke.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao was quickly captivated by the content of the book. She read until the sun was about to set.


    Just as she was getting into it, she turned the page, and there was no more¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao became anxious, stood up, and ran towards the eastern room.


    At that moment, Gu Tianfeng was helping to make dumplings, and his eyes lit up when he saw his daughter coming out.


    Gu Qiaoqiao approached Gu Tianfeng and said urgently, ¡°Dad, what happened next? Did Bai Qi end up together with Ting Chang? Was the battle won? What was the wager? Who killed Ting Chang¡¯s father? Prince Changle is so awful, ah ah ah, Bai Qi was too good to Ting Chang. In that era, he was truly a peerless good man¡­¡±


    A string of questions rained down from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth like popping beans.


    With each question, Gu Tianfeng¡¯s grin widened, and then his face was full of smiles.


    There was no need to ask.


    Having not moved all afternoon and now eager to know what happens next showed that his book was quite good.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t written that part yet, Qiaoqiao, how do you think I did?¡± Gu Tianfeng still asked.


    ¡°Dad, you did amazing.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hugged Gu Tianfeng¡¯s arm tightly and genuinely praised, ¡°Dad, you are truly fantastic. I am ten thousand times proud to have a dad like you.¡±


    Meanwhile, Lian Yuhong deftly placed the big steamed dumplings in the steamer basket, covered it with a lid, and then Gu Qianqian came out of the house, cheerfully helping her mother with the fire.


    But no one disturbed Gu Tianfeng and Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Tianfeng, feeling affirmed by his daughter, was very pleased and asked, ¡°Can you tell me about your feelings?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao flipped through her notebook and said earnestly, ¡°Your writing is profoundly skilled, the text is simple yet embellished beautifully, the language is concise but captivating, perfectly blending history and unofficial tales, with the plot interlocking seamlessly, and the characters vibrantly coming to life on the page¡­¡±


    Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyes squinted happily, almost in disbelief, he asked, ¡°Is it really as good as you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even better than I¡¯ve described,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao continued, ¡°Dad, I have a suggestion¡­¡±


    ¡°What suggestion?¡± Gu Tianfeng asked excitedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t work on the second part yet, first rewrite what you¡¯ve written on manuscript paper and then submit it directly to ¡®Legends of Past and Present¡¯. The books there are serialized, and your writing style is very well suited.¡±


    Strike while the iron is hot.


    Gu Qiaoqiao truly felt that her father¡¯s regular reading hadn¡¯t been in vain.


    Besides, the book was written so captivatingly.


    As someone who had seen so many stories and films, she found herself unable to stop reading, eager to know what happened next. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, she must encourage her father to finish the book, and not to abandon it halfway.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao believed that the book would be an instant hit.


    It wouldn¡¯t even need revisions.


    After all, her father hadn¡¯t spent over twenty years as a Chinese teacher for nothing.


    With his daughter¡¯s praise and encouragement, Gu Tianfeng was almost floating on air.


    Fortunately, Lian Yuhong¡¯s large steamed dumplings were ready, and she called out for the incessantly talking father and daughter to come eat.


    The potato flour steamed dumplings were best eaten hot.


    This finally interrupted the endless chatter of the two.


    At that moment, Gu Zishu, having caught the scent, ran back from the courtyard outside.


    The family gathered around the kang table and began to eat the fragrant meal.


    During the meal, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but ask about the rest of the story, and Gu Tianfeng also happily shared it with his eldest daughter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt that the ending seemed quite fitting for the era.


    Yet, it also carried a breath of fresh air.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was extremely pleased.


    It was as if she saw a new literary star slowly rising across from her.


    Then she started giggling, almost choking on her food.


    Afterward, Lian Yuhong wouldn¡¯t let the two talk while eating anymore.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao handed a bowl of steamed dumplings to Chang Qing, her face still bore a smile.


    And Chang Qing, looking at Sister Qiaoqiao under the moonlight, brimming with smiles, felt that she must be a fairy descended from heaven.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Chang Qing exchanged a few words, then she left with the empty bowl, while Chang Qing watched her enter the house before heading to his own sleeping quarters in the firewood shed.


    The college entrance exam was coming soon.


    This time, he not only wanted to top the city but also the province.


    After dinner, Gu Tianfeng was full of energy. Although he didn¡¯t know if the magazine would accept it, thinking of his daughter¡¯s encouragement and the family¡¯s situation, he felt he needed to give it a try no matter what.


    Otherwise, it would be like working in an echo chamber.


    Currently, it seemed like everyone in the Gu Family had become busy.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s maternal grandparents¡¯ home was similarly busy, yet they all saw beautiful hope amidst their busyness.

 Chapter 112 - 112 Luo Fan Arrives

    Chapter 112: Chapter 112 Luo Fan Arrives


    Gu Qianqian, who was preparing for her middle school exams, had come first in the test, and she was very happy about it.


    It was Wednesday, and although it was early May, the sunlight was exceptionally warm. She walked towards home with a spring in her step.


    These past few days, her sister had been the one cooking, and although there were no extravagant dishes, the food was surprisingly delicious.


    She had always thought that her mother was the best.


    Yet she had never imagined that her sister was even better than her mother.


    Walking the road with a smile on her lips, Gu Qianqian suddenly heard a voice from behind, ¡°Little girl, little girl¡­¡±


    ...


    Turning her head, she saw a young man with a tall figure about a dozen steps away, smiling at her with peach blossom eyes.


    Then, the young man walked towards Gu Qianqian.


    He asked with a smile, ¡°Little girl, can I ask you about someone?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, who are you looking for?¡± asked Gu Qianqian curiously.


    Luo Fan, trying hard to emit kindness and a smile to the little girl, felt his mouth twitch¡ªwas he really that old?


    But he quickly asked, ¡°I want to know where Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s house is?¡±


    Gu Qianqian blinked and blurted out, ¡°What do you want with my sister?¡±


    Sister?


    The smile on Luo Fan¡¯s face deepened, ¡°So you must be Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sister, right?¡±


    ¡°I already mentioned the word ¡®sister,¡¯ and you¡¯re still asking¡­¡± Gu Qianqian found this man quite amusing, but she politely responded, ¡°Yes, I am her sister.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Luo Fan¡¯s expression was one of joy, ¡°I¡¯m a friend of your sister and brother-in-law in Imperial Capital. My name is Luo Fan.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Luo Fan Uncle.¡±


    Oh, so he was a friend of her sister and brother-in-law, Gu Qianqian hurriedly greeted him.


    Luo Fan looked at the bright-eyed, vivacious young girl before him, tugged at the corner of his mouth and corrected, ¡°Little girl, your sister and brother-in-law call me Luo Fan Bro, isn¡¯t it a bit much for you to call me Uncle Luo Fan¡­?¡±


    Yeah, it seemed like a mix-up.


    Gu Qianqian stuck out her tongue and quickly said, ¡°Luo Fan Bro, my house is not far ahead, I¡¯ll take you¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, little girl.¡± Luo Fan followed Gu Qianqian as they walked forward, asking as they went, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Gu Qianqian.¡±


    ¡°Which ¡®Qian¡¯ is it?¡±


    ¡°The one with the grass radical on top and the ¡®west¡¯ of the cardinal directions beneath¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you have a younger brother too?¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, my brother¡¯s name is Gu Zishu, by now he probably has already run to the front door of the house¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The tall and the short, the young and the younger, chatted away happily.


    ¡°Qianqian, in the future, don¡¯t casually reveal such information to strangers.¡±


    Luo Fan had learned quite a bit of information along the way, but he also felt that little Qianqian was too naive.


    Gu Qianqian looked up in surprise, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because in this world, there are not only good people but also bad people,¡± Luo Fan said with a serious expression.


    Even though he was serious, there was still a hint of a smile in his eyes.


    ¡°My sister already told me, I know that,¡± said Gu Qianqian nonchalantly.


    ¡°Then why did you just tell me so much?¡±


    ¡°A lot?¡±


    ¡°Quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°But everyone in the village knows this.¡±


    Alright, Luo Fan fell silent.


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Qianqian laughed, ¡°I know you¡¯re a good person.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Fan raised an eyebrow, seemingly skeptical.


    ¡°Because your name is Luo Fan, my great uncle might even sell the vegetables from his greenhouse to your family¡¯s hotel in the future. My uncle said that your family¡¯s hotel is very beautiful, and the food is extremely delicious¡­¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s the reason.


    Luo Fan nodded, that was actually true.


    His family¡¯s dishes were also top-notch in the provincial city.


    ¡°Hmm, maybe your sister can take you there sometime in the future,¡± he said.


    ¡°I still have school to attend,¡± Gu Qianqian replied tactfully.


    Luo Fan smiled and did not continue the conversation.


    By this time, he had already arrived at the front gate of the Gu Family home.


    In this May weather, the Gu Family¡¯s house was truly beautiful, even somewhat reminiscent of an imaginary land of joy and plenty.


    The courtyard was enclosed by a hedge, and at this time, the willow branches on the hedges had sprouted bright, green leaves.


    On one side of the courtyard, there were several trees full of light pink blossoms.


    The path leading into the house was paved with red bricks, flanked by tender green grass.


    And at the door stood the girl, Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Seeing Luo Fan walk in, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed a bit surprised. ¡°Brother Luo Fan?¡±


    She must not have seen wrong.


    But why was Luo Fan here?


    And he came in with her sister, Gu Qianqian?


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, your home is very pretty,¡± Luo Fan praised with a smile.


    Upon seeing the guests from inside the house, Gu Tianfeng quickly came out to greet them.


    The host and guest exchanged pleasantries, as is customary.


    And Luo Fan was indeed a charismatic speaker, soon striking up a conversation with Gu Tianfeng.


    Luo Fan didn¡¯t know why his grandfather valued Gu Qiaoqiao so much, but he felt there must be a good reason for it.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao was talented; the nucleus carvings she crafted with her skillful hands were like nothing he had ever seen before¡ªone could describe them as ingeniously made.


    Although young in age, Gu Qiaoqiao conducted herself with a dignified and level-headed presence without any sign of inferiority or arrogance, so befriending Gu Qiaoqiao was sincere on his part.


    And the Gu Family, although plain rural folks, seemed to hold a certain hermit-like detachment from the world.


    Therefore, he found his conversation with Gu Tianfeng extremely enjoyable.


    Lian Yuhong hurriedly stir-fried some country dishes and served them up on the table.


    They had assumed someone from the city might look down on such a dining style, but to their surprise, he adapted quite naturally to the local customs.


    This increased Gu Tianfeng¡¯s already favorable impression of him.


    Luo Fan came bearing some specialties from the provincial city, and Gu Qiaoqiao accepted them gracefully without any pretense.


    After the meal, Luo Fan didn¡¯t plan on leaving but asked Gu Qiaoqiao if there were any interesting places in the village.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not expect him to have such leisurely interests.


    But then she realized that for someone like him, natural farm scenery was probably a novel sight.


    Curiosity, therefore, was understandable.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao took Luo Fan down to the river behind the yard for a walk, they looked at the weeping willows, observed the wheat sprouts in the fields that looked like little grass, watched the busy farmers in the fields¡­


    All of these were novel experiences for Luo Fan, and while on the walk, Gu Qiaoqiao casually mentioned Legends of Past and Present Magazine, and Luo Fan revealed that he knew the editor-in-chief there.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought it over but decided not to speak up.


    Because she knew for sure that Gu Tianfeng would never agree to using such a connection for a submission.


    Based on her understanding of him, Gu Qiaoqiao believed that Gu Tianfeng would want the work to receive the most unbiased appraisal.


    But that process would be so long. Now that her father had finished copying the manuscript and had gone through it, he was planning to personally submit it at the post office in the county this weekend.


    It would take at least a month after that to receive notice of the submission.


    And whether it would be accepted was still up in the air.


    But if it gets overlooked, they could then resort to Luo Fan¡¯s help, especially since Gu Tianfeng had written it so well.

 Chapter 113 - 113: Teacher Gu Has an Accident

    Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Teacher Gu Has an Accident


    Not only was the handwriting good, but the penmanship with the fountain pen was also very beautiful.


    If truly ignored, it would be such a pity.


    In the afternoon, Luo Fan left and gave Gu Qiaoqiao two phone numbers, hoping they could keep in touch.


    After sending Luo Fan off, Gu Qiaoqiao returned home to find Lian Yuhong sorting thick cotton clothes for winter on the kang.


    Gu Qiaoqiao went to the carving room; she wanted to carve an amulet out of a wolf¡¯s fang for Qin Yize.


    She felt that perhaps only the wolf¡¯s fang amulet was fitting for Qin Yize¡¯s character.


    ...


    She planned to carve a Divine Eagle with spread wings on it.


    She believed Qin Yize would like it.


    But that person was like a puff of wind; since that phone call that day, he had disappeared again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed it off unconcernedly and bent down to start carving.


    Time flowed like water, and soon it was Friday.


    It was already four in the afternoon, and Gu Qiaoqiao was still carving that wolf¡¯s fang.


    And Lian Yuhong was picking beans on the kang, preparing to cook porridge for the evening.


    At that moment, a woman¡¯s panicked voice suddenly came from outside, ¡°Lian Dajie, it¡¯s no good, your Teacher Gu has had an accident¡­¡±


    The words struck like a bolt from the blue, startling Gu Qiaoqiao so much that she cut her finger with the knife, and blood immediately started flowing, dripping onto the wolf¡¯s fang.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t care; she put down the carving knife and ran out of the house.


    Lian Yuhong was also so scared that her hands and feet trembled. She jumped off the kang barefoot, and at that moment, the woman entered the house and hurriedly said, ¡°Quick, put on your shoes. Your Teacher Gu has been taken away by the police. He might have already been taken out of town by now¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt Wang, what on earth happened to my dad?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked anxiously.


    But at the same time, she also felt slightly relieved, no longer feeling helpless, terrified, and desperate.


    As long as her father was safe, as long as he was alive, it was enough! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, Aunt Wang could no longer conceal the news, ¡°Teacher Sun from the school said your father harassed her and behaved indecently towards her, so she reported him. Now he has been taken away by the police from the county. That woman also vowed to see that your father ends up in jail¡­¡±


    Lian Yuhong¡¯s head seemed to explode with a bang.


    Her face turned white in an instant.


    She put on her coat and shoes and ran outside the house.


    Lian Yuhong¡¯s mind was a mess at that moment.


    Any woman would collapse upon hearing such news.


    However, it was at this moment that Gu Qiaoqiao calmed down. Which Teacher Sun? Which Teacher Sun was it?


    She grabbed hold of Aunt Wang, who was about to follow Lian Yuhong out, and asked urgently, ¡°Is it Sun Chuxia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her. Don¡¯t ask anymore; you have to chase after your mother quickly and stop her from doing anything foolish.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Wang, I need to make a phone call. Please, quickly help me watch my mom and stop her from going to the county¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said hastily.


    Aunt Wang nodded, remembering the family Gu Qiaoqiao had married into, and felt a bit reassured; she then hurried off to chase after Lian Yuhong.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s finger was very painful, but that pain made her even more collected.


    She quickly found a notebook and first called Luo Fan; he must surely be in the provincial city by now.


    The call was answered quickly, not by Luo Fan, but by someone who said he had stepped out and would be back shortly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao told the person her name and asked them to have Luo Fan call her back immediately upon his return.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao dialed Li Dazhi¡¯s number.


    Fortunately, it was Li Dazhi himself who answered the call.


    Gu Qiaoqiao told Li Dazhi about the matter and assured him with her own life that her father was being framed, hoping Li Dazhi would help look into what was going on with the police officers in Qingshui County.


    Li Dazhi immediately agreed and told Gu Qiaoqiao not to panic or do anything irrational.


    Since the incident had just happened, there definitely were some clues. He suggested that Gu Qiaoqiao go to the school to subtly gather some information.


    To avoid being passive.


    Only then did he hang up the phone.


    After putting down the phone, Gu Qiaoqiao decided to wait only five minutes; if Luo Fan didn¡¯t call, she couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    She had to go to the school to see for herself.


    Was this Sun Chuxia human or ghost!


    Gu Qiaoqiao regretted being careless.


    But with no leads, how could she guard against this?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed as she looked at her fingers, which had stopped bleeding by now.


    Furthermore, the wound was so faint that it was barely visible unless one looked closely.


    Without the need for close analysis, it was clear that Sun Chuxia was definitely framing her father.


    Her father had an exceptionally good character, along with the pride and aloofness of a scholar, and he held deep affection for her mother. How could he possibly behave indecently toward that woman, let alone be caught in the act at the school?


    It was obviously a trap.


    But how had her father fallen prey to it?


    Gu Tianfeng had left home for over two hours, and in that time, such a grave incident had occurred, and he had been taken to the police station.


    How could the police officers be so quick?


    Suddenly, the phone rang. Gu Qiaoqiao quickly picked up, thinking it was Luo Fan, but to her surprise, it was Qin Yize.


    It must have been Li Dazhi who told him.


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, Qin Yize rapidly began, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, I¡¯ve heard everything. Don¡¯t panic, your father will be alright, I believe in him too.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, my dad must have been framed,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said hastily. ¡°Also, that Teacher Sun is Sun Yingke¡¯s illegitimate daughter from her great-uncle¡¯s family. I don¡¯t know why she came here to be a teacher, but her intentions are definitely not pure now that I think about it.¡±


    ¡°Sun Yingke?¡±


    ¡°The woman who planned to frame me with Ning Yuli and Bai Yun on the day of the junior high incident, she knows Zhu Jianguo.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got it. You go to the school, investigate the causes and consequences as well as the people involved. Once you¡¯ve finished your investigation, call and report the case directly, claiming someone is framing your father. I¡¯ll have Zhou Xing, a classmate from the Qingshui County police station, help you. Go ahead,¡± Qin Yize instructed in a calm and steady manner.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded firmly, then hung up the phone.


    No sooner had she hung up than the phone rang again. Gu Qiaoqiao quickly picked up. It was Luo Fan. Gu Qiaoqiao briefly updated Luo Fan, who immediately assured her solemnly not to worry. He was in the city and would first notify the police station, then head straight to Qingshui County.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t decline.


    Nowadays, an extra person meant extra strength; they had to ensure Gu Tianfeng¡¯s safety.


    Afterward, Gu Qiaoqiao donned her clothes and rushed towards the school.


    Midway, she encountered Lian Yuhong, who had a calm expression. She hugged Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°Mom suddenly realized that your dad would never do something like this. I believe in him. I¡¯ll go back and cook for you all. I can¡¯t go to the school, so you go and find out exactly what happened, then bring Qianqian and Zishu home, especially Zishu. You must keep an eye on him.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned. How had her mother come to understand so quickly?


    Usually, her mother was the one most likely to panic in the face of trouble.


    But now was not the time for questions. She hugged Lian Yuhong. ¡°Mom, Dad will be fine. I¡¯ve already contacted Qin Yize and Luo Fan. We will have news soon. You go back, and you¡¯ll be able to answer the phone,¡± she said.


    Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao swiftly ran towards the school.

 Chapter 114 - 114 But its hard to say

    Chapter 114: Chapter 114 But it¡¯s hard to say


    Watching her daughter¡¯s retreating figure, Lian Yuhong touched the peace charm over her heart. Just moments before, her mind had been in chaos, her heart pounding wildly, but the amulet emitted a cool breath, seemingly calming her anxious emotions and mind.


    Afterward, her thoughts cleared up bit by bit.


    That was when she stopped running.


    The idea of going to the county town also stopped. She didn¡¯t know anyone there; going would only create more chaos, and she had also lost the heart to go to the school and confront that woman for an explanation.


    She couldn¡¯t do either of those things.


    The only thing she could do was let her eldest daughter inquire at the school, and then they would think of a solution together.


    ...


    So, she told Aunt Wang, who had followed her, that she believed her husband and that she wanted to go home first to cook for the children.


    Only if they were all well could Gu Tianfeng worry less.


    Aunt Wang¡¯s words also gave her confidence.


    After so many years, no one knew what kind of person Gu Tianfeng was better than she did.


    After parting ways with Aunt Wang, she encountered Gu Qiaoqiao, and hearing her daughter¡¯s words, her heart, though still worried, felt much better than before.


    So, she hurried home.


    She still had three other children.


    She couldn¡¯t panic, nor could she allow chaos!


    Meanwhile, in the car heading to the county town, Gu Tianfeng was in a sorry state, his hands handcuffed. He roared angrily, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, I did nothing, that woman is framing me, I demand to go to the hospital for a blood test, she put something in the water she gave me¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± a police officer glared, ¡°Save it for when we get to the station.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng clenched his teeth tightly, calmed his breathing, and asked, ¡°On what grounds do you handcuff me without evidence?¡±


    ¡°No more talking, we will release you when we get to the station,¡± a slightly older man said soothingly.


    Gu Tianfeng took a deep breath and slowly calmed down.


    His mood improved a lot.


    The amulet over his heart was cool, settling his agitated heart a great deal.


    What happened today was truly infuriating and despicable.


    He had no classes in the afternoon, and Sun Chuxia said she had to attend to something and hoped he would cover a class for her.


    Gu Tianfeng didn¡¯t think much of it, and since there really were no other teachers in the office, he agreed to do it.


    Sun Chuxia seemed very pleased and said she would go to her dorm to fetch the teaching plan and told him to just wait in the office.


    The office and dormitories in Stone Town were on the same corridor, mere tens of meters apart. Then he heard the scream of Sun Chuxia.


    Instinctively, he ran towards the dormitory.


    The door was open, and inside, Sun Chuxia was scurrying on the ground while a large rat ran around the room.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    Picking up a mop, he put some effort in and killed the rat.


    Sun Chuxia was extremely grateful to him and poured him a glass of water, which he drank without much thought.


    But after only two sips, everything went dark, and he collapsed.


    As his vision darkened, he felt a burning sensation in his chest, so intense it made his stomach churn.


    He then vomited the two sips of water and came to his senses.


    The moment he awoke, he saw Sun Chuxia tearing at his clothes, and Sun Chuxia had shamelessly exposed herself early on.


    Gu Tianfeng didn¡¯t know where he got the strength from, but he kicked Sun Chuxia off of himself.


    As he was about to leave, the woman suddenly ran to the door, flung it open, and began to cry out hysterically.


    ¡°Help, let go of me¡±¡­ Such shrill and piercing cries rose in the corridor.


    Then, indeed, two teachers came running.


    After that, the area was surrounded, and those two teachers took Gu Tianfeng to the office.


    The fleeing Sun Chuxia called the police, and in less than ten minutes, a yellow Jeep drove in, claiming they were inspecting the local police station¡¯s work in Stone Town.


    This is too coincidental.


    And there were two people in the car, one young, and the other about his age.


    They pulled out handcuffs without a word and cuffed him.


    It happened so quickly that he didn¡¯t even have time to react.


    At this moment, Gu Tianfeng was filled with anger and regret. He really was foolish, why did he drink that water.


    If he hadn¡¯t drunk the water, how would that shameless woman dare to do such a despicable act?


    A people¡¯s teacher?


    She doesn¡¯t deserve it!


    At this time, Gu Tianfeng felt waves of disgust and nausea whenever he thought of that woman.


    The two police officers exchanged a glance and then moved away.


    At this time, Gu Qiaoqiao had already arrived at the school, and it was half an hour until school was let out.


    The office was abuzz with discussion, with Principal Zhao pacing back and forth with an uneasy expression.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t hesitate; she pushed open the door to the office, and the voices inside stopped abruptly.


    They all looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with complex expressions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I believe in my dad. He definitely didn¡¯t do this.¡±


    A few teachers exchanged glances.


    A female teacher nodded and said, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I also believe in Teacher Gu, but this is hard to say¡­ ¡±


    These people were half-doubtful and simply couldn¡¯t find a reason.


    Which woman would risk ruining her own reputation to frame someone else?


    Especially a woman from the big city of the Imperial Capital.


    Even if she was divorced, she was still a young and beautiful girl. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So these people were somewhat perplexed.


    They trusted Teacher Gu¡¯s character but saw no reason for Teacher Sun to make false accusations.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no desire to explain. In this world, there were too many people willing to betray everything for the sake of their own interests.


    Some people didn¡¯t even care about their own bodies, let alone their reputation.


    Principal Zhao hurried over and said in a low voice, ¡°Qiaoqiao, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to ask about the situation at that time, who saw what, and where is Teacher Sun? You must keep a close watch on her, don¡¯t let her become so desperate that she might commit suicide.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke in a calm and composed manner.


    Principal Zhao was taken aback, then pointed to a male teacher, ¡°Xiao Mu, come here.¡±


    A male teacher came over and told Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°At that time, Li Zhu and I had just returned from outside when we heard Teacher Sun¡¯s shouting. Then we both ran over quickly and saw¡­¡±


    Xiao Mu hesitated to continue as he glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.


    ¡°Go on, it¡¯s about my dad¡¯s life. Whatever you saw, just tell me,¡± said Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Hearing this from Gu Qiaoqiao, Xiao Mu clenched his teeth and relayed what he had seen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart sank.


    She had not expected things to be like this.


    No witnesses at the start of the incident, but later, there were witnesses.


    A woman who couldn¡¯t bear to look, and a disheveled Gu Tianfeng.


    Even if there was no actual assault, her father¡¯s reputation was ruined.


    This woman was really vicious.


    But why did she frame her father in the first place?


    Gu Qiaoqiao made further inquiries and indeed, there was no third person present at that time.

 Chapter 115 - 115: Understanding Why Father Bai Fell for It

    Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Understanding Why Father Bai Fell for It


    And why had Gu Tianfeng gone to Sun Chuxia¡¯s dormitory?


    What method had that woman used to lure her father there?


    This was something Gu Tianfeng was most clear about.


    However, no one was there to testify for him.


    This was a tricky issue.


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked Principal Zhao, ¡°Who reported the case, and how did the police from the county arrive so quickly?¡±


    ...


    Principal Zhao was startled and also found it very coincidental.


    He didn¡¯t hope for Gu Tianfeng to get into trouble.


    Gu Tianfeng was an excellent teacher and was indifferent to fame and profits, which he had always admired.


    Moreover, he had worked with Gu Tianfeng for almost ten years.


    He knew the man¡¯s character well.


    However, Sun Chuxia also had a significant background; it was said her family had someone working in the Training Department at the Ministry of Education.


    She herself was a graduate of a normal school and, although divorced, was still seen as a proud peacock in their eyes.


    What reason would she have to frame Gu Tianfeng, a man from an ordinary family, over forty with both son and daughter?


    The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Struck by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s question, he suddenly realized and urgently asked the teachers in the room, ¡°Who filed the report?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Sun herself,¡± Li Zhu, who had witnessed the incident along with Xiao Mu, continued, ¡°The police arrived in less than ten minutes, then handcuffed Teacher Gu and took him away.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows in thought, feeling that something was amiss.


    Suddenly, she looked at Li Zhu and asked, ¡°Teacher Li, didn¡¯t those two police officers go to the scene to gather evidence?¡±


    Li Zhu and Xiao Mu exchanged glances and shook their heads together. According to their understanding, it also seemed to deviate from the proper procedure.


    Shouldn¡¯t they have gone to the scene immediately upon receiving the report?


    Shouldn¡¯t they have at least made contact with the victim, the reporter, to investigate and collect evidence for documentation?


    How could they take someone away without even asking questions?


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly felt anxious, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Certain, we were there in the hallway at the time.¡±


    ¡°And Sun Chuxia?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked urgently.


    ¡°She is in the dormitory, with two female teachers accompanying her.¡±


    After Principal Zhao finished speaking, he quickly reminded Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    After speaking, Gu Qiaoqiao clung to Principal Zhao¡¯s arm, ¡°Principal Zhao, you must come with me to Teacher Sun¡¯s dormitory. Just now I got a call from Qin Yize, saying that this woman is the child of an uncle of a friend of mine in Imperial Capital. I need to talk to her, and it¡¯ll be good if you¡¯re there to attest.¡±


    Ah?


    Could this really be the case?


    Without hesitation, Principal Zhao followed Gu Qiaoqiao towards Teacher Sun¡¯s dormitory.


    He naturally knew who Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s husband was.


    Therefore, from any perspective, he had to maintain a fair standpoint.


    Meanwhile, Sun Chuxia was irritated by the two middle-aged female teachers comforting and watching over her.


    They were worried she might become despondent and commit suicide.


    How could she possibly become despondent, she would not think of such a thing.


    She was too pleased with herself for having engineered this affair to even consider it.


    Having been here almost a month, she had thought of many ways but failed to achieve any closer contact with Gu Tianfeng.


    That man was genuinely like a gentleman, not uttering any superfluous words.


    Moreover, it was said that this man and his wife were on very good terms.


    She was actually very jealous.


    Why couldn¡¯t she encounter such a good man herself?


    But there was nothing she could do; it was just her fate since her mother had given birth to her despite facing disgrace.


    She thought she would have to live her life bearing the stigma of being a bastard.


    Even after getting married, she couldn¡¯t escape this label, all because of a word from the senior daughter-in-law of the Sun family, her husband divorced her.


    She was full of hatred for everything in the world, but she had no power at all.


    Her own father wouldn¡¯t even meet her.


    She thought her life was over.


    Unexpectedly, an opportunity arose.


    Not only did that person agree to transfer her to a school in the Imperial Capital, but also promised to take her in as a goddaughter upon success.


    She would legitimately have a status.


    If she could successfully conceive and give birth, regardless of the baby¡¯s gender, that person had promised to give her two hundred thousand yuan.


    Two hundred thousand yuan¡ªher life¡¯s earnings, a figure she didn¡¯t even dare to dream of.


    So, she came without looking back.


    Today, she finally found her chance.


    Thus, she made her preparations.


    To pull off the act completely, it naturally had to involve real intercourse.


    And although Gu Tianfeng was middle-aged, he was still gentle and polite, as well as refined and handsome, which she did not find repulsive.


    In her heart, there was even a hint of joy. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, she made Gu Tianfeng drink water laced with a drug.


    She locked the door.


    She quickly undressed herself, then started to strip Gu Tianfeng.


    But she had never imagined that in just two minutes, Gu Tianfeng would wake up.


    He even spat out the water.


    Wasn¡¯t it said that the drug¡¯s effect could put him to sleep for an hour?


    But it was already too late.


    Gu Tianfeng kicked her away.


    Seeing that her plan was failing, she started shouting loudly, blocking Gu Tianfeng at the door, her heart filled with anxiety.


    Because she knew the power of the drug¡ªif one sip could knock him out¡ªso when Gu Tianfeng took a second sip, she immediately fell to the ground.


    Yet, unexpectedly, the drug lost effect in less than two minutes.


    Luckily, even heaven was on her side.


    She had barely started shouting when Teacher Li Zhu and Teacher Xiao Mu arrived.


    But unexpectedly, these two women teachers ended up making matters worse by keeping her under observation.


    They said they were worried she might take things too hard.


    The more she calmly stated she was alright, the less they would leave.


    They didn¡¯t even let her leave the bed.


    The cup still contained the drugged water, and she didn¡¯t even have the chance to dispose of it.


    If it were discovered, wouldn¡¯t all her efforts be in vain?


    Determined, she suddenly pushed away the female teacher beside her and tried to approach the desk, but was immediately hugged by another teacher, ¡°Teacher Sun, you mustn¡¯t think too much¡­¡±


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao directly pushed the door open and entered.


    Following her was Principal Zhao.


    The struggling Sun Chuxia froze.


    Her eyes ferociously fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao. This girl was Gu Tianfeng¡¯s daughter¡ªwhat was she doing here?


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the doorway, but suddenly felt something was amiss.


    Where was Sun Chuxia trying to go?


    Following the direction of her struggle, Gu Qiaoqiao looked over and immediately noticed the half-full cup of water on the desk.


    Gu Qiaoqiao instantly understood.


    She also understood why her father had been caught off guard.


    This was almost the same as what happened on the night of ninth grade in her past life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes glinted fiercely as she swiftly stepped in front of the desk, blocking the cup of water, and calmly looked at the woman being held by Teacher Zhang.


    Internally, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Teacher Zhang, who normally liked to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, had done a good deed today.


    And her arrival was just in time.


    ¡°Teacher Sun, what are you trying to do? Are you thinking of committing suicide, or trying to destroy the evidence?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked lightly.


    Sun Chuxia clenched her hands tightly together, not expecting Gu Qiaoqiao to be so composed. She gritted her teeth, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, are you here to threaten me?¡±

 Chapter 116 - 116: If you dont believe it, lets give it a try!

    Chapter 116: Chapter 116: If you don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s give it a try!


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head. ¡°I just want to know, weren¡¯t you supposed to be teaching in Hebei? What are you doing here in Stone Town?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Sun Chuxia stared at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s young face, clearly not taking her seriously.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter before, but it does now,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao firmly stated.


    ¡°Did you come here to hear how your father treated me?¡± Sun Chuxia suddenly asked with a sinister smile.


    The others in the room felt an inexplicable unease.


    But no one spoke.


    A hint of cold mocked the corners of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth as she glared at Sun Chuxia, her voice laden with menace, ¡°You¡¯d better tell the person behind you, if they dare touch my family again, I will stop at nothing to kill each of them one by one. If you don¡¯t believe me, let¡¯s just test it!¡±


    Sun Chuxia was stunned.


    She had never expected Gu Qiaoqiao to say such things.


    Moreover, her guess was spot on.


    It left Sun Chuxia, who was new to such things, truly unable to react.


    And the murderous intent emanating from Gu Qiaoqiao made her heart skip a beat.


    How did Gu Qiaoqiao know?


    She shouldn¡¯t have known.


    And Principal Zhao and the others, were even more puzzled.


    But they were all intimidated by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words.


    A moment later, Sun Chuxia seemed to find her voice again, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, and how dare you threaten me, a victim? I will sue you too!¡±


    After all, she was much older than Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She recovered quickly, but her trembling voice betrayed her emotions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t pay her any more attention, turning instead to look at a glass of water.


    And she knew not to touch it with her hands to avoid leaving fingerprints.


    She reached into her pocket and unexpectedly found a handkerchief, which she was about to place on the glass when Sun Chuxia suddenly charged over frantically, trying to push Gu Qiaoqiao away.


    And this time, since the room was crowded, Teacher Zhang didn¡¯t exert much force.


    So, she was easily pushed aside.


    Sun Chuxia¡¯s only thought now was to prevent Gu Qiaoqiao from getting to the glass.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao reacted swiftly, quickly wrapping the glass with the handkerchief and moving away from the desk.


    She then stood behind Principal Zhao, placing her fingers on the glass and concentrating for a moment.


    Her expression hardened. There really was a drug in the water.


    It wasn¡¯t the same drug as the one Bai Yun used. This one was supposed to induce sleep.


    ¡°Principal Zhao, there¡¯s a hallucinogenic drug in this water that can knock someone out. We need to take this water to the police station for testing,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said rapidly.


    Principal Zhao was visibly shocked. How could there be a drug in the water?


    It all sounded like something out of a movie?


    ¡°You go ahead, you go ahead, haha!¡± Sun Chuxia blurted out a laugh in desperation, mocking her, ¡°The drug in the water was put there by your dad. I was worried you came here to destroy the evidence. Now that the principal is here as a witness, you better hurry to the police station for the tests. After the tests, your dad won¡¯t just die; he¡¯ll be flayed.¡±


    Her voice was tinged with threats.


    Principal Zhao and the two female teachers were somewhat bewildered.


    Was this drug administered by Teacher Gu?


    Where did they get a hallucinogenic drug?


    They were more likely to get rat poison than this hallucinogenic drug they¡¯d never even heard of.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said coldly, ¡°I will definitely get it tested, and if it indeed was my dad who did this, I will absolutely show no mercy even if it means going against my own family.¡±


    Was she really thought to be scared that easily?


    Besides testing the water, she needed to test the person too.


    Her father must have drunk this water, otherwise, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way.


    And with today¡¯s technology, it was possible to test this.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to Principal Zhao and said, ¡°Principal Zhao, let¡¯s go.¡±


    As she led the way to the door, she turned her head back to Teacher Zhang, who was standing next to a stunned Sun Chuxia, and said, ¡°Teacher Zhang, you hold a respected position, please advise her well. No matter what, her reputation has already been damaged. Try to prevent her from doing anything foolish.¡±


    Teacher Zhang instinctively nodded, ¡°Okay, we will.¡±


    Principal Zhao seemed to have thought of this too and instructed, ¡°Keep an eye on her. I will speak with your family, and Xiao Mu will bring dinner for you this evening.¡±


    After making arrangements, he followed Gu Qiaoqiao to the office.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put down the cup and began calling the police station, then filed a report as instructed by Qin Yize.


    Then, looking at Principal Zhao, who was staring in shock, she said, ¡°In ten minutes, officers from the local station will come to collect evidence, and Principal Zhao, you and the teachers here will need to testify that I¡¯ve held onto this water the entire time.¡±


    Principal Zhao quickly nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been watching you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to Xiao Mu, ¡°Teacher Xiao, school is about to end. Could you please bring Qianqian and Zishu to the corridor?¡±


    Xiao Mu nodded and hurried out.


    Gu Qiaoqiao scanned the people present, many of whom were looking at her with strange expressions.


    Her family had faced a crisis during the summer vacation in her previous life.


    And Principal Zhao, who was close to her father, had transferred away, along with several others who had good relations with her father.


    Moreover, the world truly became indifferent once people left.


    Ever since the crisis, Gu Qiaoqiao never fully placed her hopes on others again.


    In the end, the person you can most rely on is yourself.


    But when she saw her sister¡¯s face, filled with panic and helplessness, Gu Qiaoqiao almost teared up.


    A sudden pain surged within her.


    In her previous life, had her little sister lived in such despair?


    Until she could no longer bear to live? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao dared not think about those scenes, though separated by two lifetimes, her heart inevitably pained.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked back her tears, smiled, and waved to Gu Qianqian, ¡°Qianqian, come to your sister.¡±


    Upon seeing her sister, Gu Qianqian as if suddenly found her pillar of strength.


    The school was buzzing with rumors now.


    Some classmates sneered secretly, others looked at her with disdain openly, and even whispered secretly.


    She couldn¡¯t understand how, in less than an afternoon, it seemed like the sky had fallen.


    Running to Gu Qiaoqiao, she clutched her hand and cried, ¡°Sister, sister, this isn¡¯t true, is it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao affectionately ruffled Gu Qianqian¡¯s hair and praised, ¡°Qianqian is smart to know this isn¡¯t true. Our dad has been framed, I¡¯ve already filed a report, investigators will collect the evidence soon, don¡¯t worry, our dad will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Qianqian asked, filled with surprise.


    ¡°Really, we have to believe in our dad!¡±


    Gu Qianqian clung to Gu Qiaoqiao without letting go, sobbing, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m so relieved you¡¯re here. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do. I was terrified¡­¡±


    Good sister, I will always be here in this life, Gu Qiaoqiao secretly said to herself.

 Chapter 117 - 117: Fake

    Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Fake


    At that moment, Gu Zishu was being dragged over by Teacher Xiao Mu, struggling and shouting defiantly, ¡°Let me go! I want to teach that Qian Ergou a lesson for insulting my dad. My dad would never do anything bad¡­¡±


    Then, seeing his sister standing on one side of the corridor, Gu Zishu ran over, looking aggrieved, ¡°Sister, dad wouldn¡¯t do anything bad, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Zishu is so smart. You¡¯re right, those who do bad things are others. Dad will be fine very soon, so you must not cause any trouble, do you hear?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao spoke gently and patiently.


    ¡°I know, brother-in-law told me. When something happens, I must stay calm first. Only by staying calm will I know what to do next.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her younger brother and sister before her, nodding in relief, then pulled them to her side, waiting for the police station¡¯s personnel to come for evidence.


    She wanted to hand it over to them personally and, moreover, she had taken precautions by wetting a corner of her handkerchief.


    Better safe than sorry!


    Just then, five people hurriedly walked along one side of the corridor.


    All wearing police uniforms, their expressions solemn, walking very fast.


    Upon reaching the corridor, a leader, a man about thirty years old, looked sharply at the people inside and outside the corridor and pulled out his credentials, ¡°I am Zhou Xing from the county police¡¯s criminal investigation team. Who is the principal and the witnesses? Come out immediately and cooperate with us.¡±


    Were these the county¡¯s people?


    So soon?


    Principal Zhao hurried over, ¡°I¡¯m the principal, the cup of water is on the table.¡±


    Zhou Xing, unexpectedly, did not go for the cup of water but asked urgently, ¡°Who has seen those two policemen?¡± He then said sternly, ¡°Tell us immediately what you saw. Those two policemen were fake, and Gu Tianfeng might have been kidnapped.¡±


    What?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind exploded in shock as she seized Zhou Xing, demanding fiercely, ¡°What exactly is happening?¡±


    Zhou Xing remained still, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Those policemen were fake, we have already deployed all our forces to search for them.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly let go of her grip.


    Those two policemen were fake?


    Didn¡¯t that mean her father¡¯s chances were slim?


    Sun Chuxia.


    ¡°Sun Chuxia knew; she was the one who reported it,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said loudly.


    Meanwhile, people inside and outside the office were in a state of chaos. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Teacher Gu had been drugged, and those two policemen were also fakes.


    ¡°Someone has already gone to investigate, but she indeed filed a report, there¡¯s a record of it.¡±


    Afterwards, Zhou Xing no longer spoke to Gu Qiaoqiao, but began investigating extremely quickly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her fists tightly.


    Making herself completely calm down.


    She then looked at the panicked Gu Qianqian and Gu Zishu, ¡°You two go back quickly. You can tell mom the truth, but don¡¯t go out anywhere. Zishu, you are the only boy in the family now, you have to protect mom and your sister, understand?¡±


    Seeing their composed sister, Gu Qianqian and Gu Zishu wiped away their tears, nodding heavily.


    Following that, Zhou Xing came over and directly assigned someone to escort Gu Qianqian and Gu Zishu back and to stay put for the time being.


    Sun Chuxia¡¯s dorm seemed very quiet.


    She probably kept silent about exactly what happened.


    Zhou Xing quickly finished questioning and walked over to Gu Qiaoqiao, saying, ¡°We¡¯re going to look for your father now, you wait at home for a call.¡±


    With that, he turned and strode toward the outside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly followed, ¡°I¡¯m going with you to find my dad.¡±


    Her tone was extremely resolute.


    Zhou Xing frowned slightly.


    Feeling that although Gu Qiaoqiao was a dutiful daughter, this was not the time for her to make trouble.


    Since she was Qin Yize¡¯s wife, he couldn¡¯t speak harshly to her, so he continued walking as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find him myself,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao dropped these words and then stopped paying attention to Zhou Xing, but rushed outside anxiously.


    Zhou Xing couldn¡¯t possibly let Qin Yize¡¯s wife go searching on her own.


    The sky outside was quickly darkening.


    Thus, with an uneasy expression, Gu Qiaoqiao was made to sit in the car, which sped away towards the outskirts of Stone Town.


    Outside Sun Chuxia¡¯s dormitory, a police officer stood, supposedly for her protection.


    At that moment, Sun Chuxia was similarly anxious.


    She had not anticipated that the police officer was an imposter.


    And could Gu Tianfeng have been kidnapped?


    What exactly was going on?


    Would the kidnappers kill to eliminate evidence? If Gu Tianfeng really died, she would surely be suspected.


    She just wanted to get what she desired, but she had never intended to kill anyone.


    Furthermore, she had been warned that if things failed, she must take full responsibility or else she would be made to disappear from this world without anyone noticing.


    But now, could she really continue living with blood on her hands?


    Yet soon, Sun Chuxia no longer worried.


    She had made a real emergency call, and the other party had said they would quickly handle the situation.


    And as for everything else, what did it have to do with her?


    At most, if the medicating issue was discovered, she would simply take the exit plan she had already thought of in advance.


    She would claim she was infatuated with Gu Tianfeng, wanted to have him, and thus foolishly acted out.


    And she believed that he would not let her go to prison.


    After all, if she ran into trouble, he would hardly be content to simply stand by.


    Thus Sun Chuxia was no longer afraid; she thought that as long as she stuck to this point, she might be able to get out unscathed.


    This was a skill she had learned over the years growing up as an illegitimate child.


    As for Principal Zhao and the other teachers, their minds were almost completely boggled.


    Meanwhile, in the car, Zhou Xing had already checked several routes, holding a map in his hand.


    At the moment, Gu Qiaoqiao forcefully suppressed the fear in her heart.


    She sorted through the clues from both her past and current lives.


    Ruminating on whether they intended to stage an accident or strike directly?


    Yet, the possibility of the first scenario seemed greatest.


    Could it be that they wanted to make the car explode?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt as though her heart was being squeezed.


    She clenched her teeth tightly.


    She closed her eyes to think, ¡°With my amulet here, nothing will happen.¡±


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly focused all her mind power on the amulet she was wearing.


    It had been carved along with her family¡¯s amulets.


    The same material was used, even the carving technique was similar.


    She forced herself to calm down, focusing solely on sensing the spiritual energy on the amulet.


    A few moments later, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly opened her eyes and said urgently to Zhou Xing, ¡°We need to go to the road that leads to the city area, there¡¯s a river there, my dad might be there.¡±


    Zhou Xing was stunned, then asked in a solemn voice, ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an analysis, hurry up, it will really be too late soon,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao choked out.


    ¡°We are currently on the road to the city area, and we will reach that river soon,¡± Zhou Xing no longer asked questions and told the driver to speed up.


    The car drove even faster.


    Gu Qiaoqiao continued to secretly sense her surroundings.


    She discovered that she might be able to sense all of her family members through the amulet.

 Chapter 118 - 118: Dad, hold on, Qiaoqiao is coming to save you

    Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Dad, hold on, Qiaoqiao is coming to save you


    Gu Qiaoqiao distinctly felt that her mother, Gu Qianqian, and Gu Zishu were at home at that moment.


    Although their presence was anxious and unsettled, they were safe.


    Her father, however, seemed to be in a pitch-black body of water, seemingly motionless, but he was still alive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly gasped.


    Her fingers, her fingers.


    This was the source of her Spiritual Energy.


    She tightly gripped her hands, then focused her Mind Power on her fingertips.


    Suddenly, she could see more clearly.


    She even saw the three characters of Liuye Bridge on the big bridge.


    It was right there. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was frantic with urgency.


    She wished she could fly to the riverside immediately.


    And the police car was also speeding.


    Finally, after an endless agony, the police car stopped at the head of Liuye Bridge.


    By then, night had fallen.


    The surroundings were all misty gray, as was the surface of the river, but even though it was unclear, it was known that the river was very calm.


    There was nothing at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pushed open the car door in one go and then sprinted towards the bridge¡¯s underside.


    At that moment, a police car from another road also just came to a stop.


    Zhou Xing frowned but still followed down from the bridge.


    The riverbank under Liuye Bridge was filled with willow trees.


    Driven by instinct, Gu Qiaoqiao ran several dozen steps, then stopped at a spot, looked at the pitch-dark river surface, quickly took off her coat, and, wearing only her sweater, jumped into the river.


    Zhou Xing never expected Gu Qiaoqiao to jump into the river.


    Even with his experience in countless battles, he was greatly shocked.


    And then a police officer urgently ran over, ¡°Captain, that vehicle was found but it has exploded. There¡¯s no one inside, and it is about five kilometers from here.¡±


    What, the car exploded?


    Zhou Xing asked loudly, ¡°What about the person, any clues around?¡±


    ¡°Old Wu is checking there, I came back first to report to you.¡±


    Zhou Xing¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, and he no longer spoke.


    In the dim gray of night, he watched as Gu Qiaoqiao swam towards a spot, which was actually the center of the river.


    What in the world is this Gu Qiaoqiao up to?


    He cursed silently in his heart, but he no longer hesitated, also removed his coat, and jumped into the river.


    The river water of the North in May was still chilling to the bone.


    But he could not let anything happen to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Lest Gu Tianfeng not be found, and this mad girl drowns.


    Zhou Xing was somewhat annoyed at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s stubbornness.


    But he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her die.


    He also couldn¡¯t let his subordinates jump into this newly thawed Liuye River without any clues.


    So, it had to be him.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao had completely pushed these people and the noisy sounds to the back of her mind, her only thought was to find her father.


    Her fingers remotely sensed the Amulet on Gu Tianfeng¡¯s body, and the distance was not far.


    It was right beneath the bridge in the riverbed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao swam desperately, while Zhou Xing behind her felt as if his limbs were all stiff; he took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and thought, could it be that today he would lose his old life here?


    To them, death was not fearful, but what kind of death was this?


    However, he could not give up.


    And behind him, a young man who had graduated from the police academy less than a year ago and new to the detective team also jumped in and quickly swam towards him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not know the situation behind her, as she swam next to the concrete pillars under the bridge, she then held her breath.


    She had learned to swim in the river behind her house.


    And holding her breath was something she had learned with Qin Yize in a past life.


    She had never anticipated that it would actually come in handy.


    She couldn¡¯t see the bottom of the river; at this moment, it was actually gloomy and terrifying.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao was completely unaware of these things.


    Guided by the feeling in her hands, she sank to the bottom of the river.


    Then, feeling a warmth in her fingertips, she touched an object, and Gu Qiaoqiao was overjoyed¡ª it was Dad.


    Gu Qiaoqiao reached out, hugging Gu Tianfeng based on her instincts and then used all her strength to swim upwards.


    The river was quite deep; it was roughly seven or eight meters here.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, with tears streaming down her face, clutched the unresponsive body of Gu Tianfeng, frantically shouting in her heart, ¡°Dad, you must hold on, Qiaoqiao is here to save you¡­¡±


    At this time, Gu Tianfeng¡¯s body was exceptionally heavy, and Gu Qiaoqiao struggled to float upward. But in the end, she felt Gu Tianfeng¡¯s body getting heavier while her own body, though not stiffened, was running out of strength.


    And at this moment, she couldn¡¯t even call for help.


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her teeth hard, held her breath, and was about to make a final push upwards when a large hand gripped her body, intending to pull her up, yet unexpectedly failed to lift her.


    In the light of the flashlight on the shore, Zhou Xing saw that Gu Qiaoqiao was actually holding another person.


    It must have been Gu Tianfeng.


    His spirits surged, and the young police officers behind him had also just caught up.


    So, putting in effort, they finally pulled Gu Qiaoqiao up, along with the eyes-closed Gu Tianfeng.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hugged Gu Tianfeng, carefully sensing him, her body was trembling, yet she desperately wouldn¡¯t let go. Out of necessity, Zhou Xing and his subordinates had no choice but to drag both the seemingly unresponsive Gu Tianfeng and Gu Qiaoqiao towards the shore.


    Then several officers pulled them up, and at this time, Luo Fan¡¯s car also stopped there.


    He quickly ran down, immediately seeing the soaking wet Gu Qiaoqiao and another person laid on the ground.


    Was it Gu Tianfeng?


    At that time, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes only held the sight of Gu Tianfeng lying on the shore, her fingers placed above his heart.


    Her heart leaped with joy.


    Her father was still alive.


    And his lungs had not taken in water, it seemed that in the moment he sank into the water, the amulet had enveloped him.


    But this was also his limit.


    Had she been a moment later, just like in her previous life, she would have been eternally separated from her father.


    Gu Qiaoqiao cried sobbingly while channeling spiritual energy from her fingers into her father¡¯s body.


    Everyone around fell silent.


    No one believed Gu Tianfeng would be alive.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s crying was especially heartbreaking.


    Luo Fan knelt beside Gu Qiaoqiao, his fingers stubbornly checking Gu Tianfeng¡¯s nose.


    His heart immediately skipped.


    Gu Tianfeng was actually alive!


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, Uncle Gu is still alive, quick, take him to the hospital,¡± Luo Fan said hurriedly, then signaled for the others to come and help quickly.


    Zhou Xing, his lips blue with cold, was also greatly startled.


    Gu Qiaoqiao retracted her hand, wiping the tears from her face; a young officer promptly draped a jacket over her.


    The group quickly left the area under the bridge.


    Luo Fan had people carry Gu Tianfeng to his sedan. This location was not far from the downtown area, almost equidistant as going to the county town.


    So, it was better to go to a hospital in the city, where the facilities were naturally better than in the county town.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, looking at the equally drenched Zhou Xing and another young man.


    A surge of gratitude filled her heart.


    She invited Zhou Xing and the other man to join them in the car, also heading to the city hospital to get checked.

 Chapter 119 - 119 Going to the City Hospital

    Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Going to the City Hospital


    After all, the water was just too cold.


    Zhou Xing felt as though his body had plunged into an ice cellar. Despite being a tough northerner and wearing a military coat, he still couldn¡¯t fend off the bone-chilling cold.


    Moreover, he was worried that his subordinates would really freeze into illness.


    And Gu Tianfeng, being the person involved, had many questions to be asked of him.


    So, without saying much, he followed and got into Luo Fan¡¯s car.


    The car was imported, and to their surprise, even had a heater inside.


    At that moment, the two men felt as if they had come back to life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at her unconscious father, Gu Tianfeng, as her tears dripped down steadily; the others maintained their silence.


    And who could know that this nightmare, once thought to be suppressed, had now resurfaced in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    Hatred was spreading quietly.


    Who exactly was it that harmed her father in such a way?


    Was Sun Chuxia¡¯s incident a coincidence, or was someone behind it?


    It was unknown at the moment.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao firmly believed that Sun Chuxia would not come to Stone Town without reason.


    And exactly who were those two fake police officers?


    All of this would eventually come down to whether they could pry open Sun Chuxia¡¯s mouth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao brushed aside the thoughts in her eyes and took her father¡¯s hand, once again sending a warm breath into Gu Tianfeng¡¯s body.


    And Gu Tianfeng¡¯s complexion was gradually improving.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also wanted to share some warmth with Zhou Xing and the young officer, but there wasn¡¯t a good way to do so.


    It was not as if she could start holding their hands.


    They could only wait until they arrived in the city.


    Soon, the car quickly reached the city hospital.


    Having connections certainly makes things easier.


    Once there, Luo Fan made just one phone call, and everything was arranged.


    Only then did Zhou Xing realize Luo Fan¡¯s true identity.


    This shocked him, but at the same time, he felt a strange sense of excitement.


    Knowing the grandson of Elder Luo was indeed an unexpected pleasure for him.


    Not because of Elder Luo¡¯s status, but because he had read an article about Elder Luo and admired him from the bottom of his heart.


    And he had not expected that Gu Qiaoqiao and Luo Fan were well-acquainted.


    The Qin Family¡¯s circle must have included them, after all.


    But the Gu Family must also be out of the ordinary.


    Who would have the audacity to strike at the Qin Family¡¯s in-laws, a friend of the Luo Family?


    This matter might not be as simple as it appeared on the surface.


    Zhou Xing¡¯s expression was very solemn as he looked at Gu Tianfeng in the emergency room and turned to make a phone call.


    After ensuring her father was out of danger, Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly called home. As soon as she did, Gu Qianqian picked up.


    Obviously, she had been sitting by the phone, waiting.


    Hearing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s assurances, Gu Qianqian was so happy she cried.


    Normally, she may not feel it, and sometimes she even thought her father was too strict, but today she realized that her father was the pillar of the home.


    Without her father, the sky would fall¡­


    Gu Qianqian thought to herself that when her father was discharged and returned home, she must become the most obedient child.


    She must not make her father worry about her anymore.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then spoke for a while with Lian Yuhong, telling her to stay put at home. It was enough to have her in the city.


    Lian Yuhong, still concerned, gave several reminders.


    She also said it was fortunate that Qiaoqiao was home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hung up the phone, she was in the director¡¯s office, brought there by Luo Fan to make the call.


    A trace of a bitter smile appeared on the corners of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth.


    Was she lucky to be home?


    And was she the one who had brought this disaster upon them?


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked out of the office, somewhat distracted.


    Seeing her expression, Luo Fan said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯ve booked a hotel nearby, you and Captain Zhou should go quickly to take a shower and change your clothes. I¡¯ve got everything ready for you.¡±


    It was then that Gu Qiaoqiao came back to her senses, hurriedly following Luo Fan downstairs, and spoke softly, ¡°Thank you, Brother Luo Fan.¡±


    Luo Fan frowned, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I really hope you won¡¯t be so formal with me, really.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao forced a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you for granted, after all, you¡¯re not my brother for nothing, right?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luo Fan chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    The hotel was right across the hospital, the facilities were very good, and Gu Qiaoqiao enjoyed a comfortable hot shower.


    The room had clothes ready, Luo Fan had specifically told Gu Qiaoqiao that the clothes had been prepared by the hotel¡¯s female manager.


    Without being fussy, Gu Qiaoqiao quickly changed into the clothing, wrung out her wet clothes, and hung them on the rack in the bathroom before hurrying out of the room.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Xing, Luo Fan, and a young police officer named Tian Hai were sitting in the dining room, waiting for their meal to arrive.


    After sitting down, Gu Qiaoqiao expressed her earnest gratitude to Zhou Xing and Tian Hai.


    If it weren¡¯t for these people, she might not have been able to successfully rescue her father.


    Her gratitude was sincere.


    It was then that Zhou Xing and Tian Hai felt truly revived.


    Having taken hot showers and changed into warm new clothes felt incredibly soothing.


    Moreover, the waiter soon brought four bowls of ginger soup.


    They all drank it down.


    Then, steaming bowls of soup noodles were served, complete with poached eggs, slices of beef, and topped with minced cilantro and green onions¡ªit was nothing short of a lifesaving elixir for those who had crawled out of the cold river and hadn¡¯t eaten dinner.


    Afterward, several dishes of spicy stir-fried appetizers were brought out, causing everyone to sweat profusely yet feeling extremely exhilarated.


    After the meal, Zhou Xing told Gu Qiaoqiao and Luo Fan everything he could about what had happened that day.


    It turned out that the day had been like an earthquake for the Qingshui County police station.


    First came the call from the provincial base, then a call from Qin Yize, followed by one from the Luo Family¡­


    This array of calls sent the chief sweating profusely.


    He immediately started investigating what people had been brought in that day and where the detained ones were held.


    But in the end, they could only find the report call from Sun Chuxia, and they were just about to set out.


    After all, it had been less than half an hour since the report call came in.


    Yet those influential callers alleged that the person had already been taken away by Qingshui County police.


    Fearing oversight, the chief conducted a thorough re-check personally, still found nothing, and then realized something was amiss. Everyone was at their posts except those who had gone to the detention center to change shifts.


    Thus, without further ado, it was clear that the two who had taken Gu Tianfeng away were imposters!


    So, the chief personally organized a search party.


    And Zhou Xing, without the slightest delay, headed straight for Stone Town.


    The car they were looking for was also located, having exploded in a remote area, and subsequently burnt beyond recognition.


    But there was no one inside the car.


    What followed was known to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Zhou Xing did not continue speaking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows in thought, an odd feeling surfacing, recalling the phrase ¡°The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.¡±


    Could it be that Sun Chuxia didn¡¯t know those were fake police officers?


    ¡°Was the car badly damaged by the explosion?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked.


    ¡°Quite badly, and it was the work of an expert,¡± Zhou Xing said indifferently.

 Chapter 120 - 120 Sun Chuxia Voluntarily Surrenders to the Authorities

    Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Sun Chuxia Voluntarily Surrenders to the Authorities


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart tightened as she remembered her father¡¯s car accident from her previous life; it too had ended in an explosion, but with two people inside.


    One was Gu Tianfeng, and the other was the driver of the small passenger car.


    The hands that Gu Qiaoqiao had placed under the table were clenched tightly together. After a moment, she looked up and asked Zhou Xing, ¡°Big Brother Zhou, will it take a long time to catch the culprit?¡±


    Zhou Xing frowned and said, ¡°This case has been classified as a major case of the year, and we will prioritize solving it, but as for the timeframe, it¡¯s hard to say. It could be a month, or it could be a year.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t speak again.


    That was normal.


    She knew that some cases might be solved in just a few days, but others, spread far and wide, might take years to resolve successfully.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao knew that the two who had slipped away like cicadas shedding their shells must have already left the boundaries of Qingshui County by now.


    Perhaps, they wouldn¡¯t reappear for some time.


    Because an arrest warrant had already been issued.


    Another key point was that there were people behind these two, and perhaps someone else was responsible for the rendezvous.


    What exactly was going on?


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought of many possibilities, only to dismiss them all.


    The current Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t have any prejudice against Qin Yize, because she really couldn¡¯t think of anything the Gu Family had that others would covet.


    Parents, siblings¡­


    They were all just ordinary Northern people.


    Her sister and brother hadn¡¯t even been to the city center, let alone the provincial capital.


    And the only one who could be considered worldly was herself.


    Because she had married such an outstanding man.


    But what did that have to do with Sun Chuxia?


    Sun Yingke was Zhu Jianguo¡¯s partner, and not familiar with Qin Yize.


    Furthermore, although Sun Chuxia and the Sun family of the Imperial Capital shared the same roots, they were almost as estranged as enemies.


    Moreover, this wasn¡¯t something one or two people could accomplish on their own.


    And what was the motive?


    What did Gu Tianfeng¡¯s murder have to do with Qin Yize?


    But beyond that, Gu Qiaoqiao truly couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities.


    The group took a short rest before heading to the hospital, where Gu Tianfeng¡¯s blood was sent for testing.


    The doctor examined all three of them, prescribed some medicine, and there wasn¡¯t anything serious to worry about; they just needed to avoid catching a cold again.


    Surprisingly, the three of them had pretty good constitutions.


    In fact, Gu Qiaoqiao had already transferred that warm breath to them through casual contact just before.


    People who could dive into the freezing river without blinking an eye, Gu Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t let them suffer from illness later on.


    And in the future, she would repay these two people.


    And Luo Fan as well.


    If it weren¡¯t for them and the other officers, perhaps her father would have really been in trouble.


    Before Zhou Xing arrived, no one knew that those two officers were impostors.


    If she hadn¡¯t known, even a master detective wouldn¡¯t have been able to ascertain Gu Tianfeng¡¯s whereabouts.


    If she hadn¡¯t followed them, her father would still be submerged in the icy river at this very moment.


    Until his spiritual energy was exhausted, with no power left to return.


    So today, she was truly grateful to Zhou Xing for rushing over to Stone Town to investigate and gather evidence; otherwise, she didn¡¯t dare contemplate the consequences.


    After jumping into the river, at that last critical moment, she had been exhausted, but thankfully Zhou Xing and Tian Hai arrived in time.


    And then Luo Fan appeared just in time.


    At this very moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s initial thoughts had changed somewhat.


    Although one can¡¯t rely entirely on others, having friends who can help you out when something goes wrong is a very good thing in this world.


    In the sickroom, Gu Tianfeng slept on, and Gu Qiaoqiao did not leave his side but sat there keeping watch.


    Not until the next morning did Gu Tianfeng slowly open his eyes.


    Seeing his eldest daughter sleeping uneasily at the table, Gu Tianfeng¡¯s eyes instantly moistened, having escaped death.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, however, was suddenly jolted awake.


    Seeing Gu Tianfeng awake, she forgot everything else, hugged her father, and sobbed uncontrollably.


    Luo Fan and Zhou Xing, who had been about to enter, were scared thinking something had happened to Gu Tianfeng.


    Afterward, Gu Tianfeng stayed there for two more days, and the blood test results came out, containing components of an unknown drug that could render people unconscious.


    This drug is not for sale on the current market.


    Not even hospitals have it.


    But the drug in that cup of water came from the same source as this one. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In other words, Sun Chuxia had given Gu Tianfeng water that had been spiked with the drug.


    By then, Gu Tianfeng¡¯s health had fully recovered.


    Even the doctors felt that Gu Tianfeng had excellent physical constitution.


    His recovery ability was also very strong.


    Thus, he was discharged from the hospital.


    He arrived home that afternoon.


    And on that same morning, Sun Chuxia went to the county police station and turned herself in.


    Crying her eyes out, she confessed her wrongdoings, saying it was because she was too fond of Gu Tianfeng that she lost her mind and wanted to present a fait accompli.


    But she had not expected the hallucinogenic drug to be ineffective, and then she foolishly made a mistake.


    Her decision to report the case was also an impulsive act.


    As for the origin of the drug, she had bought it the previous winter from a health clinic in a back alley in the Imperial Capital.


    As for which clinic, she simply couldn¡¯t remember; she was not familiar with the Imperial Capital.


    She hoped for a chance to reform.


    No matter how she was sentenced, she hoped to make a public apology to Gu Tianfeng in front of the whole school, to clear his name.


    And indeed, this proposal won people¡¯s hearts.


    Upon learning of Sun Chuxia¡¯s response, Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively felt that Sun Chuxia must have had an expert guiding her.


    Not to mention anything else, just consider her move of turning herself in.


    It was a smart play.


    Seeing no way out, she surrendered voluntarily.


    According to the relevant legal provisions, turning oneself in is met with a more lenient treatment.


    It¡¯s just like the slogan says, ¡°Confess to receive leniency, resist and face severity.¡±


    Sun Chuxia¡¯s actions could be considered either significant or minor.


    But they weren¡¯t enough to warrant a heavy sentence.


    Now Sun Chuxia suggested making a public apology at a school assembly, explaining the truth of the matter, and completely vindicating Gu Tianfeng.


    The Gu Family found this proposal hard to refuse.


    Although the middle school in Stone Town already knew that Teacher Gu had been drugged by Teacher Sun, then taken away by a fake officer, knocked out, and thrown into the big river under Liuye Bridge,


    had he not been rescued in time, he would have died long ago.


    Thus, most people knew that Gu Tianfeng had been wronged.


    But there were some who reveled in the chaos and continued to spread rumors.


    There are always those who only believe what they choose to believe.


    After Sun Chuxia¡¯s actions, Gu Tianfeng would finally be able to clear his name completely.


    As for the rest, Gu Qiaoqiao thought that even if Sun Chuxia couldn¡¯t get off scot-free, she wouldn¡¯t face severe punishment.


    If someone had committed murder, there were still sentencing reprieves and commutations to consider.


    Moreover, this was but a case of love turning to hatred.


    A few days¡¯ detention, and even if there was a sentence, a one-year sentence suspended for three could mean the whole matter would eventually come to naught.

 Chapter 121 - 121: The Importance of Connections

    Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Importance of Connections


    Gu Qiaoqiao wondered, was the matter really resolved just like that?


    What about the suffering her father endured, the harm the members of the Gu Family suffered!


    However, having Sun Chuxia apologize at the school-wide assembly was indeed the first thing that needed to be done.


    And Gu Tianfeng was also eager to completely clear his own name.


    For his whole life, what he valued most was his reputation.


    Everything he had suffered was the greatest shame of his life.


    Thus, a school-wide assembly was called at Stone Town Middle School. On the stage, Sun Chuxia, escorted by two police officers from the county town, earnestly explained the course of events and also apologized to Gu Tianfeng. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From then on, no one dared to harbor the slightest doubt about Gu Tianfeng.


    Because the young lady from the Imperial Capital, under police custody, bowed deeply to Gu Tianfeng.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, watching Sun Chuxia in the crowd, wasn¡¯t surprised at all. As the illegitimate daughter in this still rather conservative era, Sun Chuxia was someone who could bend or stand tall.


    Brought up amidst insults of being a ¡®bastard child¡¯, the depth of her reserve was naturally extraordinary.


    Her ability to endure must have also been very strong.


    With the guidance of a wise person, her actions would naturally appear very graceful.


    Moreover, since it wasn¡¯t a very serious offense to begin with, so Sun Chuxia¡¯s actions were also to save herself.


    This excellent attitude in confessing her guilt was bound to be noted.


    Afterwards, Sun Chuxia was taken away again.


    It was Captain Zhou who personally came for her.


    And then somehow, everyone came to know that Captain Zhou of the county police station¡¯s criminal investigation brigade was good friends with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s husband.


    At all times, people assess others based on their identity, place of origin, and economic power, always adding to their estimation.


    So everyone believed that Gu Tianfeng could be quickly redeemed because he had connections.


    Moreover, before the trouble arose, people did not notice the good marriage into the family, but once the trouble started, it became apparent immediately.


    A good marriage is indeed useful!


    Furthermore, if even the female teacher from the Imperial Capital humbly admitted her guilt, how could anyone still think the Gu Family was just an ordinary household?


    Add to that the fact that, the next day, the county police station and the Stone Town police station cooperated in a sweep, and after the sweep, a community security group was established there.


    Therefore, the public order in Stone Town was better than ever before.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was happy to see this.


    She accompanied her father to the county post office to send off the manuscript, and then, Gu Tianfeng went back to work as usual.


    And to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s delight, she discovered that the amulet could restore its originally enchanced state by itself.


    At first, Gu Qiaoqiao was actually quite worried whether her carvings were too against the natural order.


    Would they bring about any disaster?


    But later she realized: an amulet is essentially the concentration of a person¡¯s mind power, just like the saying goes, ¡°Sincerity makes the spiritual.¡±


    Smart people see wisdom, kind people see kindness.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao still changed her approach. It might sound a bit fantastical, but she decided that in the future, her carvings must actively find their rightful owners.


    This was very simple and easy to achieve, just follow the heart.


    Just as she had sold the Heavenly Eighteen Arhats to Elder Shen by following her instincts.


    Hence, it would only bring blessings to herself and would not have any negative impacts.


    Furthermore, Gu Qiaoqiao thought, by doing so, her items would in effect become treasures.


    Qiaoqiao, through this incident, once again experienced the wonders of her own fingers, and also the importance of social connections.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Qin Yize and Luo Fan¡¯s intervention, and Zhou Xing¡¯s running around, Qiaoqiao, no matter how capable, would have ended up in a difficult situation all by herself.


    Therefore, Qiaoqiao no longer refused the olive branch that Luo Fan offered.


    Qiaoqiao knew that her personality used to be a bit like her father¡¯s, Gu Tianfeng, sometimes a bit too aloof.


    If you want others to fear you, how can you do so without strong capabilities?


    Hence, she invited Zhou Xing and Tian Hai to her home for a meal, which they were only too happy to accept, having already wanted to continue their relationship with the Gu Family.


    Afterwards, Qiaoqiao gave each of them an amulet, including Luo Fan, and Luo Fan was the happiest of all.


    Because only he knew the great value of Qiaoqiao¡¯s amulets.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know about the nurturing of spiritual energy.


    And because of the Gu Family, because of Qiaoqiao, Zhou Xing became friends with Luo Fan, so, bluntly speaking, this chain of benefits was an absolute windfall for Zhou Xing.


    He naturally attributed all the credit to the Gu Family.


    And that case, he had been following up on it.


    Unfortunately, there was no progress for the time being.


    The blown-up vehicle had been traced to its origin, a jeep lost from a township enterprise ten miles from the city area.


    It was one that had been decommissioned by a Special Preparation Team.


    And it had been stolen a few days before.


    So, at this point, the lead broke off again.


    Even though Gu Tianfeng, having seen the two fake police officers, described their appearance and accents, it was still like a stone sinking into the sea.


    But Qiaoqiao knew that after this incident, the other side would probably lay low for a while.


    And she, when things had almost settled down, took out the half-carved Wolf¡¯s Fang that was nearly forgotten, ready to continue carving it, only to be shocked to find that the Divine Eagle¡¯s eyes she had carved into the Wolf¡¯s Fang had turned red.


    At that moment, Qiaoqiao was so frightened that she dropped the Wolf¡¯s Fang onto the table with a clang.


    Because this was the first time such a bizarre incident had occurred.


    By this time, it was already mid-May, and the sunlight shone unguarded through the window glass.


    Shining on the eyes of the Divine Eagle, the red color looked eerie on one hand, and on the other, it appeared as clear and sparkling as a ruby.


    Qiaoqiao calmed down and suddenly remembered what had happened.


    It was the day her father had an accident, under Aunt Wang¡¯s loud voice, her hand trembled, the carving knife cut her finger, and that drop of blood fell on the Wolf¡¯s Fang, causing this.


    Afterwards, one thing followed another, and she forgot about the Wolf¡¯s Fang in a drawer.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that drop of blood to coincidentally fall on just the eyes of the Divine Eagle.


    Qiaoqiao picked up the Wolf¡¯s Fang, looked at it from all sides, then stood up and went to the kitchen.


    She took a basin, filled it with some water, and prepared to wash off what seemed to be the solidified drop of blood.


    But, no matter how Qiaoqiao scraped with her fingertip, she couldn¡¯t remove the red color.


    She then looked at it more seriously.


    And then she discovered that it couldn¡¯t be washed off at all.


    Because that drop of fresh blood had seeped deeply into the Wolf¡¯s Fang.


    And as for why it had so coincidentally tinged the Divine Eagle¡¯s eyeball red, without a single excess smear of color, Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t care to find out anymore.


    At this moment, Qiaoqiao was hesitating whether to give this Wolf¡¯s Fang to Qin Yize or to carve a new one for him?

 Chapter 122 - 122: I Found a Kind of Stone on the Banks of the Dongjiang

    Chapter 122: Chapter 122: I Found a Kind of Stone on the Banks of the Dongjiang


    And just at that moment, the telephone in the next room began to ring.


    After taking the Wolf¡¯s Fang out of the basin, Gu Qiaoqiao hurried to answer the phone.


    Because at that moment, she was the only one at home in the Gu Family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao picked up the phone and as usual, asked, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me¡­¡±


    A voice filled with magnetism that seemed capable of bewitching someone came through the phone.


    It was Qin Yize.


    Ever since the incident with her father, Qin Yize had not called again after that call.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, she just murmured a response and then, feeling that her ¡°Oh¡± was somewhat impolite, she softly asked, ¡°You¡¯re not busy anymore?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I just finished,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice was still light and indifferent, but inexplicably soft, he continued, ¡°I just got off the phone with Zhou Xing.¡±


    ¡°Did Big Brother Zhou tell you everything, including about those two fake officers?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao quickly asked.


    ¡°He did,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°This matter is very strange, but one thing is certain, either at the county or in the city area, there are accomplices of those two fake officers.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    ¡°That¡¯s my guess.¡±


    ¡°Is my family still in danger?¡± she asked, her voice not raised but laced with worry.


    ¡°No,¡± Qin Yize said sternly, ¡°They won¡¯t take any action for now, because the police stations in the city area, the county, and Stone Town are all waiting for them to make a move.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart slightly settled down, and after thinking for a bit, she directly asked, ¡°Qin Yize, do you think it was a woman who likes you behind this?¡±


    There seemed to be a pause on the other end of the phone, and through the phone line, it was almost possible to see Qin Yize furrowing his brows.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly explained, ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it, it¡¯s just one of many possibilities, and I don¡¯t have enough reason to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Your suspicion is normal. If I were you, I would think the same,¡± Qin Yize unexpectedly said.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I just blurted out what I was thinking.¡±


    ¡°Sun Chuxia knows me, but she doesn¡¯t really know me, and she doesn¡¯t get along well with the Sun family in the Imperial Capital. Sun Yingke despises her the most, and the Sun family in the Imperial Capital doesn¡¯t want to deal with this matter, and as of now, there has been no movement.¡±


    Does he mean that Sun Chuxia¡¯s actions have nothing to do with Sun Yingke and the others?


    Gu Qiaoqiao also felt that her question was abrupt, so she changed the subject, ¡°Will Sun Chuxia be sentenced?¡±


    ¡°Her attitude towards confession is very good, and she turned herself in voluntarily, so that will definitely be taken into consideration in her sentencing.¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t get anything out of her about the person behind the scenes?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s very tight-lipped, impossible to pry open. And what¡¯s important is that she truly knew nothing about those two fake officers.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at the Wolf¡¯s Fang in her hand, reflecting a cold light, yes, it¡¯s not that easy.


    In her last life, until the day she died, she never knew that the series of accidents involving her and her family were not accidents at all, but were orchestrated.


    Now, perhaps that same person has reemerged.


    But in this vast sea of people, who could that person be?


    Thinking of this made Gu Qiaoqiao shiver, what should she do?


    She felt somewhat helpless.


    ¡°So is this matter just going to be left as it is?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked as if she were in a trance. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize was taken aback, his heart softened, and he spoke with a gentler tone, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t worry, you have to trust Zhou Xing, he will definitely find those two fake officers, and then everything will come to light naturally.¡±


    ¡°But how long will that take?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be very long,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice inexplicably carried a soothing strength.


    ¡°But, what are those people after exactly?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked, puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s still unclear,¡± Qin Yize responded calmly. ¡°Actually, if they were targeting you and me, it would be simpler.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao understood.


    Indeed, if it was really about jealousy and rivalry, it would not be so complicated.


    It was truly simple.


    Those people from Imperial Capital were still easy to investigate.


    But, Sun Chuxia had never had any contact with people from the Bai Family or the Qin Family, not to mention the secluded Sun family.


    ¡°So what do we do later?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked.


    ¡°It will be the same as before, don¡¯t worry, didn¡¯t I just tell you? There won¡¯t be any problem. The police are just waiting for them to make a move, and that security alliance group was also established for this matter,¡± Qin Yize reassured somberly.


    ¡°Mmh, I saw that, the public safety in Stone Town has improved a lot recently.¡±


    After a soft hum from the other end, the question followed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the Wolf¡¯s Fang in her hand. She originally intended to tell him that she was planning to carve it for him, but instead she changed her response to, ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    There was a moment of silence from the other end, and then a cool voice floated over leisurely.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the base, the family quarters are already built. We¡¯ve been assigned one. It has a large courtyard, the house has a heater, and a warm, heated bed.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao responded, then didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    The other end seemed not to notice Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s distraction and continued, ¡°¡­The Da Jiang river has thawed, and yesterday we caught a lot of Kaijiang Fish. The taste was really good.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew the Kaijiang Fish from Border City was incredibly delicious.


    In her past life, Qin Yize made her fish soup several times, and without doubt, cold-water fish was delicious.


    So delicious she could almost swallow her tongue.


    But why did he have to tell her this?


    Was he trying to make her crave it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know what to say.


    She hadn¡¯t planned on going, so what did the assigned house and Kaijiang Fish have to do with her?


    On the phone, Qin Yize¡¯s voice remained as fresh as spring water, ¡°¡­ while catching the Kaijiang Fish, I found a type of stone on the shores of Dongjiang¡­¡±


    ¡°A stone?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she urgently asked, ¡°What kind of stone?¡±


    Some memories seemed to revive in that moment, and Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly felt she had forgotten something very important.


    ¡°It¡¯s a type of stone similar to jade, but it has some differences from jade. The colors are amber and green; in the sunlight, it has a faint luster.¡±


    ¡°Are there many of these stones?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao, gripping the phone so tightly her palms were sweating, asked with a slight urgency.


    ¡°Not many, they probably surged up from a section of the riverbed when the river thawed. There are a total of twelve pieces.¡±


    ¡°Can those stones be picked up just like that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can be picked up freely.¡±


    ¡°Qin Yize, pick them up and bring them back. I have a use for them; maybe I can carve something from them.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if her breath was almost igniting.

 Chapter 124 - 124: From Calamity Star to Lucky Star, The Change is as Different as Heaven and Earth

    Chapter 124: Chapter 124: From Calamity Star to Lucky Star, The Change is as Different as Heaven and Earth


    The Lian Family had withheld two vegetable greenhouses in total, each of which was as large as an acre. The vegetables there were growing vigorously, and due to good care, the baby bok choy, spinach, and green onions had already hit the market.


    Cucumbers and tomatoes were also almost ready to be picked.


    In these days, the Gu Family¡¯s dining table was always graced with fresh vegetables.


    When Gu Tianfeng insisted on paying, it upset grandma so much that she cried, and only then did Gu Tianfeng relent.


    Meanwhile, the small vegetables that Xiao Bai shipped directly to the provincial city were warmly welcomed by the Luo Family¡¯s Hotel manager, who would have been thrilled even without Luo Fan¡¯s reminders.


    You should know, there were others who had greenhouses as well, but few were as proper.


    ...


    Moreover, the demand far exceeded supply.


    Therefore, few were able to buy it, and now was the time when the green in the North was not yet ready for harvest, so these fresh, vibrant, and tender vegetables naturally became very popular.


    So, the return was naturally substantial.


    After selling the small vegetables for half a month, they actually brought in a few thousand yuan, something the Lian Family could never have dreamed of, so everyone was even more motivated.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt that after selling all the vegetables from the two greenhouses, grandma¡¯s family could definitely pay off their debt. Even after subtracting the cost, they would probably make a few thousand yuan, maybe even becoming the first family in the village to earn tens of thousands of yuan.


    Therefore, Gu Qiaoqiao suggested that the two brothers should discuss how to cooperate in advance; after all, while they got along well as brothers, there was still an aunt by marriage to consider.


    And, blood brothers should settle their accounts clearly.


    Only with clear accounts would the shared profits be evident at a glance.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t return until after eating lunch. Now, the aunt by marriage was extremely affectionate towards her, repeatedly saying that Gu Qiaoqiao was the Lian Family¡¯s lucky star.


    This made Gu Qiaoqiao feel a bitter and indescribably sour sentiment in her heart.


    From being seen as bringing disaster to becoming a lucky star, the change was like that between heaven and earth.


    But it was also the distance between two lifetimes.


    Xiao Bai escorted Gu Qiaoqiao home, carrying a basket of vegetables on his back and sharing his plans with her along the way.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, in return, shared with Xiao Bai all the information she found appropriate, hoping to broaden his horizons and help him think more long-term.


    Because the policies these days were favorable, the opportunities to make great strides were plenty.


    It¡¯s said that with hard work, one can become rich, and under the current backdrop, as long as one is willing to work, life would get better day by day.


    Ever since Gu Tianfeng¡¯s incident, Xiao Bai had come over to the Gu Family¡¯s place to check on them almost every other day.


    They too were terribly shocked.


    But they had only received the news after Gu Tianfeng was out of danger.


    Still, they remained deeply unnerved.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that Qin Yize and Zhou Xing¡¯s analysis were quite similar; the mastermind behind the scenes definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to make another move now, in defiance of the wind.


    Because the police were just waiting for them to show their faces.


    Even if it weren¡¯t a case that garnered the attention of Elder Luo and the Qin Family, just the act of impersonating a police officer and tarnishing the reputation was enough for the police in Qingshui County to take it very seriously.


    It¡¯s said that the new leader in Qingshui County was also extremely concerned, having issued orders that the case must be solved as quickly as possible.


    Not to mention, several other important figures were paying attention as well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao recalled all the incidents that had happened in her previous life, and it seemed that Gu Tianfeng¡¯s death was the most tragic.


    He was also the first member of the Gu Family to die.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had a feeling that her father was the main target of their opponents.


    Just like in this life, if it hadn¡¯t been for timely intervention from all sides, the allegation that Gu Tianfeng committed suicide out of guilt could have been established.


    But nominally, just like in the previous life, it was an accident.


    Gu Qiaoqiao analyzed that they had a backup plan to perfectly resolve the issue of the fake police officer¡¯s identity, or perhaps they had other methods to deceive the public.


    Only, they hadn¡¯t expected their plan to be so quickly foiled before it was fully implemented.


    Therefore, the two people who blew up the car ran away.


    For a short period, they wouldn¡¯t take any action.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao could now easily sense the safety of her family members and, after this incident, the members of the Gu Family had heightened their own vigilance at her insistence.


    That was perfectly normal.


    After all, Zhou Xing and Tian Hai, along with her younger uncle, often visited the Gu Family.


    This too was an intangible assurance of safety.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t be completely at ease, she knew she couldn¡¯t stay by her family¡¯s side every moment for the rest of her life.


    That was unrealistic.


    Therefore, encouraging the Gu Family to be prepared rather than complacent wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    Especially since Gu Tianfeng had developed a psychological shadow, he had carried his drinking cup in his pocket for a while at school.


    Fortunately, it was the thermos that Gu Qiaoqiao had bought for him in the provincial capital. Any other cup would have been inconvenient.


    After considering all the possibilities, Gu Qiaoqiao felt she could leave.


    Besides, she could always stay in touch by phone when it was convenient.


    All was ready except for the east wind, and this east wind was the tools for processing Gold Jade Stone.


    All of these were Jade Rough Stones, which required gradual cutting to reveal their true nature.


    Gu Qiaoqiao definitely wasn¡¯t planning to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.


    The gold nugget was indeed valuable, but if it was intertwined with jade, it was even more valuable.


    Hence, she urgently needed the tools.


    But the only jade that Gu Qiaoqiao in her previous life had ever carved was Roaring Tiger Forest.


    That piece of jade didn¡¯t require cutting; its natural shape was already exquisitely lifelike.


    All it needed was a carving knife for the details.


    At that time, Qin Yize didn¡¯t need the jade inside; what he wanted was the whole stone¡¯s shape.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao had no experience with cutting and hadn¡¯t seen machines for cutting jade. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, her grandfather had told her how people in ancient times disassembled jade.


    After all, the precious and exquisite jade carvings of nowadays almost all come from the times when there were no jade-cutting machines.


    In the Song Dynasty, there was a tool similar to a saw, also called a ¡°bow,¡± made from sturdy bamboo with an iron wire as the cutting string.


    Several iron wires were twisted into a hawser, and while cutting jade, abrasive jade sand was added to the string while continuously sprinkling water, slowly grinding open the jade material.


    There were also some other auxiliary handcrafted tools.


    Grandfather said, back then, jade was cut and carved with heart, endowing it with spirituality, unlike the more lifeless, though flashy, works of today.


    Of course, her grandfather had also never seen any cutting machines, but such machines should already exist now.


    Yet Gu Qiaoqiao truly hadn¡¯t seen any.


    She thought she might as well call Luo Fan¡ªhe had great abilities, knew many people, and might know where to buy a jade-cutting machine.


    If Luo Fan didn¡¯t know, then she would have to resort to traditional methods.


    Using an iron saw directly.


    This didn¡¯t require prior preparation.


    Border City was a forested area, and many locals had plenty of large and small saws.


    She knew how to use them too.


    Since heating there still relied on wood.


    Every household considered axes and iron saws essential for daily life.


    If all else failed, she would use the iron saw directly.


    Having thought this through, Gu Qiaoqiao no longer worried. She casually called Luo Fan, mainly to let him know she was preparing to go to Qin Yize¡¯s place and that communicating in the future might not be as convenient.

 Chapter 125 - 125: The Woman Who Plucked the Flower from the High Ridge

    Chapter 125: Chapter 125: The Woman Who Plucked the Flower from the High Ridge


    Luo Fan didn¡¯t think twice before agreeing immediately to first create a smaller version for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Then he would mail it to the place where Gu Qiaoqiao was headed.


    Knowing the address well, Gu Qiaoqiao left it with Luo Fan, and as she hung up the phone, she felt a great sense of relief.


    She made a call to Qin Yize, but the person who answered was not Qin Yize but the operator from the Border City Base. She identified herself and then stated her arrival time. The operator solemnly promised to convey the message to Doctor Qin.


    Soon, it quietly spread throughout the experimental base that Doctor Qin¡¯s wife was about to arrive.


    Regarding this legendary woman who had managed to pluck such a lofty flower as Doctor Qin, everyone maintained a high level of attention and enthusiasm.


    ...


    They all speculated: Could this woman be stunningly beautiful, exceptionally intelligent, or a talented lady proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?


    Otherwise, how could Doctor Qin, cold as snow and distant as if on the other side of the clouds, have married so soon?


    At that moment, in the medical room of the experimental base, a pretty girl in a white lab coat accidentally dropped a bottle of glucose, shattering it onto the cement floor.


    She was Choo Lan.


    The granddaughter of a prominent family¡¯s patriarch and the only daughter of Chairman Choo.


    The nurse beside her, Zhu Xiaohong, was startled and hurriedly helped the recovered Choo Lan clean up the broken glass.


    Choo Lan quickly apologized, her face reddening slightly.


    But her heart was not at peace.


    She had been Qin Yize¡¯s college classmate, and though they weren¡¯t in the same class, they were of the same year.


    Half a year ago, she had arrived at the Border City Base and become a doctor in the base¡¯s medical room.


    Her grandfather was quite pleased, believing his granddaughter was resilient enough to tough it out in Border City. Her father, though he didn¡¯t understand, didn¡¯t object and only told her that once she¡¯d had enough, she should come home to learn how to manage the Choo family¡¯s affairs. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, no one knew the secret in her heart.


    She had traveled thousands of miles, foregoing the comfortable conditions offered by her family, to be in this harsh frontier, all for one person.


    And that person didn¡¯t even know she had come for him.


    Everyone said he was married, but for some reason, Choo Lan chose to ignore this piece of news.


    In her heart, Qin Yize was still that man as cold as snow, seated on a cloud, unreachable.


    But then, Zhu Xiaohong told her that Doctor Qin¡¯s wife would be coming to live at the experimental base in three days.


    His wife, his spouse, his lover?


    So she was real after all!


    And that shattered her self-deceptive dream.


    What about love that develops over time, progressively?


    Qin Yize¡¯s wife was about to arrive.


    She was a living, breathing person.


    Distracted, Choo Lan smiled at Zhu Xiaohong and left the medical room.


    Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s eyes flickered briefly, her thoughts clear to anyone who knew her well; she always boasted about her resilience, but wasn¡¯t it all for a man?


    If Qin Yize wasn¡¯t here, why would Choo Lan come at all?


    But that was good for her; if Choo Lan hadn¡¯t come, how would she have had the chance to meet the granddaughter of the Choo family patriarch?


    She smiled, thinking perhaps in the future, she might have even more opportunities to gain favor with her.


    Meanwhile, Choo Lan walked slowly along the path in the large courtyard of the experimental base, gradually calming her heart as she looked up at the distant sky, her heart inexplicably filled with anticipation for the arrival of that woman.


    Even that anticipation was incredibly intense.


    So intense, it bordered on obsession.


    Indeed, no one in the entire base was as passionate as Choo Lan.


    She wanted to see for herself if this woman truly was breathtakingly beautiful beyond comparison!


    ¡­


    At that very moment in the Imperial Capital, Ning Wanru was looking at the person before her, Gu Cheng.


    Gu Cheng was repeating a statement to her,


    ¡°You better tell the person behind you, if they dare to touch my family again, I will stop at nothing to kill them one by one. If you don¡¯t believe me, let¡¯s just try it!¡±


    After listening to Gu Cheng¡¯s relayed words, her eyebrows slightly knitted together, but after a few moments, they smoothed out again, a sinister gleam crossing her eyes.


    Only after a long while, she spoke softly, ¡°Did she really say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she really did,¡± Gu Cheng nodded, confusion in his gaze, ¡°Mother, do you think Qiaoqiao is just guessing, or does she really know something¡­¡±


    ¡°What does she know?¡± Ning Wanru casually sipped her Biluochun tea and asked back.


    Indeed, how could Qiaoqiao possibly know who the person behind the scenes was?


    More importantly, how could she possibly know that there was someone behind Sun Chuxia?


    It must have been Qin Yize who helped her analyze it.


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Gu Cheng asked, frowning.


    ¡°Stay put. Send those two to the Northwest, tell the eldest brother to not do anything, and we¡¯ll see about the rest later,¡± Ning Wanru instructed calmly.


    ¡°Are we just going to let them go like this?¡±


    ¡°What else then?¡± Ning Wanru casually glanced at her son.


    ¡°But, son is just worried that the longer we wait, the more things could go wrong,¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the eldest brother say that the city and county police have cast a wide net, just waiting for the suspects to fall into the trap?¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait for things to calm down a bit,¡± Gu Cheng said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that Gu Tianfeng¡¯s life is so great, he didn¡¯t die even after being drowned in the river for half an hour.¡±


    Ning Wanru¡¯s eyes darkened.


    This also perplexed her.


    Such cold water, the person was knocked unconscious, and then thrown into the river; normally, they would die within minutes.


    Everyone said that Gu Tianfeng had a big fate, but Ning Wanru didn¡¯t think so.


    Because only she knew the Gu Family¡¯s secret.


    It was also a legend that had been passed down for hundreds of years.


    Could it be that the Mysterious Dragon Box was really in Gu Tianfeng¡¯s hands, and that it had been opened?


    Could it be possible?


    If he really opened it, how could he be content staying in the countryside for over twenty years?


    Or perhaps, there was nothing in the box?


    Ning Wanru immediately dismissed her own thought. Her grandfather was certain of the shocking secret there.


    He also said that the person who could open the box would possess something unimaginable to the world.


    But it¡¯s been hundreds of years, and no one has been able to open it, naturally, no one knew what was inside.


    Later, it disappeared along with Gu Kun¡¯s disappearance.


    This was something Gu Qingfeng found out later,


    Unfortunately, it has not been found to this day.


    ¡°Cheng¡¯er, do you think that Mysterious Dragon Box might really have been taken by Gu Kun?¡± Ning Wanru speculated.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say.¡± Gu Cheng looked at Ning Wanru, pondering, ¡°Even if it was taken, it wouldn¡¯t matter, right? It¡¯s been hundreds of years and no one has opened it.¡±


    ¡°But is Gu Tianfeng¡¯s life really that great?¡± Ning Wanru seemed skeptical, ¡°And what about Qiaoqiao, how did she find her father so quickly?¡±


    Yes, that matter seemed quite mysterious, almost mystical when spoken of.


    ¡°Then just capture both of them, and we will know everything,¡± Gu Cheng said with fierce determination.

 Chapter 126 - 126: Destined

    Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Destined


    ¡°Do you think this matter is easy now?¡± Ning Wanru rebutted discontentedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy.¡±


    ¡°And another thing, what if they don¡¯t know anything at all?¡± Ning Wanru added indifferently.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, we might just end up alerting them prematurely,¡± Gu Cheng agreed, nodding.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to estimate the wealth of the Gu Family; facing such boundless riches, who wouldn¡¯t be tempted?¡± Ning Wanru stated calmly.


    ¡°My son understands. For now, we¡¯ll hold our forces. I will have the eldest keep an eye on them. If there is any irregularity, we might as well just kill them all and then discuss,¡± Gu Cheng said.


    ...


    ¡°That¡¯s the last resort. The old man might just die in his sleep. Right now, your top priority is to take control of Yubao Square and the Jade Mine,¡± Ning Wanru advised.


    ¡°I am working on it, but it¡¯s difficult. Many things need the Old Patriarch¡¯s seal. Without it, we can¡¯t move the big money,¡± Gu Cheng replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Sooner or later, that seal will be in your hands,¡± Ning Wanru said with conviction.


    ¡°How long will that take?¡± Gu Cheng was actually very anxious.


    He still had to go to work and didn¡¯t have much time to waste. Even if he took leave, it would only be for a short while in front of him.


    ¡°If the old man really wakes up, let Gu Kun get the seal. If he dies, take control of Uncle Gu and hand the seal over to Gu Kun. In the end, the result is the same. Why the hurry?¡± Ning Wanru said nonchalantly.


    Gu Cheng felt reassured upon hearing this.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï


    Yes, with the paternity test in hand, what was there to fear?


    He left the North Mountain Villa leisurely and continued to play the role of a devoted son admired by all in the hospital.


    However, Ning Wanru couldn¡¯t shake off the suspicions in her heart.


    Is that man really so lucky to escape death?


    But according to the reports, the Gu Tianfeng family in the countryside is as ordinary as it gets.


    It was said that a few years ago, a common cold had Gu Tianfeng sick for many days.


    So, does the problem lie with Qiaoqiao?


    The girl who inherited the Gu Family¡¯s carving talent?


    She hadn¡¯t seen her carvings, nor did she know if they were as mystical as Zhang Yi had described.


    At this moment, Ning Wanru was interested. She really wanted to meet Qiaoqiao.


    This girl who dared to speak fiercely and possessed astonishing carving skills.


    It¡¯s just a pity that this Gu Family successor, who could potentially lead the Gu Family back to its peak, was destined to die by her hand.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Qiaoqiao was already preparing to set off.


    It was also Sunday.


    Early in the morning, Qiaoqiao had finally managed to calm down Gu Qianqian and Gu Zishu. When she went out to the yard, she saw the tearful Chang Qing.


    This child, why does he cry so easily?


    In her previous life, it was the same.


    But Qiaoqiao also knew that Chang Qing only showed such emotion in front of her.


    In front of others, he was quite strong.


    When his stepmother beat him, he never shed a single tear.


    With that thought, she felt at ease.


    Qiaoqiao, looking at Chang Qing by the fence wall, smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Who has bullied you?¡±


    Chang Qing quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve, head lowered, and didn¡¯t speak.


    Qiaoqiao had been meaning to look for him anyway.


    She looked around and took out a small wallet, handing it to Chang Qing, ¡°Chang Qing, this is the money Sister has for you, Five Hundred Yuan, enough for a whole semester¡¯s tuition. Don¡¯t refuse it, this is Sister¡¯s intention.¡±


    Chang Qing hesitated for just a moment before taking the wallet, which was bulging with Five Hundred Yuan inside.


    It was more than enough for one semester, it could cover his living expenses for two years.


    Gu Qiaoqiao originally wanted to leave the money with Gu Tianfeng, but thinking that Chang Qing would definitely not accept it later, she decided to give it to him directly instead.


    This kid was so smart; he would surely hide the money well, especially since it was given by her.


    Sure enough, Chang Qing treasured the wallet greatly and put it into his inner pocket.


    ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, I will pay you back this money in the future,¡± Chang Qing promised seriously.


    ¡°Mhm, I believe you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled. ¡°Chang Qing, you should also believe in yourself, you will get better and better.¡±


    Chang Qing nodded, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, and asked reluctantly, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, when you go this time, will it be a year before you can come back?¡±


    ¡°How could that be, I might come back again in the summer,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said lightly.


    Chang Qing¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°Then, Sister Qiaoqiao, can I write letters to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao patted her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll go inside and get a pen and paper to write the address for you.¡±


    ¡°No need, Sister Qiaoqiao, I can remember it if you just say it once.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao slapped her forehead, she had forgotten about this little genius.


    So, she recited the address for the experimental base that could be disclosed to the public, and Chang Qing remembered it firmly in his mind.


    Gu Qiaoqiao remembered something and asked, ¡°Chang Qing, which university do you plan to apply for?¡±


    ¡°Principal Gao said there¡¯s a relative of his who has opened a restaurant in the provincial city, and they promised me a part-time job during summer and winter vacations and on weekends, plus free meals and accommodation, so I¡¯m thinking of applying to a university in the provincial city.¡±


    The provincial city¡¯s university had a nationally renowned polytechnic; it was the same university Chang Qing attended in his previous life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had thought about suggesting Imperial Capital University to Chang Qing but didn¡¯t voice it out.


    After all, there might be unknown dangers in the Imperial Capital, and it would be terrible if Chang Qing got involved because of her.


    So, she completely dismissed that thought.


    And that polytechnic was excellent, too.


    ¡°Hmm, not bad, the polytechnic in the provincial city is nationally famous, suits you quite well, and it¡¯s your hometown, so it¡¯s much more convenient for part-time work,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, Sister Qiaoqiao, and it¡¯s also close to Uncle Gu. When I¡¯m capable, I¡¯ll definitely support Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu,¡± the youth said in a hoarse but sincerely committed voice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled. She believed that what Chang Qing said, he would do. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only this time, she wouldn¡¯t let him struggle with part-time work and studies like he did in his previous life.


    But whatever he wanted to do, it all had to wait until after he got into university.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then reminded Chang Qing; he would go with Gu Zishu to see her off, and Gu Qiaoqiao did not decline.


    She happily agreed.


    One couldn¡¯t deny the shadows of the last life lingered; Gu Qiaoqiao hoped that this departure would be seen off by the whole family.


    It would be best if dad, mom, grandma, uncle, younger uncle, little cousin, and aunt were all there¡­


    Unfortunately, such a grand occasion was not to be; the grandmother¡¯s household was very busy, and the younger uncle came yesterday to represent them.


    And he had even prepared to send Gu Qiaoqiao in his friend¡¯s vegetable truck.


    Which was declined by Lian Yuhong.


    That truck had no place for passengers, and the driver¡¯s cabin was both dirty and broken, far worse than the large passenger coach.


    Moreover, the most important thing was that it was too bumpy; she didn¡¯t want her daughter to suffer that hardship.


    So it was convenient for Gu Qiaoqiao to take the large coach to the county town first, and then transfer to the provincial city.


    Unexpectedly, as she was getting dressed, grabbed her travel bag, and being seen off amidst a hustle and bustle, a familiar sedan drove up from afar.

 Chapter 127 - 127: Heading to Border City

    Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Heading to Border City


    Gu Qianqian¡¯s eyes were sharp, and she exclaimed, ¡°That¡¯s Brother Luo Fan¡¯s car.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a careful look, and it really was¡­


    She had merely mentioned the date of her departure, and Luo Fan had actually come directly.


    Luo Fan got out of the car, exchanged a few words with Gu Tianfeng and Lian Yuhong, and without entering the house, he immediately put Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s travel bag into the back of his car.


    Standing at the door, he said to Gu Tianfeng, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I guarantee to deliver Qiaoqiao safely to the train.¡±


    ¡°You see, I¡¯m really sorry, coming to your home and having to leave without even a drink of water.¡±


    ...


    Lian Yuhong said apologetically.


    Luo Fan, with a smile on his face, replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry, ah. Once I¡¯m done with my stuff in a few days, I¡¯m going to fish with Uncle Gu. By then, Aunt Gu, you have to make Sauce Small Fish for me to eat.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sure, sure, Auntie will definitely make it for you,¡± Lian Yuhong readily agreed.


    ¡°And I also want to eat pancakes made from golden-yellow cornmeal,¡± Luo Fan continued to make requests without any reservations.


    ¡°Are you ordering dishes?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao teased.


    ¡°Can I order dishes?¡± Luo Fan continued, ¡°Then I also want to eat big steamed dumplings with potato flour¡­¡±


    Everybody started to laugh.


    Gu Zishu got excited as well, ¡°Brother Luo Fan, when the water gets warmer, I¡¯ll go down to the river to catch some loaches for you. My mom¡¯s tofu-stewed loaches are to die for.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making my mouth water,¡± Luo Fan joked, then opened the car door, ¡°I have to go now; otherwise, if we keep talking, I won¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    Gu Tianfeng smiled, genuinely fond of Luo Fan¡¯s personality.


    Lian Yuhong promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, next time you come, I will definitely make something delicious for you, and it will be something you¡¯ve never had before¡­¡±


    Luo Fan was clearly even happier.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt that any slight sadness from parting had mysteriously vanished at this moment.


    Gu Zishu, clutching his sister¡¯s arm, urged with concern, ¡°Sister, you must remember to have brother-in-law call me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you have to behave, and just like these past few days, go to and from school with Qianqian, do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Sister, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely protect little sister,¡± Gu Zishu nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Sister, you can rest assured too, I will definitely look after little brother,¡± Gu Qianqian also assured.


    Luo Fan had felt something was amiss during his previous visits, wondering why the twins referred to each other as ¡°little brother¡± and ¡°little sister.¡±


    So finally, Luo Fan voiced the question that had been on his mind.


    Gu Tianfeng, smiling helplessly, explained, ¡°At the time, the two kids were born just two minutes apart. We never imagined there would be twins, so even the midwife was flustered, and we forgot which one came out first. We thought of making Zishu the older brother, but then one day Qianqian got wind of it and refused to call him brother anymore, always calling him little brother, and that¡¯s how we ended up with the current situation.¡±


    Luo Fan found it quite festive, glancing at Gu Qianqian and asked with feigned confusion, ¡°Little girl, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have a big brother?¡±


    Gu Qianqian¡¯s eyes twinkled, she chuckled, ¡°But having a little brother is quite nice too, I can discipline him in the name of a big sister, just like how big sister manages us.¡±


    Luo Fan nodded slightly, actually finding Gu Qianqian¡¯s reasoning quite sensible.


    So he laughed as well.


    Chang Qing too, watched these people and laughed along. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t envious, but he felt himself more fortunate, to be cared for by such a family.


    Even Brother Luo Fan was very kind to him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had not expected the farewell to be so relaxed and cheerful.


    Finally, she got in the car, watching her family, who were all standing at the Gu Family¡¯s doorstep, seeing her off with earnest gazes.


    How wonderful this scene was!


    The family was all there, not a single one missing, and smiles covered every face, including Chang Qing¡¯s; they were all her family.


    She thought she would remember this scene for a lifetime!


    Ever since Qiaoqiao had spoken those words that day, visits to the Kang Shan family had become less frequent, and they were of no concern to her.


    Qiaoqiao had this much confidence.


    Soon, the car left Stone Town and drove towards the highway leading to the city.


    On the way, Luo Fan told Qiaoqiao that he had already gotten hold of a small cutting machine for her. It was a prototype of a newly produced model and had been mailed to the place she was heading to.


    Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected Luo Fan¡¯s efficiency to be so swift. After thanking him, she asked how much it cost.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you it¡¯s a prototype. It¡¯s free,¡± Luo Fan said, indifferent.


    Free?


    Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know how much it should cost, but she didn¡¯t insist either.


    Moreover, she knew that being too polite might actually waste Luo Fan¡¯s good intentions.


    Soon, they arrived at the provincial capital. Li Dazhi had already bought the train ticket for her; it was a sleeper ticket.


    After picking up the train ticket at the base compound, Qiaoqiao talked with Li Dazhi for a while, mentioned her family matters, and then thanked him before following Luo Fan to the hotel.


    After all, it was still somewhat inconvenient at the base.


    The train was scheduled to depart in the evening and would arrive on the third morning, taking more than thirty hours in total.


    Since it was a sleeper car, and given that the temperature was warming up, the journey wasn¡¯t too hard to endure.


    The train traveled through the vast sea of forest, and now it was the morning of the third day.


    It would be another two hours before the train reached the station.


    Then there would be another two-hour car ride to the base.


    Qiaoqiao looked out of the window at the trees with their fresh green leaves, pondering the events she had experienced here in her past life, and suddenly felt as if worlds had changed.


    She shook her head, banishing the unpleasant memories. Strictly speaking, there was still a lot to recall here.


    At the very least, the verdant mountains and clear waters here possessed a pure, impurity-free beauty that was vast and magnificent.


    Different from the still rivers of the south, Qiaoqiao remembered the strength and sound of the river water¡¯s flow were enough to shake one¡¯s courage, yet it also inspired an inexplicable reverence for nature.


    Lost in her thoughts, Qiaoqiao unexpectedly arrived at the train station in no time.


    The station wasn¡¯t large.


    The exit was clearly visible.


    Qiaoqiao, with her shoulder bag, stood on the ground and took a deep breath of the fresh air tinged with the scent of pine.


    Gripping her travel bag tightly, she looked up at the high and azure sky, wondering what kind of situation this life would present.


    Then, Qiaoqiao, unconcerned, curled the corners of her mouth and walked towards the exit.


    Just at the bottom of the steps, the base¡¯s military green jeep was parked there.


    And on the open ground outside the exit, a young man dressed in the uniform of the guard unit was holding a sign and looking around.


    Unsurprisingly, Qin Yize hadn¡¯t come.


    Even if Li Dazhi hadn¡¯t mentioned beforehand that Qin Yize was busy these days, Qiaoqiao wouldn¡¯t have minded.


    It was enough that someone was there to meet her.


    After all, there was some distance from here to the base.


    Qiaoqiao walked up to the young man, who glanced at her briefly before shifting his gaze back to the crowd behind.


    Qiaoqiao looked at the name written on the sign seriously. No mistake, it was Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 128 - 128: Never Would Have Thought

    Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Never Would Have Thought


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood in front of the young man.


    She took a careful look at him.


    The face in her memory was somewhat blurry, and she had forgotten his name, so she gently asked, ¡°Excuse me, are you here to pick up Gu Qiaoqiao?¡±


    The young man was startled, then turned to look at the young girl in front of him. She had bright eyes, white teeth, and a smile that preceded speech. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, and she wore a beige tweed jacket over black pants that encased her straight legs. She was so strikingly elegant that it brightened one¡¯s eyes.


    Especially her eyes, clear as if they were pools of water.


    The young man wasn¡¯t stupid; he opened his mouth, quickly realized who she was but still asked with some disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re Gu Qiaoqiao, Doctor Qin¡¯s wife?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The young girl¡¯s crisp voice was filled with mirth as she pointed at the name on the signboard and said, ¡°This is my name, exact to every character, so it must be correct.¡±


    The young man¡¯s face flushed in an instant, and he had imagined many different images in his mind, all sorts of them.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected the other party to be a vibrant and beautiful young girl brimming with laughter.


    The young man quickly took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s travel bag, speaking somewhat awkwardly, ¡°¡­Sister-in-law¡­ Hello, I am¡­ Luh Fei. Doctor Qin had something to tend to and couldn¡¯t come, so he asked me to pick you up.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed; she remembered now. This was Luh Fei, who often brought her meals when she first arrived at the base in her previous life.


    But what his expression was like then, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t recall.


    Yet it certainly wasn¡¯t the awkwardness seen now.


    ¡°Hehe, thank you for your trouble,¡± said Gu Qiaoqiao with a smile.


    ¡°No trouble at all, no trouble at all.¡± Luh Fei, embarrassed, waved his hands and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the car is downstairs.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao got in the car.


    At that moment, the sky had turned overcast.


    The air was a bit moist, as if it was about to rain.


    This was Yellow Sand Road leading to the Experimental Base.


    There were no houses nearby.


    Willow trees filled both sides of Yellow Sand Road, their tender green leaves slightly swaying on the branches, creating a hazy mist-like atmosphere.


    Somehow, it inexplicably gave rise to a peculiar melancholy in one¡¯s heart.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Gu Qiaoqiao walked this road, but for some reason, it felt different from every other time.


    Luh Fei drove the car, keeping his eyes straight ahead but still conversing with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He was genuinely curious.


    Everyone thought Doctor Qin¡¯s wife would be a seductive fox spirit of a woman with devastating beauty, but in fact, she was a young girl.


    Good heavens, although she was very pretty, she looked like a high school student.


    But it wasn¡¯t entirely that of a high school student, possessing some adult stoicism and grace, yet her expressions and smile revealed a hint of vivacity and craftiness.


    Especially that smile, so dazzling and cheerful.


    It seemed that just seeing such a smile, even in the cold of winter, could warm the heart.


    This was a side of her none of them had anticipated.


    And there were also rumors that a woman from a rural area might just be wearing a floral scarf and bulky cotton pants¡ªa downright country bumpkin.


    Ah, these people never even thought Doctor Qin¡¯s daughter-in-law would actually be a delicate young girl who, with a backpack, could walk right into a school. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next moment, Luh Fei suddenly felt that such a bright and lively girl seemed to be a good match for the icy Doctor Qin after all.


    So at that time, Luh Fei spoke much more smoothly than at first, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve come at the right time. The weather will get warmer from now on. Our summer here is so pleasant, not hot at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ve heard about it. The winters here are too long. Being from the South, you must have found it difficult to adjust at first,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked softly.


    Luh Fei¡¯s spirits were lifted, and he said with animated brows and a happy face, ¡°Sister-in-law, you are totally right. I joined the guard two years ago, and when I left my hometown, people were still wearing vests. But when I got here, it was already snowing heavily. At first, I found it very novel, but after a few days, I couldn¡¯t get used to it. It¡¯s really cold, with temperatures dropping below minus forty degrees¡­ When I patrolled by the river, the deep snow would cover me up to my head, and I secretly cried, but later I got used to it. After all, I am a member of the guard, and no matter how tough the conditions, we have to protect the safety of the Border City Experimental Base¡­¡±


    Though Luh Fei sounded relaxed, there was also an unexpected firmness in his voice.


    ¡°You all are amazing!¡± Gu Qiaoqiao exclaimed sincerely.


    This was the coldest region in the North, yet many of the guards and engineers/scientists were from the South.


    Even Gu Qiaoqiao, a northerner, found it hard to endure during winter, let alone the southerners.


    However, the summers here were cool and beautiful.


    Luh Fei enjoyed hearing such words, and he grinned wide, turning the steering wheel, ¡°Sister-in-law, we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    A few minutes later, they finally arrived at the experimental base.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked through the car window at the entrance of the base¡¯s main courtyard, which was just as she remembered it.


    The family quarters were built inside the base¡¯s yard.


    The area was large, surrounded by tall red brick walls.


    However, they were all single-story buildings that were newly built.


    Some areas still had piles of timber.


    The main gate was solemn, with two guards standing post beside it.


    The Border City Experimental Base was a joint investment, one of the investors being the Qin Family from the Imperial Capital.


    There were grand labs, various testing fields, and top talents from all over, but in both her past and current life, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know what Qin Yize and his team were researching and developing, nor why they chose the cold, inconvenient North for their work.


    But she knew that it was all for the benefit of the country and its people.


    Luh Fei drove straight into the compound, where the family quarters were neatly constructed: three rows of red brick houses, each row housing six families.


    There weren¡¯t many, just over a dozen families.


    But never underestimate these women who stayed at home cooking and taking care of children¡ªthey kept things lively.


    Luh Fei drove the jeep to a stop by the first house on the east side of the first row of red brick houses.


    This was the house assigned to Qin Yize by the base.


    There was open space at the front and back, surrounded by wooden fences, as they are commonly called in the North.


    They were about one and a half meters high, enclosing each household.


    On the black soil grew clumps of wild grass and dandelions, which looked quite vibrant.


    The main door wasn¡¯t locked, and after getting out of the car, Luh Fei pushed open the pair of wooden doors.


    Then, carrying Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s travel bag, he handed a bunch of keys to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law, these are the keys to the main door and the house door; give them a try to see if they work well.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the keys and unlocked the deadbolt on the house door, while Luh Fei placed the travel bag at the entrance, saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, there¡¯s water in the thermal pot inside. Go wash your face, and the canteen will be serving food soon. I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Luh Fei,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile of thanks.


    Luh Fei hurriedly waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, no trouble at all. Well then, sister-in-law, I¡¯ll be off.¡±


    After saying this, Luh Fei strode away swiftly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the door, surrounded by an especially quiet atmosphere, yet suddenly she felt a swarm of emotions.


    This was the home where she and Qin Yize had lived for nearly three years in her previous life.


    Nothing had changed.


    The house was in a woodland area, which never lacked for timber.


    The entire house was floored with wooden boards.

 Chapter 129 - 129: Home from a Previous Life

    Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Home from a Previous Life


    ¡°`


    The wooden floor was coated with red lacquer, with a vestibule upon entering, the kitchen straight ahead, the living room to the right, and the bedroom to the left.


    The space wasn¡¯t too large, just over sixty square meters, which is standard for houses in the Border City Forest District. Any larger and it would be too cold in the winter.


    Smaller is better for heating.


    Chaoyang¡¯s bedroom was left for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The north-facing bedroom next to the kitchen was where Qin Yize lived.


    ...


    Opposite, there was a small bathroom without a shower, but it had everything else.


    The living room was the same as in her previous life, with four chairs lined up on the east side.


    In front of the chairs was a large desk.


    On the north wall, there was a row of large wardrobes.


    And on the west side was the kang, a traditional Northern Chinese heated bed.


    A typical residential layout of the Northern border¡¯s forested region.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked through each room, finding the bedrooms on either side of the wall heated by the kang, both featuring newly constructed smaller kangs.


    Qin Yize¡¯s bedding was neatly folded like tofu blocks, and the room had an austere air, as if it had been lived in.


    Gu Qiaoqiao now stood in front of her own bedroom, realizing it had changed.


    On the sunny side, there was a new large desk.


    It was empty, but when she bent down to smell it, it seemed to give off the scent of fresh wood.


    This was newly made.


    If Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t mistaken, it must have been intended for her carving.


    At that moment, the sun unexpectedly came out again, shining through the window into the bedroom, casting shadows that silently shifted shapes.


    For a brief period, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a surge of mixed emotions.


    To speak frankly, the last year here had been warm with a gentle heat.


    While she carved scenes of the Roaring Tiger Forest in the living room, Qin Yize would quietly sit by and read. Sometimes, he¡¯d pour her a cup of tea and then rest his chin on his hand, watching her carve, stroke by stroke.


    His gaze was calm, he didn¡¯t speak, yet somehow it was incredibly comforting.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, her memories from her past life were not all painful, there was also warmth quietly flowing through them.


    But later, she suppressed all the solitary warmth deep inside, daring not to recall it, even the slightest thought would make her punish herself harshly, pinching and hitting herself. Otherwise, how could she face her deceased family members?


    Just then, Luh Fei¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Sister-in-law, can you open the door for me?¡±


    Apparently, it had unknowingly turned noon.


    Luh Fei stood at the door holding two aluminum lunchboxes and a tea jar.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly took a deep breath, hurriedly opened the door, and took the tea jar from Luh Fei¡¯s hand, placing it on the living room table.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve brought lunch. Eat it while it¡¯s hot,¡± Luh Fei urged enthusiastically.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t mention it, I¡¯ve got to go,¡± Luh Fei said and, like a whirlwind, he left in haste.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took off her coat, feeling more at peace, washed up, and sat at the table to open the lunchboxes.


    Luh Fei was genuinely considerate.


    The lunchbox was filled with rice, one with potato, cabbage and pork, and the tea jar, unexpectedly, contained seaweed egg soup.


    This must have been specially prepared by the base¡¯s canteen for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Indeed, Gu Qiaoqiao was hungry.


    But, no matter how hungry, after eating half, she felt full. Gu Qiaoqiao stored the remaining food in the kitchen, planning to eat it for dinner.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the pickled vegetables from her travel bag and placed them in the kitchen cabinet.


    She hung her clothes in the wardrobe, and in the adjacent one, which was Qin Yize¡¯s, hung a row of his clothes.


    ¡°`


    Actually, Qin Yize was someone who cared a lot about the quality of life.


    From his clothing, you could tell that his sweaters and shirts were all branded, although they seemed not to be new.


    It must have been because he didn¡¯t have a chance to buy new ones in the more than half a year since they got married, as he was always in Diannan.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao soon saw that the drawers of the large wardrobe were filled with new clothes, both hers and Qin Yize¡¯s.


    They were all spring and summer attire.


    And in another large drawer, Gu Qiaoqiao found unopened daily necessities. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and a few bottles of old-brand moisturizer.


    It seemed that Grandma Qin had helped prepare these.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closed the drawer, thinking to herself that Grandma Qin must be quite sprightly now and probably in good health. She should call her sometime when available to say hello.


    She would definitely appreciate the old lady¡¯s intention.


    The room was very clean, and as Gu Qiaoqiao walked around, there wasn¡¯t much to tidy up, so she decided not to light the fire for heating the kang at noon and would do so when cooking in the evening.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put on a woolen coat and stepped out the door.


    After a walk-around in the front and back yard, seeing that the soil was indeed quite fertile, she recalled the vegetable seeds Lian Yuhong had given her and thought that in a few days, it would be good to plant some vegetables. It might not be possible to return for a while, and growing some vegetables was an excellent idea.


    After all, Shopping for vegetables was inconvenient here, as one would have to go to Mountain City.


    But there wasn¡¯t much to see at the moment, and just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to push the door to go back inside, she heard a woman¡¯s loud voice rise from next door, near the wooden fence, ¡°Are you Dr. Qin¡¯s wife?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked back.


    It was a woman around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, holding a child, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes.


    This was Zhang Yali, Engineer Mu¡¯s wife. She had a loud voice and seemingly straightforward personality, but she was fond of taking advantage and was also sharp-tongued.


    Memories of her past life during this period were something Gu Qiaoqiao always tried not to think about.


    So, some things had really faded from memory.


    But now, seeing that vague yet familiar face, a flood of memories came rushing back.


    This woman was a typical ingrate.


    The very embodiment of that saying, ¡®eat the food off someone¡¯s plate and then curse them afterward.¡¯


    Take advantage of your hospitality and then join the other families in badmouthing you behind your back.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao really didn¡¯t know where she had offended the woman in the past.


    But none of that mattered anymore.


    This time around, she wasn¡¯t going to be the fool she was in her past life concerning her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her lips in a smile, shallow yet distant, ¡°I am Qin Yize¡¯s wife, my name is Gu Qiaoqiao.¡±


    Zhang Yali was somewhat taken aback.


    Wasn¡¯t it said that Qin Yize¡¯s wife seemed to be a rural woman from the countryside, much like her?


    How could it be such a spirited and delicate young girl?


    Furthermore, she spoke with such clarity and poise that she seemed to have more presence than Li Ya from Jinling City next door.


    With her limited education, she couldn¡¯t articulate what she thought about the lovely girl standing tall and elegant in the sunlight.


    At that moment, with her older daughter tugging at her clothes and her younger daughter grasping her hair, Zhang Yali, accustomed to managing such a situation, suddenly looked very awkward.


    In her heart, Zhang Yali couldn¡¯t describe the mixed feelings she had. She opened her mouth and said dryly, ¡°I¡­ my name is Zhang Yali, I¡¯m Engineer Mu¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    Her voice inadvertently grew much quieter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled faintly, ¡°Sister-in-law Mu, I haven¡¯t been off the train for long. I¡¯m going back to rest in my room.¡±


    With that, she walked a few steps, opened the door, and entered the house.

 Chapter 130 03-25 - 130: In short, its really embarrassing for Doctor Qin

    Chapter 130: Chapter 130: In short, it¡¯s really embarrassing for Doctor Qin


    Zhang Yali finally came to her senses, glared fiercely at the Qin Family¡¯s door, and, looking annoyed, pulled her eldest daughter inside while carrying her younger one.


    Once Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her room, she pushed the thought of Zhang Yali to the back of her mind, searched the room again, but still could not find those stones.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped searching. She would know where the items were once Qin Yize returned.


    She closed her room door, took off her outer clothes, and lay down on the floral-sheeted kang, falling into a deep sleep within a few breaths.


    She did not know how long she had been asleep when she then heard a knocking sound.


    In her sleep, Gu Qiaoqiao was very displeased. The door was locked from the inside, and Qin Yize did not need to knock to enter.


    So she wondered who this could be.


    Not only was Gu Qiaoqiao unhappy, but she was also somewhat irritable, so she took the blanket and covered her head.


    Yet the knocking persisted relentlessly, vaguely accompanied by a voice calling ¡°sister-in-law.¡±


    It was Luh Fei.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly opened her eyes and then realized it was still bright outside.


    She checked her watch; it was just after three in the afternoon.


    The food wasn¡¯t even ready yet.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put on her outer clothes and hurried to open the door.


    And then she saw two women and a man standing outside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had thought she would never see Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong in her lifetime again.


    But unexpectedly, she had encountered them.


    The time and circumstances were not quite the same as in her previous life.


    But the way and place they met were almost the same.


    Qin Yize was not at home just like last time, at the same time, with Luh Fei helping to call at the door.


    What followed was unabashed scrutiny and disdain.


    Back then, after so many things had happened, she had left the Imperial Capital in disarray. Though slightly better here, the shadow lingered. Qin Yize was often not at home, which made her days unbearable, and Gu Qiaoqiao did not know what to do daily. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her personality also became more sensitive and uneasy, getting nervous when talking to people; after the nervousness, she would begin to stutter, which brought great delight and laughter to Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong.


    And when she was pouring water for them, due to her nerves, her hand shook, and she accidentally scalded Choo Lan¡¯s arm.


    After that, Zhu Xiaohong began yelling and quickly took Choo Lan to the base¡¯s medical room.


    Soon, rumors spread that Doctor Qin¡¯s wife was clumsy, not only stuttering when she spoke but also trembling so much that she could barely pour water without fearing a tremor.


    Timid and meek, lacking education, unsuitable for public appearance,


    In summary, she was truly an embarrassment to Doctor Qin.


    Later, through Zhang Yali¡¯s words, she learned that some people claimed she was jealous of Choo Lan¡¯s beauty and her being classmates with Qin Yize, so out of malice, she wanted to ruin Choo Lan¡¯s face.


    Luckily, Choo Lan dodged fast, or her face would have been grotesquely scarred.


    When Qin Yize returned later, this matter almost turned into a conspiracy.


    However, thereafter, it mysteriously disappeared.


    Nevertheless, Qin Yize was not very fond of how Gu Qiaoqiao handled the situation. After all, it was at the Qin family¡¯s home, and it was said to be quite severe.


    Logically, Gu Qiaoqiao should have gone and apologized and visited her.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao did not do any of that.


    She fell into a panic once more.


    Along with Zhang Yali¡¯s instigation, she developed a great resentment towards having Qin Yize buy pastries and canned fruits to visit Choo Lan.


    Just like a chain reaction, this led to one incident after another.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Choo Lan¡¯s beautiful face, she thought to herself, would she not give them even a sip of water this lifetime, or should she follow the trajectory of her past life and scald her again?

 Chapter 131 03-25 - 131: Too Bad, Didnt Get Scorched!

    Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Too Bad, Didn¡¯t Get Scorched! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could make a decision, Luh Fei quickly introduced, ¡°Sister-in-law, this is Doctor Choo Lan, who was a university classmate of Doctor Qin, and this is Zhu Xiaohong, a nurse from the medical office.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled the corners of her mouth, her clear eyes subtly shifting as a cool smile brushed across her face, courteously saying, ¡°Hello everyone.¡±


    Choo Lan¡¯s hands clenched tightly together.


    She had listened to Luh Fei just now, but she wouldn¡¯t believe it until she saw the person in question.


    A village girl, a bumpkin, uncouth, inexperienced, petty, timid, this was what Gu Qiaoqiao was supposed to be like.


    Not the girl with the faint smile in front of her.


    Her fair skin glowed softly under the sunlight.


    Her eyes seemed to carry an innocent smile, yet for some reason, they made people feel cold.


    Standing upright, neither humble nor arrogant, her ¡°hello¡± was not only clear and pleasant but also correctly pronounced with full articulation.


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of the heavy accent that Northern people had when they spoke.


    For a moment, Choo Lan found herself at a loss for words.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyebrows slightly rose as she asked gently, ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong came to her senses, and she had to admit, Qin Yize¡¯s wife seemed quite different from what they had imagined.


    No, not just different, very different!


    She bore no resemblance to the image they had described.


    Even though Choo Lan was very beautiful, her beauty seemed bland compared to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Zhu Xiaohong was self-aware; she too felt flustered when she saw Qin Yize, but she knew that in his eyes, these women did not exist.


    And she was simply not a match for him.


    This base here was one of the largest in New Nation, holding a third of the Qin Family¡¯s assets.


    He was also among the earliest to return from overseas studies with a Ph.D.


    In the whole New Nation, few others held dual Doctorate degrees like him.


    Not to mention, he was gracefully elegant with exceptionally good looks.


    So she had given up on that thought long ago.


    However, that didn¡¯t prevent her from wanting to ingratiate herself with Choo Lan.


    Today was supposed to be about giving Gu Qiaoqiao a warning.


    Therefore, they appeared at the Qin Family¡¯s place full of vigor and slightly arrogant.


    But this sprightly girl, it seemed, didn¡¯t even consider them worth her attention.


    Her expression didn¡¯t show much change.


    Even when she heard that Choo Lan was Qin Yize¡¯s classmate, not a single eyebrow twitched.


    This made Zhu Xiaohong feel uneasy.


    Then, hearing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s question, she came back to her senses and responded with a smile, ¡°We are fine, we just wanted to come see you, sister-in-law.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stepped aside, ¡°Then come on in, but this is mine and Ah Ze¡¯s new home, and we haven¡¯t quite settled in yet, as long as you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t mind at all,¡± Zhu Xiaohong quickly responded with a smile, then tugged at Choo Lan, ¡°As long as the sister-in-law doesn¡¯t mind us disturbing her.¡±


    ¡°To say you¡¯re disturbing me would be an overstatement,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile brimming in her eyes, ¡°I didn¡¯t rest much in the car either, and I had just fallen asleep after eating earlier. It¡¯s fortunate you came, or I might not know when I would have woken up.¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong felt awkward.


    Her foot, poised to step inside, halted there. What did Gu Qiaoqiao mean by that?


    Was she thanking them for waking her up, or was she reproaching them for doing so?


    It was perplexing.


    And Doctor Choo¡¯s ears were still echoing with the words of Gu Qiaoqiao: Ah Ze, and Ah Ze¡¯s new home.


    Ah Ze, she remembered Qinghuan calling him that.


    No matter how jealous she was, she had no right to call him Ah Ze.


    But the girl in front of her, calling him Ah Ze over and over, made her heart ache.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised, for Choo Lan had always been a very dominant woman, full of a sense of superiority. Why did she look so dispirited today?


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke again, ¡°Come in,¡± and then said to Luh Fei, ¡°I¡¯ve washed the lunch box and tea caddy, so you can take them back now. Don¡¯t bring dinner tonight; I have half of the lunch left, which I¡¯ll just have this evening.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Sister-in-Law, then I won¡¯t bring your dinner tonight,¡± said Luh Fei with a smile.


    These words broke the awkward silence, and everyone entered the room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong to go to the living room while she gave Luh Fei the lunch box. After she exchanged a few smiling words with him, he hurried off.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the insulated flask of hot water from the morning ¨C still very hot. The water could have scalded Choo Lan¡¯s skin off, possibly cooking her flesh.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    She put down the insulated flask, dismissing the thought.


    She wasn¡¯t worried that Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong would tarnish her reputation as they had in her past life; she was worried about being punished herself.


    That would be a loss not worth taking.


    Therefore, Gu Qiaoqiao came to the living room empty-handed, smiling, ¡°Luh Fei brought a flask of hot water this morning, but I¡¯ve used it all up, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    Choo Lan finally spoke, her eyes dark, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re not thirsty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said as she sat in a chair opposite them, seemingly relieved. ¡°I was worried you might blame me for not being a good hostess.¡±


    After saying this, she fell silent as if waiting for them to speak.


    The air stilled for a moment.


    Zhu Xiaohong hurried to smooth things over, ¡°Sister-in-Law, we just came to see how you¡¯re doing. You don¡¯t need to go out of your way for us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, then I thank you for your understanding,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied, her expression light.


    Choo Lan gazed intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, and after a few moments, she stood up, clenching her hands, and said slowly, ¡°Then we¡¯ll be leaving now, and we¡¯ll come to see you another time when we¡¯re free.¡±


    Huh?


    Leaving without doing anything? That wasn¡¯t Choo Lan¡¯s style.


    Could it be because she now seemed not as easy to bully as in her last life?


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled but did not respond. Since their first meeting went this way, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to spar with her in the future.


    ¡°Well, then I won¡¯t keep you any longer,¡± said Gu Qiaoqiao as she stood up, watching the two people with a beaming smile.


    Choo Lan¡¯s expression was poor, but she said nothing.


    Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s eyes darted around before she said, ¡°Sister-in-Law, do you not welcome us?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned, ¡°Zhu Xiaohong, you can¡¯t just say things like that. You and Ah Ze are colleagues, so naturally, if his colleagues come over, I am welcoming.¡±


    ¡°But just now¡­¡± Zhu Xiaohong feigned surprise.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed her impatience and said deliberately, ¡°Doctor Choo said she was leaving, so I said I wouldn¡¯t keep her. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that conversation, is there? Moreover, I would like to ask Nurse Zhu, we are only meeting for the first time, and as a guest, you¡¯re picking faults with your host out of thin air. Who gave you such audacity, or are you always so rude?¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong was stunned on the spot.


    She didn¡¯t expect Gu Qiaoqiao to retort so bluntly.


    Her face reddened.


    And with frustration as well.


    It was like a big goose with its neck squeezed, unable to make a sound.


    Choo Lan shot her a dark look, and Zhu Xiaohong finally realized that offending Gu Qiaoqiao was stupid, given the Qin Family¡¯s share in the base. She quickly said, ¡°Sister-in-Law, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I was just joking with you. Of course, I know that you would be welcoming us. We¡¯ll be leaving now. You should rest well.¡±


    With that, she and Choo Lan left the living room.


    As Choo Lan paused in her steps, she glanced at the closed bedroom door across from her. She imagined that must be Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedroom.

 Chapter 132 03-25 - 132 Qin Yize Returns

    Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Qin Yize Returns


    ¡°`


    The thought struck Choo Lan that she couldn¡¯t stay there any longer, and she hurriedly pushed open the door and headed out into the courtyard.


    Even breathing seemed difficult in this room.


    And this Gu Qiaoqiao was not a simple character by any means.


    Despite her young age, she had deep schemes.


    Standing at the doorway, Gu Qiaoqiao quietly watched the backs of the two as they left, thinking to herself that it was still a bit of a pity.


    Actually, being involved a bit wouldn¡¯t be too bad either.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the sky, estimating that no one else would come now, so she closed the main gate of the courtyard and carried the neatly chopped wood for burning from under the fence opposite into the house.


    Then she started to light a fire to heat the kang.


    The house had central heating, from a boiler room built by the base, which provided heat to everyone.


    However, the small kang still needed to be heated by oneself.


    When evening came, Qin Yize still had not returned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao locked the door with relief, arranged her belongings on the desk, but she felt somewhat tired today.


    After boiling a pot of water, Gu Qiaoqiao took a quick wash in the small restroom, changed into pajamas, and then began to dry her hair.


    Having tidied up, it was already nine o¡¯clock at night, Gu Qiaoqiao turned off the light and crawled into bed, soon falling into a drowsy sleep.


    She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept when a faint knocking seemed to reach her through the haze.


    Who could it be?


    So late at night?


    Gu Qiaoqiao drowsily pondered but was too lazy to move.


    Grumbling to herself, Gu Qiaoqiao turned over and continued to sleep.


    Afterward, the knocking sounded a few more times, then there was silence.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered¡ªit was Qin Yize who had come back.


    He hadn¡¯t come in because she had bolted the door from the inside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat up groggily, paused with her eyes still closed as if finally awakening, then hurriedly went to open the door.


    The moment she opened the door, Qin Yize had already turned, ready to leave.


    When he heard the door open, he instinctively turned around.


    The moonlight was extraordinarily clear tonight.


    Dressed in a beige cotton pajama, Gu Qiaoqiao stood in the doorway.


    As the door opened, the moonlight enveloped her at once.


    Her black hair cascaded down her back, slightly tousled from sleep, adding to the haziness in her eyes.


    Those clear eyes seemed to have a layer of mist over them.


    She looked so innocent yet inexplicably tempting.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze darkened, his Adam¡¯s apple moved, but he said nothing, remaining silent for a moment before stepping toward Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying a bag in his hand.


    He then entered the house.


    Closing the door behind him, the night¡¯s cool air was also quietly shut out.


    It seemed only at this moment did Gu Qiaoqiao fully awaken.


    Looking at Qin Yize, who seemed frosty, she clasped her hands together, biting her lip, yet not knowing how to start the conversation.


    Qin Yize¡¯s unfazed gaze swept over Gu Qiaoqiao, he casually turned on the light, then placed the bag he was holding in front of her, ¡°This is the kind of stone I was talking about.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes instantly widened.


    There was an indefinable surprise in them.


    In just a few minutes, the girl had changed her expression three times.


    Qin Yize raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t concern himself with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reaction and instead went to change into slippers.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes held nothing else. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She squatted down quickly, eagerly opened the bag and looked inside impatiently.


    A pile of rather ordinary-looking stones lay at the bottom of the bag.


    ¡°`


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out one.


    It was about the size of her fist, quite heavy, and had a somewhat pitted surface. When she turned it over, she saw an exposed area that was the color of amber.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at it against the light.


    She actually lacked knowledge in this area, and what little she knew came from her grandfather¡¯s mouth.


    Besides, she hadn¡¯t really paid attention, so her understanding was quite limited.


    A moment later, Gu Qiaoqiao stopped looking.


    Whatever was inside, she couldn¡¯t make out at all.


    However, when she stopped looking, the sensations in her hand became especially clear.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s fingers moved again, and then she set it down, proceeding to pick up the remaining stones one by one.


    Boundless joy surfaced in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    This was her first encounter with what they called ¡°Raw Stones,¡± but after touching them with her fingers, she clearly knew that there truly were gold nuggets and jade inside.


    The quality of the amber-colored jade wasn¡¯t very good, and it was quite dispersed, but it seemed to have some strange patterns.


    And the green jade, if polished well, would definitely be beautiful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know how they handled these Gold Jade Stones in her previous life.


    However, she figured that if there was no fine jade, they would probably just extract the gold nuggets.


    After all, gold was valuable.


    And this wasn¡¯t surprising, as rock gold is a type of gold ore, pretty much the same thing.


    Extracting gold nuggets was very normal.


    After mentally expressing her gratitude to the heavens, Gu Qiaoqiao carefully took all the stones out of the bag and placed them in a cardboard box.


    At this time, Qin Yize came over, toweling off his hair with an easy grace.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at the sound, and Qin Yize was gazing down at her from above.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up.


    It might have been an illusion, but he seemed to have lost some weight.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened with sincere gratitude, ¡°I really can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    Qin Yize curled his lips into a faint smile and casually asked, ¡°Are these stones of any use?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and nodded, her voice crisp, ¡°They are incredibly useful; I can carve many things with them, and besides, I¡¯ve never used this type of Jade Sculpture before.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he hummed softly, ¡°as long as they¡¯re useful.¡±


    With that, he went into the living room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurried to the kitchen, poured him a glass of water, and then, out of the blue, expressed her concern, ¡°Have you had dinner tonight?¡±


    It was already midnight, and coming back so late, he probably hadn¡¯t eaten.


    Qin Yize glanced at the time; it was too late for dinner indeed, but should he ask Gu Qiaoqiao to cook?


    He intended to nod and say he had eaten, but when the words came to his lips, he simply stated, ¡°Nevermind, let¡¯s eat together in the morning.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao heard this and realized he hadn¡¯t eaten.


    There was still some rice left, a few eggs in the cupboard. To fire up the stove and make fried rice would be quite quick.


    She said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you some egg fried rice.¡±


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, about to light the stove, and he spoke slowly, ¡°It¡¯s too late, let¡¯s eat together in the morning.¡±


    As he spoke, he slowly drank the water from the cup, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao standing there, and gently said, ¡°Go and rest.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t insist further, but she felt that this Qin Yize seemed a bit different from the one in her memories.


    Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her room.


    Qin Yize went to his own room as well.


    The house once again fell into silence and darkness.


    He lay on the small kang, turning his head to look at the whitewashed fireplace wall. On the other side of that wall, it was usually empty.


    But tonight, it housed a little woman.

 Chapter 133 03-25 - 133 His Style.

    Chapter 133: Chapter 133 His Style.


    Yet this was different from being at the Qin Family¡¯s or Gu Family¡¯s home¡ªhere in this house, it was only him and Gu Qiaoqiao.


    It was a wonderfully new experience.


    Qin Yize slowly closed his eyes, and somehow, with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arrival, the house seemed to have acquired a bit more of a lived-in feel.


    Before she fell asleep, Gu Qiaoqiao thought about getting up early the next day, but regrettably, she still overslept.


    When she opened her eyes, sunlight had already filled the room.


    The house was also quiet.


    Clearly, Qin Yize had already gone to the office at the base.


    Feeling that she had slept too deeply, Gu Qiaoqiao quickly got up.


    Then she saw two meal boxes placed on the living room table.


    Obviously, they were the meals Qin Yize had prepared.


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused, scratched her head, seeming to have returned to her previous life.


    This wasn¡¯t good.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around and saw the stones in the cardboard box, touching each one in turn.


    Only then she reluctantly put them back.


    After finishing breakfast, Gu Qiaoqiao happily looked at the stones again, then began to check them.


    She had to make something delicious for Qin Yize for lunch since he left a note saying he would come back to eat.


    In the kitchen cupboard, there were rice and wheat flour, millet and cornmeal, as well as soybean oil.


    In a corner of the kitchen, there was a bag of potatoes, several cabbages and leeks.


    There was nothing else.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had known what to expect and had brought her own spices and dried chili peppers in advance.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened the second shelf of the cupboard and happily discovered soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, yes, that was more like it, this was Qin Yize¡¯s style!


    He always strived for perfection in everything he did.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened the door and saw that an iron basin had been placed on the wooden stump by the door; inside it were several large fish and a group of small ones swimming slowly.


    Maybe because the water was too cold.


    Gu Qiaoqiao recognized these small fish as Sauce Small Fish, with few bones and plenty of meat, very tasty. They could be fried or made into Sauce Small Fish.


    The flavor of these small fish was exceptionally delicate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the iron basin and scooped out all the small fish, then set them on the windowsill.


    She needed to start cooking the rice.


    There was a very new, unused rice cooker in the kitchen.


    It must have been mailed here by Grandma Qin from the Imperial Capital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a bit dazed the moment she opened the rice cooker; it was as if she had returned to that time in her past life.


    This rice cooker was the same as the one from her last life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, dismissing those inexplicable emotions, change would start from this midday meal.


    In her previous life, Qin Yize always complained that her stir-fry was terrible, so whenever he was home, he did the cooking.


    Actually, after marrying Qin Yize in her last life, she had only lived a short time at the Imperial Capital Qin Family Old Residence.


    This place, on the contrary, was where she had spent the longest time.


    Gu Qiaoqiao efficiently washed the rice, then cooked it with hot water, which made the rice particularly delicious.


    After that, she got busy.


    She sliced the cabbages to stir-fry them later, cut the potatoes into fine threads, soaked them in water, and prepared to stir-fry a dish of spicy and sour potato threads.


    Add to that the Sauce Small Fish, the meat sauce and pickled vegetables she brought from home, topped off with an egg drop soup.


    It was indeed a very nice lunch.


    Gu Qiaoqiao rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, revealing her fair and delicate arms as she began to clean the small fish.


    After completing all the preparations, Qiaoqiao checked the time and knew that Qin Yize would be off work in an hour.


    She turned up the flame on the stove.


    Then she started making Sauce Small Fish.


    If only there was another wok spoon, she could stir-fry simultaneously, which would be faster.


    As Qiaoqiao smelled the fragrance of Sauce Small Fish, her mood lifted as well.


    She glanced at the pot and thought that stewing for another five minutes would let the flavor fully infuse.


    Taking advantage of this intermission, Qiaoqiao went back to the box and took out a stone, lifting it to observe it against the sunlight.


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart leaped with joy once more.


    The result of this exhilaration was Qiaoqiao happily twirling around the room with the Gold Jade Stone, singing as she spun, ¡°In that distant place, there is a good young girl¡­¡±


    The young girl¡¯s singing was melodious and pleasing to the ear like the sound of nature.


    At this moment, holding the Gold Jade Stone, she felt as if she had grasped a mountain of gold, and she continued singing, ¡°¡­her beautiful, captivating eyes, like the brilliant moon of the night¡­¡±


    However, as Qiaoqiao turned around, the elongated note on the word ¡°moon¡± and the following ¡°bright¡± abruptly halted.


    Her eyes seemed to stop blinking as well.


    This must be what they call being dumbstruck.


    Qin Yize was lazily leaning against the wall at the doorway, arms crossed, his eyes sparkling like stars and seemingly carrying a trace of a smile. It was unclear when he had returned, how long he had been watching, and how much he had heard.


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s cheeks blushed with lovely rosy hues, she bit her lip, holding the stone in her hand, and asked dryly, ¡°When¡­ when did you get back?¡±


    Qin Yize uncrossed his arms and walked over to Qiaoqiao in a leisurely manner, standing in front of her.


    At that moment, the corners of Qin Yize¡¯s mouth were lifted in a slight curve.


    His eyes were like the still waters of an autumn pond, and under the slightly hazy lighting, they seemed veiled in a mist, making it difficult to discern the emotions hidden beneath.


    However, there seemed to be a hint of regret.


    Yes, it was regrettable.


    The Qiaoqiao just then was like he had never seen before ¨C as light and beautiful as a mountain fairy, her singing voice like a heavenly melody.


    It was the first time he had heard her sing.


    And it turned out to be really pleasant.


    Just now, he had even held his breath for fear of startling Qiaoqiao, yet he never considered that he would end up being the one startled.


    Seeing her in such a daze, Qin Yize found his hand growing restless, tempted to reach out and pinch her tender, moist cheeks to see if they were as soft and delicate as he imagined.


    His gaze carried an emotion that no one could understand.


    Then, he really did reach out his hand, but not towards her cheek, instead aiming for the stone in Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand.


    He took it with ease and, looking down at Qiaoqiao, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ah, he¡¯s hungry¡­


    Qiaoqiao finally regained her composure and hurried into the kitchen, grateful that she hadn¡¯t added more fire; the fish was stewed just right.


    Qin Yize looked at the stone. Apart from the amber-colored area being pretty, the rest seemed quite ordinary.


    He didn¡¯t understand why Qiaoqiao would be so happy about it.


    But happiness is good, and the stone had indeed played its part.


    Then, unexpectedly, another small head peeked out from the kitchen door, blinking bright eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll stir-fry two more dishes, and then we can eat.¡±


    Qin Yize clenched the stone, feeling an inexplicable sense of pleasure in his heart.


    He put the stone back into the cardboard box and entered the kitchen, standing behind Qiaoqiao.


    Today, Qiaoqiao was wearing a beige sweater. He noticed that she liked wearing beige clothes.


    And this sweater was a trendy batwing top. As Qiaoqiao stir-fried, her body swayed along, appearing like the wings of a butterfly.


    Yes, her waist was very slim.


    Qin Yize silently took another look, estimating that his hands could encircle it.


    Could they?


    Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co

 Chapter 134 03-25 - 134 Her Small Actions

    Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Her Small Actions


    Qin Yize lowered his eyes to look at his hand.


    But as Gu Qiaoqiao sensed he was about to turn around and look back, she quickly walked to the stove, calmly opened the furnace door, and added a few sticks of firewood.


    Then she went to the bathroom.


    Cold and indifferent as usual, it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t care either; she began to stir-fry the shredded potatoes, which were somewhat spicy, so she busily opened a ventilation window above the kitchen counter.


    But Qin Yize liked spicy food.


    He practically couldn¡¯t enjoy a meal without it.


    So, his mother had put chili peppers in the meat sauce.


    Actually, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t like spicy food; she also disliked cilantro and celery, to the point of deep aversion.


    But that was all in the past.


    After spending several years in the back kitchen of Lijing Ho, she could now eat things she previously couldn¡¯t.


    Therefore, nothing in this world is unchangeable.


    Love is no exception!


    Gu Qiaoqiao cheerfully brought the cooked dishes into the living room and placed them on the table that served both as a desk and a dining table.


    Egg drop soup was placed in the middle, with stir-fried cabbage on one side and hot and sour shredded potatoes on the other; Sauce Small Fish were arranged in a white porcelain bowl.


    At that moment, Qin Yize came in carrying the rice cooker.


    Qin Yize was great in this respect, although a son of privilege, he never liked to sit back and act superior.


    Whenever he could lend a hand, he would never just watch.


    ¡°The taste of these willow root fish is really fresh and fragrant. I stewed them a bit longer, so you can eat them with the bones,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile.


    After serving rice for them both, Qin Yize sat down, glanced at the Sauce Small Fish, and asked seemingly casually, ¡°Do you recognize this fish?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    By all accounts, she wasn¡¯t supposed to recognize it.


    It was a type of cold-water fish unique to the North.


    When water erosion hollowed out the base of the willows by the river, the roots became like thatched cloaks, swaying gently with the current.


    That was where these fish loved to hide.


    So they were named after the willow roots.


    Moreover, in the North, there¡¯s a saying about ¡°three blooms, five nets, eighteen varieties, and seventy-two types of miscellaneous fish.¡±


    Among these eighteen varieties are the willow root fish.


    Its flavor is as delicious as the ¡°three blooms and five nets.¡±


    However, the Gu Family, despite living in the North, was in the southern part of the region, where this fish was nonexistent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and said offhandedly, ¡°I heard someone on the train talking about it. They said coming here and not having a taste of the small willow root was a wasted trip. And the small fish they described looked exactly like this one¡­¡±


    Qin Yize took a bite of rice and then picked up some Sauce Small Fish with his chopsticks, silently listening to the little woman across from him ramble on.


    She was unaware of a small gesture she made whenever she couldn¡¯t find a reason to make up something on the spot: first, she would rotate her eyes, then blink several times ¨C how many times depended on how many thoughts were swirling in her head.


    And finally, she would bite her red lip unconsciously, and her words would then drift out from those crimson lips.


    ¡°¡­ And, if it weren¡¯t for this kind of fish, knowing your character, you wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble of catching it, right?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao continued to blather on.


    Qin Yize listened quietly.


    His mood wasn¡¯t bad at all.


    These days, his meals truly hadn¡¯t been great, and recently, with a large workload, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lunch pleased him.


    So as for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s blathering, he turned a blind eye.


    After all, he had asked casually.


    He had no other intentions.


    There was plenty of time ahead, and he couldn¡¯t scare her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cooking skills were indeed great.


    The cabbage was crisp, and the shredded potatoes were sour and spicy; the previously bland and uninteresting potato and cabbage had been turned into delicious dishes by her.


    No wonder her mother had made a big pot of meat filling for Gu Qiaoqiao to season before she left.


    Unexpectedly, he found himself looking forward to future life with a tinge of anticipation.


    Seeing that Qin Yize wasn¡¯t speaking, Gu Qiaoqiao closed her mouth too, thinking to herself that she should still be careful in the future.


    It was better to play the fool and ask a few more questions than to let him see that she was actually very familiar with this place.


    Qin Yize preferred not to talk much while eating.


    So the house was very quiet, yet it was also very harmonious.


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows were always relaxed.


    Clearly, he was enjoying the meal.


    And it was to his taste.


    Aside from a little Sauce Small Fish left over, everything else had been eaten up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was delighted with Qin Yize¡¯s approval of her meal.


    After setting down his chopsticks, Qin Yize spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯ve called home.¡±


    Home?


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused for a moment before realizing that he must be referring to the Gu Family and the Qin Family.


    It was to inform them that she had arrived safely at the base.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded and asked, ¡°Is everything alright at home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s fine,¡± Qin Yize responded, then stood up, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m off to work now, thank you for your efforts.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head smilingly and then efficiently began to clean up.


    Qin Yize, dressed and standing at the door, gazed at the attractive figure in the kitchen, his eyes quietly softening. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he stepped out the door.


    After her nap, Gu Qiaoqiao came out to the yard and looked at the neglected front and back gardens, also glancing at the neighbor¡¯s home.


    It was similarly neglected.


    Zhang Yali was quite lazy, possibly because she had two children, or perhaps because she now felt she was a part of the base personnel and no longer a rural person who had to forage for food in the soil.


    So she let her yard grow wild.


    After all, food was still supplied, and the base¡¯s logistics department regularly provided some welfare to everyone. Moreover, due to the special climate here, some things would not even mature before the place was covered in snow.


    So, most people¡¯s vegetable gardens were abandoned.


    The community here, made up of a dozen or so households, was quite complex¡ªpeople from the north to the south, from cities and villages, giving a feeling of a gathering from all over the country.


    Of course, there were also a few families who grew scallions and Chinese cabbages when the weather warmed up.


    After all, this was a newly established residential area for families.


    Even if there were any plans, it had to be done step by step.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao had grown up in the countryside, apart from eating, she knew almost nothing about growing vegetables. Fortunately, before leaving, her uncle had given her a lesson, which Gu Qiaoqiao had noted down.


    And she didn¡¯t need to plant much; just for her and Qin Yize, planting too much would be wasteful since they couldn¡¯t eat it all.


    However, she could give some away.


    After all, very few were like Zhang Yali; most harbored goodwill towards Gu Qiaoqiao or actively sought to ingratiate themselves.


    She would take it slow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked around the vegetable garden; in a short while, she had dug up a small basin of Common Dandelion.


    She planned to stir-fry eggs with the Common Dandelion for dinner.


    Then she would turn the remaining rice into porridge and reheat the steamed buns left from the morning, along with the Sauce Small Fish, for a very nice dinner.


    Carrying the basin, Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the garden in front of her¡ªCommon Dandelion, bitter herbs, Mazi, and shepherd¡¯s purse. In about half a month, she estimated they would all have grown.


    Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co

 Chapter 135 03-25 - 135 He Really Knows How to Compliment People!

    Chapter 135: Chapter 135 He Really Knows How to Compliment People!


    In fact, she didn¡¯t need to plant too many vegetables, as these wild greens would last her a month.


    Of course, these wild greens were best when tender.


    Just then, Zhang Yali came out of the house with her child in her arms and saw Gu Qiaoqiao standing in the garden holding a basin, lost in thought. She really wanted to visit, but since Gu Qiaoqiao seldom came out, she didn¡¯t feel comfortable coming over uninvited.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao today still startled her, the young and beautiful girl was quite different from herself, a woman holding a child.


    The inclination to pick on Gu Qiaoqiao because she was young and naive had faded, but it still left her feeling uneasy.


    Why was that?


    Both from the countryside, why were you so much better than me?


    As she approached, she immediately noticed the Common Dandelions in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and burst out, ¡°Qin Family¡¯s daughter-in-law, are you out of food at home? Why eat Common Dandelions? Haven¡¯t you had enough of them since you were young?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Zhang Yali and suddenly realized she seemed quite old, not yet thirty but looking more like a woman in her thirties.


    Being from an ethnic minority, though there was a family planning policy, she was still permitted to have a second child.


    She had been hoping for a boy, but it turned out to be another girl.


    Thus, she often heard her scolding her first and second daughters.


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, ¡°Sister-in-law Mu, you¡¯re so funny. There are many things I¡¯ve eaten from childhood, but I¡¯ve never had enough of any of them. Besides, although Common Dandelion is a wild vegetable, it¡¯s also mentioned in ¡®Compendium of Materia Medica¡¯; it¡¯s a wild vegetable with high nutritional value and can clear heat and detoxify.¡±


    Before Zhang Yali could reply, Gu Qiaoqiao kindly continued, ¡°However, it shouldn¡¯t be eaten in large quantities by older people, as it¡¯s quite cooling.¡±


    The young girl¡¯s voice was not only crisp and pleasant but also carried a hint of coquetry, which caused Zhang Yali to freeze for a moment, unsure of what to say. Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words seemed to make a lot of sense, and Zhang Yali didn¡¯t know where to start to argue.


    ¡®Compendium of Materia Medica,¡¯ what¡¯s that?


    She hadn¡¯t had many years of schooling and genuinely didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Really, is this thing that good?¡± Zhang Yali asked, unconvinced.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, when Engineer Mu comes back, you can ask him,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suggested enthusiastically.


    Engineer Mu was her husband, once a sent-down youth of the Cultural Revolution who had settled down in Yali Village. After marrying Zhang Yali, he later took university entrance exams and got admitted to college.


    He was a good man who didn¡¯t divorce his wife just because he went to college.


    Once he arrived here, he even brought his wife and daughter with him.


    However, Zhang Yali, feeling inferior, often quarreled with Engineer Mu¡­


    Zhang Yali¡¯s face reddened. Her husband always disliked her lack of education and ambition, and if she were to ask him, she¡¯d likely earn a few more disparaging looks.


    She said dryly, ¡°I believe it, I¡¯ll dig some up myself later to eat with sauce.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched her looking embarrassed and awkward and couldn¡¯t help but slowly curl the corners of her lips. How did her past self get so completely fooled by such a woman?


    She nodded and yet reminded her, ¡°If you¡¯re giving it to the children, it¡¯s best to blanch it first, Sister-in-law.¡±


    After saying this, without waiting for Zhang Yali to respond, Gu Qiaoqiao carried the basin into the house.


    Zhang Yali stood motionless for a long while, then suddenly felt that indeed, she should try some of those wild greens herself.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s husband was from the Imperial Capital, and if he could eat it, there was nothing shameful about them eating it too.


    That evening, Qin Yize returned on time, and upon entering the house, he was greeted by the fragrance of rice porridge.


    His heart felt unexpectedly settled.


    After quietly finishing dinner, Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her own bedroom and opened her bag to find Wolf¡¯s Fang and the Sweet Osmanthus Tree, and before calling Qin Yize over, she saw him coming in with his hair halfway dry.


    Under the bright light, his features looked even more exquisite, as if even the strands of his hair were finely detailed.


    At that moment, he had changed into a set of black sleepwear, a character originally like an orchid in noble form, but now carrying with the clothes a hint of mystery and asceticism.


    There was an indescribable allure about him then.


    Especially when those eyes of his gazed intently at you.


    Even Gu Qiaoqiao, whose heart was usually calm, couldn¡¯t help but feel her heartbeat skip a beat.


    She was stunned for a moment, and suddenly forgot what she wanted to say.


    Qin Yize withdrew his gaze and looked at the object in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands, he asked indifferently, ¡°Is this the ¡®little bridge with flowing water and sweet osmanthus tree¡¯ you spoke of on the phone?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao then snapped back to reality, hurriedly handing the nucleus carving to him, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one. Didn¡¯t you want to see it? So I brought it.¡±


    Qin Yize let out a soft laugh, his handsome and cold features softened as he took the nucleus carving from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands, glanced briefly at Wolf¡¯s Fang without asking about it.


    Instead, he picked up the nucleus carving and admired it intently against the light.


    Although his main focus was on medical and biological research, he had delved into many fields.


    And his hobbies were varied.


    The world is so rich and colorful; life is short, and it¡¯s only right to live a bit recklessly.


    And he, once again, was amazed by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s work.


    This was the best carving he had seen up to this point.


    On a small walnut, a beautiful scroll was displayed before him.


    Under the sweet osmanthus tree, two ancient people in long robes were playing weiqi, with a boy fanning himself nearby, watching the game; in the distance, a stone arch bridge spanned over a quietly flowing stream.


    The characters were lifelike, with the furrowed brow of an elderly man deep in thought captured perfectly, while the sweet osmanthus blooms on the tree seemed to exude a faint fragrance.


    Qin Yize sincerely praised, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, your skills have improved again. I think this nucleus carving is the best I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t they say there¡¯s always someone better out there, and skies beyond our skies?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao feigned modesty for a moment. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curled up into a smile, his gaze settling meaningfully on the girl opposite with a slight smirk of triumph, ¡°Perhaps, you are that exceptional ¡®someone¡¯ others speak of, that ¡®beyond¡¯ they refer to!¡±


    Ah?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a rush of heat to her face and her heart skipped a beat.


    Is that even a way to compliment someone?


    He sure knew how to give compliments!


    Gu Qiaoqiao joyfully accepted the praise.


    After all, Qin Yize was known for his high standards.


    Feeling elated, she found it easier to talk, and naturally handed over the Wolf¡¯s Fang to Qin Yize, ¡°This is an amulet I carved for you. Take a look; if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t like, I can change it.¡±


    An amulet for him?


    Qin Yize was indeed surprised; Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s attitude and intentions toward him had completely transformed from the past.


    The hatred was less, the love gone, it was somewhat better than the relationship with a stranger.


    He really had not expected Gu Qiaoqiao to think of carving an amulet for him.


    And to use a Wolf¡¯s Fang no less.


    Qin Yize, without any hesitation, took the Wolf¡¯s Fang quickly, then inspected it carefully and seriously.


    The Wolf¡¯s Fang was something he liked very much; he had given it to Gu Qiaoqiao back then because he felt that in her hands, these few fangs could become works of art.


    Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co

 Chapter 136 - 136 I, like it a lot!

    Chapter 136: Chapter 136 I, like it a lot!


    It was far more valuable in his hands.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao had also played an indispensable role in escaping from the wolf¡¯s jaws.


    But how did this little girl master such astonishing carving skills?


    She had carved an eagle spreading its wings in flight on the Wolf¡¯s Fang. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even the feathers on the wings were clearly visible.


    It seemed as if, in the next moment, the eagle would really soar into the blue sky.


    In the bright light, the Wolf¡¯s Fang emitted a chillingly cold light, as if it could repel everything that dared to infringe upon its dignity.


    And what was most startling was that the eagle¡¯s eyes were red, and a hint of red seemed to add a killing aura to that chilling light.


    Qin Yize¡¯s fingertips rested on the eyes of the Divine Eagle, and he paused there motionlessly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know whether Qin Yize liked it or not, but she still hurriedly explained, ¡°The red on the eagle¡¯s eyes isn¡¯t dye, it¡¯s a drop of blood from my finger that wouldn¡¯t wash off. If you don¡¯t like it, I can carve another one for you.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s attention was instantly drawn, and he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s fingers and asked in a cold voice, ¡°Was it cut by the carving knife?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was the day my dad had an accident. Hearing what Aunt Wang said, I was so frightened that my hand trembled, and I cut my finger.¡±


    Qin Yize lowered his eyes, his expression inscrutable. After a few moments, Qin Yize slowly extended his hand and indisputably grasped Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s left hand.


    Holding it in his palm, he looked carefully, and only after seeing there were no scars did he frown and say, ¡°Be more careful in the future.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt her breathing seemed a bit labored.


    Having her hand held by him had happened before.


    But today, it was cradled in his palm.


    That feeling made Gu Qiaoqiao somewhat panicked, as if in an unknown corner deep in her heart, something she had desperately suppressed was about to burst forth.


    This realization made Gu Qiaoqiao panic. She suddenly withdrew her hand, took a step back, and asked dryly, ¡°You don¡¯t like it, do you? Then I¡¯ll carve another one for you.¡±


    The soft, somewhat cool little hand suddenly withdrew, leaving Qin Yize¡¯s palm empty. He quietly clenched it, then picked up the Wolf¡¯s Fang.


    Then, he slowly curled up the corners of his mouth toward Gu Qiaoqiao and smiled.


    This was the first time Gu Qiaoqiao had seen Qin Yize smile like this.


    How to describe it? Like ice-breaking spring waters, like morning clouds parting before the dawn, and also like the instant blooming of flowers throughout a garden¡­


    In this life and the past, it was the first time Qin Yize had shown such a smile to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    This kind of smile, warm like the sun melting ice, also carried a charm that touched one¡¯s soul.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt parched.


    Staring blankly at Qin Yize, it turned out that when he genuinely smiled, he looked so good.


    And Qin Yize, seeing such a dazed Gu Qiaoqiao, was obviously very pleased. He adjusted the string of the Wolf¡¯s Fang, then hung it around his neck and tucked it inside his shirt.


    At the moment it touched his skin, Qin Yize paused. His senses were always sharp, so that feeling, seemingly full of power and warmth, was definitely not an illusion.


    In that moment, it seemed as if he and the Wolf¡¯s Fang Amulet had been together for many years, a kind of heart-to-heart connection Qin Yize had never experienced before.


    His hand pressed against the Wolf¡¯s Fang at his heart, but then he suddenly remembered the drop of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s blood on the eagle¡¯s eye.


    Thus, another feeling arose spontaneously.


    His eyes misted with emotions that no one could understand, and in those eyes, it seemed as if stars were flowing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes landed on Qin Yize¡¯s chest, and a peculiar feeling arose in her heart.


    On that eagle¡¯s eye, there was a drop of her blood.


    And now it was pressed tightly against Qin Yize¡¯s chest.


    This realization made Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face flush.


    Red as the petals of peach blossoms in April.


    The already small bedroom seemed even more suffocating because of Qin Yize, because of this incident.


    And with every glance at Gu Qiaoqiao like this, Qin Yize¡¯s eyes softened even more.


    Seeing her bewildered and puzzled expression, how could he not find her adorable?


    He really wanted to reach out and ruffle the little girl¡¯s head.


    Would it feel as he had imagined?


    Thus, this time, Qin Yize¡¯s hand uncontrollably reached out, his slender palm landed on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head and gently ruffled it. Smiling, he said, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, the amulet you carved, I like it very much!¡±


    After speaking, he naturally withdrew his hand and quietly clenched it, seamlessly changing the topic, ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to the county town; we should buy some groceries, and the day after tomorrow is Saturday. I¡¯m planning to invite a few familiar colleagues over for dinner.¡±


    Ah, how did he switch from the amulet to shopping and hosting so suddenly?


    Seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t seemed to recover, Qin Yize spoke again, ¡°It¡¯ll be hard on you.¡±


    Finally coming to her senses, Gu Qiaoqiao blushed and hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was actually planning to buy some things too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Yize slowly withdrew his smile and returned to his usual aloof demeanor, ¡°You don¡¯t need to get up to cook tomorrow morning; I¡¯ll bring back breakfast, and we¡¯ll eat together.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded in response.


    Qin Yize gave Gu Qiaoqiao a deep look, then slipped his hands into the pockets of his pajamas and leisurely went to his own bedroom.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao heave a long sigh and sat stunned in the wooden chair, her heart in turmoil at that moment.


    Each encounter had drastically changed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s impression of Qin Yize.


    It turned out, there were so many things that she didn¡¯t know about,


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no more desire to carve.


    She lay in bed, completely sleepless.


    This time, Gu Qiaoqiao was truly disturbed by Qin Yize¡¯s actions.


    Things shouldn¡¯t have developed this way.


    Qin Yize should have always been cold and distant, not reaching out to ruffle her hair.


    Such an intimate gesture wasn¡¯t supposed to exist between the two of them.


    A possibility surfaced to her mind, but then Gu Qiaoqiao scornfully dismissed her own wishful thinking.


    Qin Yize¡¯s heart was made of stone.


    How could he possibly feel that way?


    If it were true, how could he, a virile young man, have returned to his bedroom so calmly, without even a hint of turbulence?


    He didn¡¯t even breathe erratically.


    Although she had never experienced that so-called love between men and women in either her past or present life, she still knew that it definitely wasn¡¯t supposed to be like Qin Yize¡¯s reaction.


    Therefore, such a possibility should not even be considered.


    With this thought, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s initially turbulent heart gradually calmed down.


    In this lifetime, there would be no future for her and Qin Yize.


    Once she found the enemy from her past life, she would completely set Qin Yize free.


    When the time comes, he would probably be very happy as well.


    And that time wouldn¡¯t be too long.


    Perhaps, it might not even take a year.


    With these thoughts, Gu Qiaoqiao stopped her wild imaginings.


    Because she still had many important things to do.

 Chapter 137 - 137 Run with Me

    Chapter 137: Chapter 137 Run with Me


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao attributed Qin Yize¡¯s actions today to his genuine liking of the Wolf¡¯s Fang Amulet.


    Honestly, that Wolf¡¯s Fang really suited him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closed her eyes and quickly shifted her thoughts, starting to plan what to buy in the town for tomorrow.


    In her previous life, there was no such thing as hosting guests, which could have been related to neither of them knowing how to cook.


    Or perhaps it was related to her mood at the time.


    In any case, she had never hosted guests before.


    In this life, since Qin Yize had this intention, it was indeed necessary to plan properly.


    After all, it was the custom here that family members would host guests when they visited.


    That¡¯s just how it is with our people; many times, relationships are fostered through eating and drinking together.


    With potatoes and cabbages in the house and wild vegetables in the garden, actually, just by buying some more meat, a variety of dishes could be made.


    Moreover, people nowadays don¡¯t have that much grease in their bellies, who doesn¡¯t like to eat meat?


    As she thought, Gu Qiaoqiao drifted off into a sleepy haze.


    And Qin Yize, lying next door, felt his palm still carried the unique fragrance that belonged to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Over his chest, the Wolf¡¯s Fang Amulet lay quietly there.


    It was a sensation both cool and warm.


    Very comfortable.


    Suddenly, he remembered the moment he smiled at her, that instant of dazedness on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face.


    In his memory, such sincere smiles from him were not common.


    And it was the first time that instead of feeling annoyed by a girl¡¯s dazed gaze, deep in his heart, he felt a hint of pleasure.


    It was also the first time that Qin Yize felt having a little woman by his side was actually quite nice.


    Of course, the precondition was that the person was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize knew his feelings had changed at some moment; perhaps it was her focused expression when she was carving, the ruthlessness she displayed against the traffickers, her helpless demeanor, or maybe it was her accurate and sharp actions when facing the wild wolf.


    He couldn¡¯t be sure which one it was, and since he couldn¡¯t be certain, he couldn¡¯t let Gu Qiaoqiao fly alone outside.


    Therefore, she had to come back, back to his side, so he could figure out what exactly had changed inside him.


    And now, she had come back, not only cooking for him but also carving an amulet for him.


    He really liked it.


    Liked the amulet, liked the food she cooked.


    He also liked listening to her occasional nonsense.


    At this moment, Qin Yize felt a long-frozen place in his heart seemed to be silently melting.


    And he was not resistant to this feeling.


    The moonlight was like water, gentle yet domineering, encompassing the earth and sky.


    If one listened carefully, they could hear the sound of the river¡¯s flow.


    The nights in Border City were cold, but with a hidden warmth.


    Despite the long night, dawn would always arrive as promised.


    Gu Qiaoqiao woke up very early, but due to the geographical location, it was already bright outside.


    It was just after five in the morning, and it seemed like the sun was about to come up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao dressed and stepped out of the bedroom, thinking Qin Yize was still asleep, only to find him about to leave the house.


    And in that moment of eye contact, it seemed as if something had changed a little.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly avoided Qin Yize¡¯s gaze,


    while Qin Yize¡¯s cold brows and eyes shifted slightly, but he did not look away. After a few breaths, he spoke lightly, ¡°You¡¯re up early today.¡±


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could reply, Qin Yize continued, ¡°Come run with me.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned, hastily shaking her head, ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡±


    Who goes running early in the morning?


    She definitely didn¡¯t want to.


    With that time, she¡¯d rather go back to the bedroom and catch up on some sleep.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao declined very decisively.


    Without leaving any room for negotiation.


    Qin Yize gave a disdainful glance at this lazy girl, who didn¡¯t like to exercise at all¡ªa very bad habit.


    This age was precisely the time for growing her body.


    Suddenly, Qin Yize felt a sense of responsibility.


    It was a very warm sense of responsibility.


    He really wanted to just pull Gu Qiaoqiao out of the door and go jogging, but he knew it was impractical; this girl could be incredibly stubborn.


    If she really didn¡¯t want to go, was he supposed to carry her on his back and go jogging?


    Thinking of that scene, the corners of Qin Yize¡¯s mouth slightly curled up, and a dim light flickered through his starry eyes. He casually asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You really won¡¯t go?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with finality.


    To demonstrate her resolve, Gu Qiaoqiao turned to enter the bedroom.


    Qin Yize spoke slowly and deliberately, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go check out the place with the stones? If we jog there, it will take about ten minutes¡­¡±


    With a languid tone and an indifferent expression, Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize with complicated eyes.


    Then, without hesitation or consideration, she went to put on her shoes, thinking resentfully as she did so that aside from this, Qin Yize shouldn¡¯t have any other bones to offer her.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows twitched subtly, and a shallow smile crossed the depths of his eyes. Afterward, he led a dressed and shoed Gu Qiaoqiao out the door.


    The base was originally built beside Da Jiang, but Dongjiang was a controlled area, and no one was allowed to enter without an escort.


    That was the reason why those stones had remained unscathed in her past life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had always been concerned about the remaining stones.


    However, she knew that Da Jiang had just thawed not long ago, and unlike the low water levels in September, the water was at its highest level at this time, and the river water was still very cold, so going into the water wasn¡¯t practical.


    But when summer came, she was definitely going to retrieve those leftover stones.


    And if she could get an early look now, that would be very good too.


    She just had never thought of using jogging as a means to get there.


    However, as she jogged, Gu Qiaoqiao realized the morning air was indeed extraordinarily fresh.


    Considering that this lazy girl was jogging for the first time, Qin Yize kept a slow pace, and he found that jogging with Gu Qiaoqiao seemed to be more interesting than running alone.


    He thought, as long as he was at home, he¡¯d have to find a way to get her out. But what excuse should he use tomorrow? He really needed to give that some thought.


    Without realizing it, they had reached the embankment of Dongjiang.


    Beneath them was a beach covered in pebbles.


    Not far away was the rolling river water, which even in the tranquil early morning, made quite a startling roar.


    The river water surged ceaselessly, unknown where it came from and where it was heading.


    And standing by the river, one could feel as insignificant as those pebbles.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sincerely said, ¡°The riverside is really nice. After breathing in the air here, it feels like all worries are gone.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize simply smiled without saying a word.


    Then he stretched his long, strong body and said to Gu Qiaoqiao, who seemed still captivated by the place, ¡°You should start jogging every day from tomorrow on.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t outright refuse this time, but she said with a pained expression, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t be able to get up.¡±


    This lazy girl.


    Just knew that without motivation it wouldn¡¯t work.


    But the motivation in front of her had already been used; what should he use next?


    Qin Yize was somewhat troubled.


    In his mind, he wished Gu Qiaoqiao were one of his security team members back home.


    He¡¯d just need to throw them a sharp look, and everything would be settled.

 Chapter 138 - 138: Ill Bring You Here Again Tomorrow

    Chapter 138: Chapter 138: I¡¯ll Bring You Here Again Tomorrow


    After her moment of enchantment, Gu Qiaoqiao asked Qin Yize, who was a few steps away, ¡°Where was the place where the stones were found?¡±


    Qin Yize led Gu Qiaoqiao down the steps of the dike to the nearby river water.


    The stones here were very clean, as no one came here, and there was no garbage.


    Soon, they reached the place where the stones were found.


    Qin Yize pointed to the sandy beach a step away, ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked closely, but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything different, and not far from there was the river water.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to have a closer look. It was said to be in the shallow waters nearby, and she wondered if it could be seen.


    However, she didn¡¯t expect Qin Yize to grab her by the arm, his brow furrowing, ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous ahead, you can¡¯t go.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked her eyes.


    Being closer, the sound of the rushing river water grew louder. It was said that many people felt fear upon seeing such deep water.


    And strangely, at the same time as the fear, there was also an impulse to jump in.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao was not afraid, because her liberation and rebirth were caused by such deep water.


    She even felt grateful towards the water.


    Unfortunately, such feelings had to be forever suppressed deep within her heart.


    She turned back with a smile, obediently stepping back two steps, and said to Qin Yize, ¡°Do you think there could still be stones under the water?¡±


    Qin Yize thought momentarily, responding indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, we can check it out when the water level goes down in the summer.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked excitedly.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go by myself, you know I¡¯m a good swimmer,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao bragged proudly.


    And actually, what she wanted most was to go down and see for herself what good things were there.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Okay.¡±


    This girl was a decent swimmer, and besides, there would be no danger if he was with her when they went down.


    So he happily agreed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then stopped talking to Qin Yize and squatted down to search for interesting stones.


    With her skill, she could completely turn these into attractive objects.


    Qin Yize noticed that she was picking stones that were semi-transparent, brightly colored, or uniquely shaped.


    And to tell the truth, one or two placed by the river looked quite ordinary.


    But strangely, when dozens of small stones were grouped together, they looked extremely beautiful.


    They resembled rain flower stones.


    Checking the time, Qin Yize said to Gu Qiaoqiao, who was still searching for stones, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her watch, it seemed like it was time for dinner, so she stopped picking. She would be staying here for a while and would have plenty of opportunities later.


    Seeing her reluctant expression, Qin Yize spoke again, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back here tomorrow.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about it and shook her head, ¡°I plan to sleep in tomorrow.¡±


    Qin Yize chuckled softly.


    He knew she would respond like that.


    He didn¡¯t insist further and watched as Gu Qiaoqiao packed the stones before leading her away from the riverbank.


    Together, they ran towards the base.


    By this time, there were more people around.


    They ran into several of Qin Yize¡¯s colleagues on the road, and Qin Yize introduced them. Gu Qiaoqiao knew a few of them, though it was the first time she had met them in this life.


    One of them was Engineer Zheng, who worked closely with Qin Yize and was said to be a chemist.


    With him was Engineer Qian, who was responsible for the environment.


    After confirming the dinner time for Saturday, Qin Yize led Gu Qiaoqiao towards the cafeteria at the base.


    While Engineer Zheng watched Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figures disappearing, he turned to Engineer Qian dubiously and said, ¡°How old do you think Qin Yize¡¯s wife really is?¡±


    ¡°How would I know how old she is?¡± He glanced at Ludong next to him, ¡°You¡¯re closer to him, why are you asking me this?¡±


    ¡°They say she is of age, but why does she look like a middle school student to me? How did Qin Yize even get a marriage license with her?¡± Engineer Zheng expressed his confusion.


    ¡°Haha.¡± Engineer Qian laughed heartily, ¡°If he heard that, I think you would get beaten up.¡±


    ¡°I am just praising his wife for looking young.¡± Engineer Zheng slapped Engineer Qian, ¡°The project you¡¯re responsible for is stuck at a crucial point. If it¡¯s not resolved, we can¡¯t proceed here. I think you better focus on that.¡±


    With that, he left cheerfully.


    Engineer Qian coughed a few times, also knowing that with Qin Yize joining them this year, their research base had to produce real results or they wouldn¡¯t pass the review.


    Thus, he stopped pondering over Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s age and strode energetically after Engineer Zheng, hoping to get some information out of the man from Ludong.


    Even a little bit would be good.


    At this moment, it was 6:30 in the morning.


    The daylight saving time had started being implemented this year.


    According to the time, it should only be 5:30.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t go to the cafeteria; instead, she waited outside and soon, Qin Yize came out with a few lunch boxes.


    Seeing the staff in engineering suits or lab coats coming and going, Gu Qiaoqiao whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t come in the future, I¡¯ll cook for you.¡±


    In her past life, she ate for a long time in the base¡¯s cafeteria and didn¡¯t even feel embarrassed, even thinking it somewhat natural.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but this life felt somewhat inappropriate.


    Could it really be that she thought more because she was older?


    When Qin Yize heard her first sentence, he didn¡¯t pay much attention; Gu Qiaoqiao was a new family member at the base, lacking many household items.


    Coming here to eat raised no objections.


    However, after hearing her next sentence, Qin Yize was touched, a stream of warmth flowing through his heart.


    He smirked, nodded, and said solemnly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, without further delay, he took Gu Qiaoqiao back home.


    They finished their meal quickly; Gu Qiaoqiao took out an empty travel bag, ready to go grocery shopping when the car arrived.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize informed Gu Qiaoqiao about the town¡¯s situation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao listened attentively, very cooperatively.


    She had visited many times in her past life.


    Because next year, the Yellow Sand Road leading to the town would be fixed.


    The distance shortened, even by bicycle it would only take half an hour¡¯s time.


    Called a town because it had many forestry bureaus under its administration, and also many military bases stationed there, it had been upgraded to a town five years ago.


    Yet in reality, it wasn¡¯t very large; from east to west, from south to north.


    It was a very small place.


    This here was different from Stone Town because, aside from the Da Jiang, there was only the vast, boundless forest.


    So, this place was all forestry bureau workers.


    All the grains and vegetables had to be transported by train from other regions.


    And at this time, the local economy was just starting to develop.


    Buying some things was not as convenient as it would be a few years later.


    Seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao had more or less understood, Qin Yize stopped talking.


    Then he went outside to start chopping firewood.


    When lighting a fire, large chunks wouldn¡¯t catch fire.


    It needed to be split finer.


    This was the simple yet somewhat tough life at the base.


    However, the mood this life was completely different.

 Chapter 139 - 139: Treating Her Like a Weeble

    Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Treating Her Like a Weeble


    Gu Qiaoqiao figured it out, she would keep in touch with the nice relatives and keep her distance from the bad ones.


    After all, she hadn¡¯t planned to seclude herself.


    And not associate with others.


    But, she wouldn¡¯t experience the embarrassments of her past life anymore either.


    Just like the things that happened to her in the Imperial Capital this lifetime, the outcomes had all been what she wanted.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered something she had forgotten to tell Qin Yize¡ªabout Choo Lan coming to see her.


    So, Gu Qiaoqiao walked out the door.


    At that moment, Qin Yize was sitting on a stool, relaxed and composed, accurately splitting log after log with an axe.


    The scene really didn¡¯t fit his refined appearance at all.


    Yet he did it with such ease and harmony.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wickedly thought to herself, if Mother Qin were to find out her son was doing such chores, would she cry?


    She squatted down, tidied up the firewood that had been chopped, and then said to Qin Yize, ¡°The day before yesterday, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong came by, said they wanted to see me.¡±


    Qin Yize continued his work methodically, but he lifted his eyes to glance at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He asked, ¡°Did they see you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, ¡°Of course they did.¡±


    Qin Yize put down the axe and looked askance at Gu Qiaoqiao, calmly asking, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Just letting you know, that Choo Lan said she was your classmate, and mentioned she¡¯d come to hang out with me when she has time.¡±


    ¡°Tell the truth.¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice was soft, but it suddenly carried a hint of pressure.


    A frown creased his brow imperceptibly.


    He wasn¡¯t fond of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s probing attitude.


    He knew all too well what she wanted to say.


    So, he preferred that if Gu Qiaoqiao had any doubts, she would just ask him directly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shrank back a little; Qin Yize could be quite chilling when he put on a cold face.


    However, since he wanted the truth, she would give him the truth.


    ¡°Choo Lan likes you, she¡¯s here for you, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°And what about Zhu Xiaohong?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly.


    ¡°Her?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, the only one I¡¯m certain of is Choo Lan.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I need to be on guard, and let me tell you, if she dares to mess with me, I won¡¯t let her off, I don¡¯t care whether she¡¯s your colleague, your classmate!¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a somewhat playful yet serious look.


    ¡°Why be on guard?¡± Qin Yize asked calmly.


    ¡°Because I will be utterly vigilant towards all your admirers.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said earnestly, her small face taut.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze softened gradually, those words apparently pleasing him. His thin lips curled into a nice arc as he looked at the little girl squatting opposite him, her brows knit seriously, and a spark of playful light flitted through his eyes.


    Then, he reached out his hand again.


    But this time he used his index finger to tap Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s smooth forehead, pressing down slightly.


    The unprepared Gu Qiaoqiao fell to the ground.


    Afterward, Qin Yize stood up, looming above the dumbstruck Gu Qiaoqiao with a hint of mirth in his voice, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Having said that, he no longer paid attention to Gu Qiaoqiao, who was glaring at him indignantly, and instead strode towards the yard¡¯s main gate.


    At the doorway, he took a glance at the road outside, then looked back at Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°The car has arrived.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao continued to glare, indignant. Did he think she was a punching bag?


    Humph!


    So juvenile!


    What Qin Yize, what Doctor Qin, might as well call him Qin Juvenile instead.


    But the car really did arrive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hastily sat up from the ground, rubbed her bottom, and saw Qin Yize was already inside the car; she quickly went into the house to grab her travel bag and locked both the house and the courtyard doors.


    Then she too got into the car. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The driver was Luh Fei; Gu Qiaoqiao greeted him with a smile.


    However, Qin Yize reverted to his usual cold demeanor as if he had not been the one who pushed her down with his finger just moments earlier, but rather it was her own illusion.


    Unexpectedly, Luh Fei was also quite reserved, utterly unlike his usual chatterbox self when alone with her.


    And so, they entered the small Border City in silence.


    Nothing had changed, it was pretty much as she remembered.


    Because it was small, all the shopping places were together.


    This was also the center of the county town.


    It was the state-owned grocery store.


    Additionally, there were several new restaurants that had opened nearby, and with it being close to noon, they seemed to be doing quite well.


    After all, the resources here were extremely abundant, so those who were known as the timber regulars all gathered here, then shipped out the local timber, earning a substantial margin.


    Therefore, these people were very wealthy.


    Consequently, the restaurants sprang up due to demand.


    So, even the grocery store had a wider variety of bargaining meats and vegetables.


    And today, coincidentally, was the day they got pork.


    Soon enough, some vegetables filled up the bag Gu Qiaoqiao brought.


    Inside it were also daylilies, wood ear mushrooms, and dried shiitake mushrooms.


    In addition, Gu Qiaoqiao bought thirty pounds of pork. Of course, the guests couldn¡¯t eat all of this, and the house didn¡¯t have a refrigerator. However, it could be made into salted and sauce-coated meat, and adding a few slices to stir-fries would be delicious.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao specially bought a big bag of coarse salt.


    Having purchased everything they needed, Qin Yize, who had been silent by her side, easily picked up the bags, and Luh Fei also carried the large piece of pork out of the grocery store.


    It was almost noon. Qin Yize and Luh Fei had some matters to attend to at the local government offices; Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to follow them.


    Qin Yize thought for a moment, then agreed to her request, telling Gu Qiaoqiao to wait for them at the grocery store entrance, as they would be back in about fifteen minutes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao readily agreed.


    This jeep may look impressive, but riding in it was extremely bumpy.


    Unless it drove as slowly as an old bullock cart, it would be a bit better.


    She didn¡¯t like riding in it one bit.


    Hence, she had bought almost a month¡¯s worth of supplies.


    If she could stay longer, she wanted to buy a bicycle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the low wooden railing next to the steps, observing the passing crowd while lost in her thoughts.


    It was at that moment that she heard a commotion of children¡¯s voices from her left.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head curiously.


    And then she saw, a few tens of meters away, three children were grabbing something from an elderly lady.


    These rowdy kids.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t stand by and watch; she hurriedly got up and walked toward them.


    But unexpectedly, just as she was halfway there, a brick flew out of nowhere and hit the elderly lady squarely on the forehead.


    Instantly, blood began to flow.


    Yet the elderly lady, head bowed, seemed not to recognize what had happened and kept clutching the item in her embrace tightly.


    The few children, seeing blood on the elderly lady¡¯s forehead, were startled, one older child pulling the others shouted, ¡°Run, if Zhao Esha finds out, we¡¯ll be beaten to death.¡±


    ¡°Wuwu, but she took my wooden figurine, my daddy carved it for me, wuwu¡­¡±


    A younger child sobbed as he spoke.

 Chapter 140 - 140 I...... know...... you

    Chapter 140: Chapter 140 I¡­¡­ know¡­¡­ you


    By this time, Gu Qiaoqiao had also walked up, shoving away the child who was trying to snatch the wooden figure tightly guarded in the old woman¡¯s hands, and asked with a frown, ¡°Who hit you?¡±


    All three children shook their heads together.


    Then the older one pointed behind them, ¡°He threw it, he did it to save us. This old lady is a crazy old woman, she not only steals things, but when she goes crazy, she bites people.¡±


    Following his gesture, Gu Qiaoqiao indeed saw a seven- or eight-year-old boy standing dumbly under the wall, clearly also not expecting that he had actually injured the crazy old woman.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped looking at the children and quickly picked up a handkerchief to press against the forehead, which was still bleeding.


    As for the old lady, with her head bowed, she suddenly lifted it, her murky eyes looking rather dull.


    This was a grandmother in her seventies; her hair had turned white, and her frame was quite thin.


    Her hand, still clutched the wooden object firmly, obviously the wooden figure the child had mentioned.


    When she saw Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s movement, she instinctively shrank back, then dodged and looked at Gu Qiaoqiao warily.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said softly, ¡°Grandma, your forehead is bleeding. Let me stop the bleeding, don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Yet the old lady still did not utter a word, but her look at Gu Qiaoqiao slowly changed.


    She began to squint her eyes, examining Gu Qiaoqiao closely, and all of a sudden, she slowly, with difficulty, began to speak, ¡°I¡­ recognize¡­ you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, then laughed, going along with the old lady¡¯s words, ¡°Yes, you recognize me.¡±


    But suddenly, a boy nearby shouted loudly, ¡°The crazy woman is speaking, turns out she¡¯s not mute.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t call her crazy woman again.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao rebuked, displeased.


    Yet a pang of sorrow suddenly arose in her heart. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In her past life, she had been called by many such names.


    A mist began to well up in her eyes, and she said softly, ¡°Grandma, let me stop the bleeding for you, don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    As she said this, she pressed the handkerchief against the old lady¡¯s forehead once more, while the children, seemingly realizing their fear, paid no heed to the wooden figure and scattered in all directions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked around to see that no one was there, and then stealthily placed her finger tips on the handkerchief.


    A bit of spiritual energy was transferred into it.


    The old woman still gazed steadfastly at Gu Qiaoqiao, as if she couldn¡¯t bear to blink.


    Soon, the bleeding stopped, and the wound began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    Gu Qiaoqiao let out a sigh of relief, but the remaining spiritual energy quietly entered the old lady¡¯s head through the scar.


    It seemed as though something was battering at those ironclad walls.


    The old lady¡¯s head began to ache, but she still stared intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, her hands holding onto the wooden figure just as tightly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao removed her hand, leaving only a faint bruise on the forehead, intentionally left behind by her.


    She sighed with relief but hadn¡¯t expected that the old lady¡¯s injury was actually quite serious, as there seemed to be a hematoma in her head.


    And that blow just now might have made it worse.


    As for this little town, Gu Qiaoqiao was not very familiar with it, let alone the people here.


    Therefore, when the old lady said she recognized her, she must have been confused.


    The children ran off too quickly; she forgot to ask where the old lady¡¯s home was.


    However, seeing the old lady¡¯s meticulously combed hair and clothes that, though worn, were very clean, it was clear that she must be well-cared for.


    And that person was the one referred to by the children as Zhao Esha.


    They could only wait for Qin Yize to come.


    Nevertheless, being stared at by an old lady like this, Gu Qiaoqiao still felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    She also knew that the old woman¡¯s mind must have been muddled.


    Still, she asked gently, ¡°Granny, do you really recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Recognize¡­¡± the old woman struggled to speak.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and didn¡¯t take it to heart. Instead, she looked at the rough wooden doll in the old lady¡¯s hand and, making conversation, asked, ¡°Granny, do you like this wooden doll?¡±


    ¡°My¡­ child¡¯s¡­¡± the old woman struggled to utter a few more words.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t ask any further questions.


    This old person must have had dementia.


    Just at that moment, the loud voice of a woman rang out at the street corner, ¡°Mother, mother¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this voice, the old woman, who had been staring at Gu Qiaoqiao, moved her eyes and lips slightly, laboriously turning her neck.


    Then, Gu Qiaoqiao saw a woman in her fifties hurrying toward them.


    As she came closer, Gu Qiaoqiao noticed she was quite tall, with short hair, an ordinary face, and crow¡¯s feet around her eyes. Yet, she exuded a certain spirited energy.


    In a few strides, she reached the old woman, looked her up and down, then turned to Gu Qiaoqiao and asked, ¡°Did those naughty children hit her?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected this person to be so sensible and quickly replied, ¡°It was one child, but he ran away when I got here.¡±


    The middle-aged woman sighed gently and tenderly began to pry the old woman¡¯s hands apart, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t snatch wooden dolls from children in the future, otherwise, won¡¯t we end up getting hit for nothing?¡±


    The old woman did not struggle with the middle-aged woman, letting her take the wooden doll and put it aside.


    But then she suddenly pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao and said with difficulty to the middle-aged woman, ¡°Girl¡­girl, I¡­ recognize¡­ her.¡±


    The middle-aged woman was stunned for a moment.


    Then she hugged the old woman tightly and started sobbing, ¡°Oh Mother, you finally remember who I am¡­¡±


    The crying of someone so elderly was particularly heart-wrenching.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not say anything but watched silently.


    ¡°Miss, thank you. It must have been you who helped my mother, thank you,¡± she said.


    ¡°No need to thank me, no need,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao quickly waved her hand.


    And just at that moment, the sound of a car¡¯s horn came from afar.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up to see Qin Yize sitting in a jeep on the opposite side of the road, looking over calmly.


    She hurriedly said to the middle-aged woman, ¡°You should take your mother home quickly, I have to go too.¡±


    ¡°Young lady, thank you,¡± the middle-aged woman kept thanking her.


    But that aged voice kept breaking in behind Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Recognize¡­ her, girl¡­girl¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned back for a glance, the old woman stood up with the support of the middle-aged woman, but still kept watching her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got into the car and soon lost sight of the mother and daughter.


    This was nothing more than a small episode; upon returning home, Gu Qiaoqiao began to busy herself.


    Even though it was two days until Saturday, many foods needed preliminary processing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao started making soy-marinated pork.


    The homemade soy paste she brought from home was personally brewed by Lian Yuhong, and it was particularly fragrant.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had brought two full jars of it.


    Living in the North, one could not do without soy paste no matter what.


    It had many uses indeed.

 Chapter 141 - 141: Uninvited

    Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Uninvited S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the smell of that stewed meat was truly fragrant.


    It drew the eldest daughter from the Zhang Yali family next door, who clung to the cracks in the wooden fence, eagerly watching the Qin Family¡¯s courtyard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao actually didn¡¯t want to give it to them, it wasn¡¯t that she was reluctant to part with the meat, but because Zhang Yali was such a person that no matter what you gave her, it never ended well.


    Yet that child¡¯s gaze was pitifully compelling.


    Although the circumstances had improved slightly from a few years prior, Engineer Mu¡¯s family was burdened with supporting both parents and sending four younger siblings to school.


    One could imagine, even with a decent salary, there wasn¡¯t much left at the end of the month.


    And Zhang Yali had no job, with two children at home, they lived a tight life.


    Thus, in her past life, when Zhang Yali got her hands on Gu Qiaoqiao, this naive bird, she really didn¡¯t let go.


    But that woman was ungrateful.


    A classic ingrate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao really didn¡¯t want to bother with her.


    Still, in the end, Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the wooden fence between the two houses, holding a bowl of meat, calling out to Zhang Yali.


    It seemed she had been waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    No sooner had she called out than Zhang Yali came out through the door.


    Zhang Yali greeted Gu Qiaoqiao with a beaming smile, ¡°Big sister, what do you need?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat speechless.


    But she still managed a smile, ¡°Sister-in-law Mu, I¡¯ve just stewed some meat, let the child have a bowl to taste.¡±


    Zhang Yali¡¯s hand shot out swiftly to grab the bowl of meat, even as she said, ¡°Oh, how embarrassing this is.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao just smiled without saying a word.


    She certainly didn¡¯t say it was nothing.


    No one¡¯s money comes from the wind, and meat doesn¡¯t grow from the ground.


    And what Zhang Yali was good at, was acting innocent after taking advantage.


    As if eating your food was an honor for you, and a favor to you.


    Zhang Yali didn¡¯t get the response she hoped for and could only smile sheepishly, ¡°Thank you, big sister.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said before adding, ¡°I have to get busy now¡­¡±


    After speaking, Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and turned to enter the house.


    Zhang Yali looked at the meat in the bowl, unable to help swallowing her saliva, and then, shoving her child¡¯s head, the little girl quickly understood and opened the half-closed door.


    Saturday arrived quickly.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s preparations were almost complete. This was truly the first time she was hosting guests, and she thought she would make sure everyone had a wonderful meal.


    About ten people were coming this time.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought they would bring their families, but only when she saw the people coming in single file did she realize she had thought too much.


    If they had brought their families, the house probably couldn¡¯t have fit everyone.


    Qin Yize introduced them calmly to Gu Qiaoqiao, then joined the others in the living room to chat.


    Meanwhile, Luh Fei was in the kitchen, cheerfully helping out.


    In fact, Gu Qiaoqiao had already made preparations in advance.


    With an extra small iron pot in the house, the speed of cooking had increased significantly.


    There were six cold dishes, nine stir-fries, two stewed dishes, and then a pot of egg drop seaweed soup.


    The cold dishes were already plated ahead of time, and the ingredients for the stir-fries were ready, just waiting for the braised pork with potatoes to come out of the pot.


    Luh Fei, smelling the aroma, exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Sister-in-law, your cooking skills are even better than those of a restaurant¡¯s head chef, it¡¯s so fragrant, we¡¯re really lucky today, such a treat!¡±


    ¡°Then eat a bit more later.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and then added, ¡°It¡¯ll be ready in another ten minutes, and then we¡¯ll start stir-frying.¡±


    Before Luh Fei could respond, three more people walked in through the door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled, it was Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, accompanied by a young man with a delicate appearance, probably around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, who looked good-natured and was all smiles.


    Gu Qiaoqiao recognized all nine people in the room; she wasn¡¯t very familiar with them, but she had met them all before.


    However, she had never seen this young man before, though his name seemed somewhat familiar.


    As for Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, Gu Qiaoqiao did not remember Qin Yize mentioning that he had invited them.


    They truly had shown up uninvited.


    It wasn¡¯t about avoiding anything, but because Qin Yize had invited his usual colleagues, those he often worked with.


    In other words, all were gentlemen.


    Having two women there would definitely put a damper on the drinking.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao kept her expression neutral regarding the uninvited appearance of Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, although she felt something was odd inside.


    Qin Yize had also come out from the living room, and his eyebrows knitted ever so slightly upon seeing these three people.


    He still turned to Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°This is Zhao Ying, who is responsible for the daily tasks at the base.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Xiao Gu, it smells really good, seems like you have some impressive culinary skills,¡± Zhao Ying complimented with a smile.


    Zhao Ying appeared refined and spoke in a gentle and soft manner.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly smiled back and said to the three, ¡°Please go to the living room and have some tea.¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong, feeling awkward upon seeing Qin Yize¡¯s indifferent attitude, said, ¡°Doctor Qin, Choo Lan and I are just here to help; we won¡¯t be joining you for the meal and drinks.¡±


    Engineer Zheng, raising his voice, said to the room, ¡°You two girls gave us quite the scare; we thought you came to keep an eye on us and prevent us from drinking.¡±


    The other colleagues chuckled as well.


    With that laughter, much of the awkward atmosphere dissipated.


    Zhu Xiaohong glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and said with a smile, ¡°With so many of you here, we¡¯d feel terrible if we exhausted Sister-in-law,¡± then she walked straight into the kitchen.


    Choo Lan naturally followed her in, and the already small kitchen suddenly felt much smaller.


    However, there wasn¡¯t much Gu Qiaoqiao could do about it; she couldn¡¯t just kick them out right away.


    But what could these two do if she had already finished everything that needed to be done?


    ¡°You two should go and have tea in the living room, the kitchen is small and can¡¯t fit so many people,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said in a kind tone.


    By then, Qin Yize had already led Zhao Ying into the living room.


    The smile on Choo Lan¡¯s face faded significantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister-in-law, we won¡¯t eat a bite of the meal or the dishes.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao dropped the bowl she was holding with a clang, visibly annoyed, and said with a half-smile, ¡°Choo Lan, Zhu Xiaohong, you see for yourselves, what is there that you can actually help with?¡±


    Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s expressions changed, and they glanced simultaneously at the prepared semi-finished dishes, as if they were at a loss about what to do.


    Naturally, what help could they provide?


    Gu Qiaoqiao continued, ¡°Although we didn¡¯t invite you, since you¡¯ve come uninvited, using the excuse of offering help, Ah Ze and I can¡¯t possibly refuse to let you join us for the meal. Otherwise, others might think that our family¡¯s Ah Ze is abusing his authority to exploit his subordinates¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Choo Lan¡¯s face flushed with sudden anger and she lowered her voice, ¡°Sister-in-law, how can you talk like that, we came with good intentions to help you.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhu Xiaohong echoed with a forced laugh, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re misunderstanding us.¡±


    ¡°This is only the second time we¡¯ve met, we¡¯re not that close, and there¡¯s no misunderstanding to speak of,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said coolly, the corners of her mouth tinged with coldness.


    At that moment, Qin Yize reappeared from the living room, his gaze sweeping over Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong blocking the kitchen door and then indifferently shifting away.


    He then called Luh Fei out, apparently not anticipating another guest, and sent Luh Fei to the canteen to borrow more dishes and utensils.

 Chapter 142 - 142 The meat in the pot is poisoned!

    Chapter 142: Chapter 142 The meat in the pot is poisoned!


    After Luh Fei left, Qin Yize glanced at Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong and calmly asked, ¡°Do either of you know how to cook?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Zhu Xiaohong opened her mouth, for she truly did not know how, and naturally she did not dare to pull any tricks in front of Qin Yize. She had no choice but to admit honestly, ¡°We can help with small tasks.¡±


    ¡°Do you need their help?¡± Qin Yize then asked Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°No need.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao, smiling, addressed Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, ¡°The kitchen is too small, and you don¡¯t know how to cook. Besides, Luh Fei has already helped me finish, so you both can just wait in the room for the meal.¡±


    Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao no longer paid attention to Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, but instead took the small iron pot off the stove and placed it on the table by the window.


    Qin Yize curved his lips slightly but did not speak. Instead, he went to the living room.


    At this moment, Zhao Ying, who had been smiling all the while, walked into the kitchen, following the aroma to the table, took a deep breath, and exclaimed, ¡°It smells amazing.¡±


    Then she said to Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, ¡°Are you two here to help or to add to the chaos and watch the excitement?¡±


    ¡°Xiao Zhao, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± Choo Lan frowned and protested unhappily.


    ¡°Hehe, just kidding,¡± Zhao Ying remained in a good mood.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brow and fell silent, then began preparing to cook.


    Out of the three people, one stood in front of the iron pot, savoring the aroma of the meat and even stirring it with a spoon, while the other two stood by the door, seemingly lost in thought.


    It would be good to have an extra hand with the fire.


    As the lady of the house, Gu Qiaoqiao felt utterly helpless. It would be inappropriate for her to simply send people away.


    So, without ceremony, she pointed at Zhu Xiaohong and Choo Lan, ¡°Which of you knows how to manage the fire?¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong glanced at Choo Lan and said hurriedly, ¡°I do, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong came over, squatted down, and started adding fuel to the fire.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then glanced at Choo Lan, ¡°If you want to help, carry these cold dishes inside. If not, just wait for Luh Fei to return.¡±


    Choo Lan just stood there, unmoving.


    She had come today hoping to see a farce.


    Before the Spring Festival, she had asked Lin Qinghuan about Gu Qiaoqiao. According to Lin Qinghuan, Gu Qiaoqiao was both foolish and clumsy, didn¡¯t know how to cook, was timid, and would panic at the slightest issue.


    She was also especially gullible; a neighbor girl named Bai Yun had played her for a fool.


    Therefore, when Gu Qiaoqiao arrived at the base, Choo Lan had hurried over immediately to enjoy the spectacle.


    Regrettably, she had hoped to ridicule and frighten Gu Qiaoqiao, or stir up some trouble to embarrass her, but who would have imagined that in the end, she wouldn¡¯t even get a sip of water, and to top it off, Gu Qiaoqiao had firmly lectured her.


    This left her feeling ashamed and annoyed.


    Hearing that Qin Yize was planning to entertain guests this week, she and Zhu Xiaohong discussed it and then took the initiative to come and offer their help.


    She had assumed Gu Qiaoqiao would be incapable of anything, either needing someone else¡¯s help or just moving around the kitchen in a fluster, covered in sweat.


    The most likely scenario would have been Qin Yize cooking, and then she could justifiably stay by his side and help.


    That was what she had been dreaming of.


    But what she saw and smelled had taken her by complete surprise.


    She thought, Lin Qinghuan must be deceiving her.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao that she was talking about, and the one she saw, were not the same person.


    That¡¯s why Choo Lan was out of sorts.


    It must be said, when a woman loves a man too deeply, she loses herself and her reasoning.


    She really should have followed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s instructions and carried the cold dishes to the dining table in the living room.


    If someone else had given the order, perhaps Choo Lan would have gladly complied.


    But this person was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    A woman whose mere sight hurt her eyes and whose very existence pricked at her heart.


    Also, Qin Yize¡¯s wife.


    Would she obey her orders?


    What a joke!


    Choo Lan¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°They are playing poker, let¡¯s serve the stir-fried dishes once they¡¯re all ready.¡±


    After saying this, Choo Lan seemed very relaxed, leaning against the door, watching Zhao Ying beside the iron pot, and taunted, ¡°Zhao Ying, shouldn¡¯t you be leading a team at the riverside test site to deal with miscellaneous tasks today? How come you could smell the meat from so far away?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned. Choo Lan really didn¡¯t give Zhao Ying any face.


    The implication was that Zhao Ying came uninvited.


    These three people¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat speechless.


    On Zhao Ying¡¯s face, the smile quickly faded, and he seemed very embarrassed.


    Scratching the back of his neck, he said uneasily, ¡°Doctor Choo is right, although Team Leader Sang took over for me, I should still go have a look.¡±


    Then he turned to Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°Xiao Gu, thank goodness Doctor Choo chastised me, otherwise I would have almost made a mistake today for the sake of a good meal. I¡¯ll come to taste Xiao Gu¡¯s cooking another day when there¡¯s a chance.¡±


    Having said that, he left the kitchen and said to Qin Yize and the other old base personnel in the living room with a smile, ¡°I just remembered, I forgot to tell Team Leader Sang something, I need to go, you guys keep playing¡­¡±


    Then he walked briskly towards the door.


    Qin Yize asked a few questions, naturally did not insist on keeping him, while Choo Lan looked particularly smug.


    And at this time, Luh Fei came in and started helping Gu Qiaoqiao bring the cold dishes to the dining table in the living room. Naturally, Choo Lan wasn¡¯t good at just watching, so she also symbolically extended a hand to help.


    The kitchen was filled with the aroma of braised meat and stir-fried dishes, and the people in the living room were in an excellent mood when they smelled it, so they shouted and helped eagerly.


    The Qin family¡¯s place was extremely lively, as if after a while, they might just lift off the roof.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao finished stir-frying pork with daylilies and poured it into a large plate, Luh Fei, observant as he was, quickly carried it away, making room for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s next dish.


    Zhu Xiaohong was from the countryside and was good at tending the fire.


    Choo Lan¡¯s mood also seemed to improve a lot, bustling along with Luh Fei.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t bother wondering what these two were really up to. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With so many people watching, she doubted they could cause any real trouble.


    However, just at that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly felt nauseous.


    Something was off with the smell in the room, as if the amulet on her chest was repelling something.


    Gu Qiaoqiao swallowed hard, managing to suppress the feeling of nausea.


    She thought it was over.


    But the suppressed nausea surged back up, and Gu Qiaoqiao put down her frying spoon and went to the restroom.


    She closed the door.


    Just as she was about to bend over, that feeling suddenly disappeared.


    Everything returned to normal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart started beating irregularly.


    She suddenly remembered something, pushed open the restroom door, and looked towards the kitchen.


    Unexpectedly, the nauseating feeling returned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao forcefully endured it, placing her fingers on her chest, and to her surprise, the feeling faded significantly.


    She knew something was definitely wrong.


    But what exactly was wrong?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit bewildered.


    At that time, Luh Fei came to the iron pot containing braised pork with potatoes and lifted the lid, ready to scoop the meat into a large bowl.


    That uncomfortable sensation came again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked over in a few steps and pressed down on the edge of the iron pot.


    With just that touch, Gu Qiaoqiao was scared into a cold sweat.


    The meat in the pot was poisoned!

 Chapter 143 - 143: Destroy this pot of meat and potatoes!

    Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Destroy this pot of meat and potatoes!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand on the edge of the pot was trembling.


    There was even a momentary blank in her mind.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart seemed as if it were about to jump out of her chest.


    Meanwhile, Zhu Xiaohong and Choo Lan were looking at her with odd expressions in their eyes.


    Because they had also seen Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sick and retching appearance just now.


    A sense of dread settled in Choo Lan¡¯s heart.


    She still had that much common sense.


    Could it be that Gu Qiaoqiao was pregnant?


    This realization plunged Choo Lan¡¯s heart into an endless abyss.


    The bowl in her hand felt as though it would shatter with just a little more force.


    And at this time, no one noticed Choo Lan¡¯s odd behavior.


    Because all of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s attention was focused on the pot of meat.


    What on earth was going on?


    The meat was fine before; how did it suddenly become poisoned?


    At this time, Luh Fei simply could not resist the tempting aroma of the braised pork, and with a grin, he said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law, this meat smells too good, let me try a piece.¡±


    He reached out, pinched the top piece of meat on the spoon, and was about to put it into his mouth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was scared out of her wits.


    Without thinking, she extended her hand and slapped Luh Fei¡¯s hand away.


    The piece of meat fell from Luh Fei¡¯s unguarded hand onto the table, and then rolled onto the floor.


    Luh Fei looked at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reaction with surprise, his face showing embarrassment and annoyance, along with a bit of discomfort.


    He didn¡¯t understand why Gu Qiaoqiao, who was always smiling, was suddenly being so disrespectful to him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was in total chaos at that moment, and her heart was in disarray as well.


    This was the first time she had encountered such a situation.


    And with three other people in the room, she couldn¡¯t afford to react too much, everything had to be done by instinct.


    Taking a deep breath, Gu Qiaoqiao glared at Luh Fei and said in a somewhat hoarse voice, ¡°Luh Fei, why are you like my brother, always liking to pick up food with your hands?¡±


    Luh Fei opened his mouth but did not speak.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew that no matter what she said, her reaction just now made Luh Fei lose face.


    But there was no helping it, she could only do that at the time.


    Choo Lan finally reacted, her eyes flashed with a cold sneer, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re really too petty, it¡¯s just a piece of meat. What does it matter if he eats with his hands? We¡¯re all quite straightforward, sometimes we¡¯re not fussy about the little things¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gritted her teeth; Choo Lan was really adding to the chaos.


    She gave Choo Lan a sidelong glare and said unapologetically, ¡°Because I¡¯m familiar with Luh Fei, that¡¯s why I can¡¯t let him develop bad habits. What does that have to do with not being fussy?¡±


    Then looking at Luh Fei, she forced a smile and asked, ¡°Luh Fei, you¡¯re not mad, are you?¡±


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cautious appearance, Luh Fei, in turn, felt embarrassed and shook his head quickly, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m not a little girl, who gets angry over nothing, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I just really couldn¡¯t help myself; your cooking is just too delicious¡­¡±


    Choo Lan curled her lips imperceptibly, cursing inwardly, Brown-noser!


    Gu Qiaoqiao forced a smile, feeling as if her heart was being tossed by turbulent waves.


    At that moment, she really wanted to go into the living room and call Qin Yize in.


    Then tell him that the meat couldn¡¯t be eaten, that there was poison in this meat, and it was a very potent poison at that.


    But how was she supposed to explain to Qin Yize how she knew there was poison in the meat¡­


    And more importantly, today was actually a very joyful day. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Due to the complex composition of the base, each of the three investing parties had their own people involved; the base also implemented a semi-military management, and the research and experiments they conducted were very secretive.


    There were guards from the security team stationed at the laboratory building where Qin Yize worked.


    No one could enter without a pass, including Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Because this is the coldest region in the country, the base was established here due to its unique environment and climate. For the staff at the Northern Border City base, being able to drink heavily and eat large portions of meat after arduous work was like living a life of an Immortal.


    Moreover, it was the rare Saturday when everyone gathered together.


    The base had been built for ten years now, and there was an unwritten rule that when family members came, those who knew each other would get together to celebrate.


    Like today, many medical researchers and engineers who usually had a good relationship with Qin Yize came over.


    It was a rare opportunity to dine together.


    The dinner they had prepared was also very lavish.


    So everyone was in very high spirits.


    They played cards so intensely they lost themselves in the game.


    On such a special day, how could Gu Qiaoqiao tell Qin Yize, ¡°This meat can¡¯t be eaten, there¡¯s poison in the meat?¡±


    Then the question arose.


    Who had poisoned the meat?


    Was it Qin Yize?


    Or was it her, Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Even if the superiors knew that these two people would definitely not do such a thing, they would not let the matter rest.


    An investigation would certainly be carried out with great effort.


    And if she were taken away by the security team for investigation, how would she explain? How did she know there was poison in the meat?


    What kind of theoretical knowledge or experience had she used?


    Choo Lan stared at Gu Qiaoqiao daydreaming, her heart filled with glee as she looked down on her.


    Having such a petty mindset, getting all flustered over a small matter.


    It was truly contemptible.


    Yet at this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was a complete mess.


    But thankfully she had lived through another life.


    Otherwise, she really would have been panic-stricken.


    It was in the blink of an eye that Gu Qiaoqiao cast aside all these jumbled emotions in her mind and decided to leave it all behind.


    Since she couldn¡¯t tell everyone about the poison in the meat at the moment, she would have to destroy the pot of meat and potatoes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grip on the iron pot tightened.


    Suddenly frowning, she said to Luh Fei, ¡°Ah, I just remembered, I forgot to add salt to this pot of meat.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you forgot to add salt?¡± Luh Fei asked, bewildered.


    The meat could be eaten without salt, but it would definitely lack flavor.


    Luh Fei then said, ¡°But it smells really good.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t do, even if it smells good. How can you eat meat without salt?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao then told Luh Fei, ¡°Take the frying spoon off the stove, I need to heat up this pot of meat on the stove and then add salt. Otherwise, the salt won¡¯t dissolve.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Luh Fei looked at Gu Qiaoqiao somewhat perplexedly, feeling that her face was frightfully pale.


    And if he was not mistaken, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand gripping the pot was trembling slightly.


    What was the matter?


    Was she nervous?


    Was it because of her negligence in forgetting to add salt?


    Luh Fei didn¡¯t ask any further and hurriedly moved the frying spoon from the stove as Gu Qiaoqiao had instructed.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying the iron pot, walked towards the stove.


    The kitchen was already small to begin with.


    The distance from the current position to the stove was just five steps.


    However, on her second step, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly stumbled, then seemed unable to maintain her balance and fell forward.


    The pot of meat in her hands was also tipped onto the floor as a result.

 Chapter 144 - 144: Wishing It Was Her Who Got Burned!

    Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Wishing It Was Her Who Got Burned! S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In her desperation, Gu Qiaoqiao had come up with this plan, so she hadn¡¯t thought about dodging at all.


    Thus, the back of her hand got scalded and instantly turned red.


    This sudden incident caused the three people in the room to jump in shock.


    Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong were stunned.


    But Luh Fei reacted the fastest, hurrying over, not even caring about the pot of meat, and anxiously asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, did you get burned?¡±


    At this time, Luh Fei¡¯s voice was somewhat loud, and Qin Yize in the room suddenly heard it.


    His eyebrows furrowed, he quickly strode towards the kitchen.


    Then he saw Gu Qiaoqiao sitting on the floor, a pot of meat all spilled on the red brick ground.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was pale, seemingly quite frightened.


    Qin Yize immediately noticed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s somewhat swollen hand.


    He strode over, squatted down, grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, and frowned, ¡°Why weren¡¯t you more careful?¡±


    Then he directly pulled Gu Qiaoqiao towards the bathroom.


    Choo Lan¡¯s heart filled with sourness as she stared intently at Qin Yize¡¯s large hand carefully holding Gu Qiaoqiao, wishing she was the one who had been burned!


    But Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t go to the bathroom. She quickly struggled free, not waiting for Luh Fei to clean up the braised meat and potatoes spilled on the ground; she simply went to grab a broom and quickly swept the braised meat and potatoes into a pile.


    Now, even if they wanted to pick it up and eat it, it seemed impossible.


    Especially for Choo Lan, her eyebrows deeply furrowed as she quickly said, ¡°This dish can¡¯t be eaten anymore.¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong also nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a pity, there are too many bacteria on the ground, just throw it away.¡±


    Qin Yize imperceptibly raised his eyebrows.


    He gazed at Gu Qiaoqiao, feeling that something was not quite right.


    But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint it at the moment.


    So, he took a bucket normally used for miscellaneous items in the kitchen and a scrubber, and together with Gu Qiaoqiao, threw the meat and potatoes into the metal bucket.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Only then did she feel her head covered in sweat.


    And her hand, that¡¯s when it started to feel somewhat painful.


    Qin Yize hesitated no longer; this time he directly pulled Gu Qiaoqiao into the bathroom.


    In a cabinet above the bathroom, there were some commonly used medicines.


    He opened a small box, found some ointment, put Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand under the faucet to rinse with cold water, then gently dried the water stains with a clean gauze.


    After checking and assuring there was no serious issue, he applied a layer of ointment and softly asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, her voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°It¡¯s ok, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore¡­¡±


    Then, looking towards the kitchen, she said to Qin Yize, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You go entertain them in the living room. I¡¯ll fry a few more dishes, it will be ready soon.¡±


    ¡°Can your hand handle it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao waved her hand, smiled, and said, ¡°It¡¯s my left hand, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Then she stopped talking to Qin Yize and left the bathroom, heading back to the kitchen.


    Seeing Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong looking at her with strange expressions, she thought to herself that these two got what they wanted.


    And with that thought, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart sank, she could confirm that the moment she had moved the pot of meat from the stove to the table, there had been no poison in it.


    However, within ten minutes or so, someone had poisoned it.


    Who could have poisoned it?


    Choo Lan, Zhu Xiaohong, could it be possible for these two?


    They wouldn¡¯t do such a thing to dig their own graves, would they?


    But then, appearances can be deceiving.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t vouch for their character.


    But at that moment, another person came to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind.


    Zhao Ying!


    It was Zhao Ying who came in a hurry and left just as quickly.


    Qin Yize¡¯s deep gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He knew that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s actions must have special significance,


    she couldn¡¯t possibly be incapable of carrying a pot of meat.


    Moreover, the most important thing was her expression.


    It wasn¡¯t one of regret or annoyance, but of relaxation!


    This was very strange.


    But now was not the time for questions, Qin Yize simply paused for a moment and then turned to walk into the living room.


    Afterward, Gu Qiaoqiao placed her right hand on her forehead, pretending to rub it as if she had a headache.


    She silently channeled spiritual energy into her fingertips.


    This way, Gu Qiaoqiao felt her mind gradually clearing up.


    Her logical thinking also normalized step by step.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then placed her right hand on her left, pretending to rub the spot that got burned earlier.


    Luckily, all these movements were nothing out of the ordinary.


    Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong, although staring intently at her, didn¡¯t notice what she was really up to.


    But they felt quite satisfied in their hearts.


    They now had something to talk about.


    This Gu Qiaoqiao really was clumsy, couldn¡¯t even carry a pot without falling flat on her face.


    Thinking this, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong exchanged glances, unable to suppress the amusement on their faces.


    However, after Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath and the spiritual energy slowly healed the burned area, she quietly lowered her hand.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao fixed her gaze on the two women.


    The two also stood by the window watching her.


    Their faces were filled with schadenfreude.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the ground, then addressed Zhu Xiaohong, ¡°You really know how to keep the fire going, but you¡¯re not efficient at all in your work. The kitchen is already small, and you had to place these firewoods in the path where people walk. If I hadn¡¯t been trying to avoid those firewoods, why would I have fallen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really unhelpful!¡± she added.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s demeanor was very serious.


    After all, she was their sister-in-law.


    So it was normal for her to speak to them this way.


    Moreover, from the look on their faces, Gu Qiaoqiao knew, as soon as she left through that door, the whole residential compound would know about this incident.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not wish to stew in such frustration.


    So she simply warned the two.


    Not to think about only saving themselves. If it weren¡¯t for Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s sloppy work, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen, so Zhu Xiaohong couldn¡¯t extricate herself from blame either.


    Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s mouth opened in surprise; she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to pin the blame on her at this time.


    That was just unreasonable.


    Then Zhu Xiaohong looked at the wood beside the stove, and indeed, it was very close to where Gu Qiaoqiao had walked.


    She blinked her eyes, listening to the hearty laughter coming from the living room, Zhu Xiaohong wisely kept silent.


    At this time, the people in the living room still had no idea that such a dramatic scene had unfolded in the kitchen.


    After warning the two, Gu Qiaoqiao no longer hesitated and started skillfully cooking the dishes swiftly.


    Soon, the tempting aroma of food wafted through the kitchen once more.


    Choo Lan stood at the kitchen window, suddenly feeling very superfluous.


    With a somber gaze, she observed the slender girl wearing an apron, and she finally understood what a hostess was.


    And what it truly meant to be a hostess.

 Chapter 145 - 145: A Scare After the Fact!

    Chapter 145: Chapter 145: A Scare After the Fact!


    Choo Lan felt a sourness at the bottom of her eyes. She suddenly said to Zhu Xiaohong, who was tending the fire, ¡°I just remembered I haven¡¯t done something, let¡¯s leave, sister-in-law. It seems that they don¡¯t need your help here anymore, we won¡¯t add to the chaos.¡±


    Zhu Xiaohong had always been obedient to Choo Lan.


    She didn¡¯t want to squat there and cook in such an aggrieved manner anyway.


    Think about it, a nurse from the base hospital, assisting a country girl¡ªhow could she possibly feel comfortable about it?


    So, upon hearing Choo Lan¡¯s words, she felt as if she had been granted amnesty.


    She hurriedly stood up¡ªactually, by this time, Zhu Xiaohong¡¯s stomach was growling with hunger.


    Her saliva didn¡¯t stop flowing as she bent down to tend to the fire.


    To be honest, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s stir-fried dishes were really fragrant.


    Each dish made one¡¯s mouth water.


    But she knew that no matter what, she couldn¡¯t eat today¡¯s meal.


    Not to mention whether there was a place for them to eat, if the two of them had come uninvited and then feasted here, they would be the subject of ridicule later on.


    And when the two of them came, they hadn¡¯t planned to eat at all.


    So, the two of them left the kitchen one after the other.


    They also didn¡¯t say goodbye to Qin Yize.


    She believed that even if they tried to say goodbye to Qin Yize now, he wouldn¡¯t have the time to respond to them.


    Because there were already loud shouts and singing coming from inside the house.


    These intellectuals from all corners of the country, when gathered together to drink in their leisure time, would completely shed their frail appearance, their emotions were domineering, passionate, and overbearing. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like the great mountains of the north and the roaring river water!


    So, the voices of the two women in the kitchen seemed very weak, and were quickly drowned out by the shouts of the others.


    Luh Fei secretly curled his lip. He quickly squatted down to help Gu Qiaoqiao with the fire.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat guilty.


    She could have put it more tactfully just now.


    But things had happened so suddenly, she couldn¡¯t think of a better way to stop this kind and righteous young man.


    So, she caused him to lose face in front of Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong.


    However, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong finally left.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Luh Fei, another day, sister-in-law will make you a pot of braised pork all by itself, no potatoes, all meat, and you can eat your fill!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Luh Fei¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Mhm, really!¡±


    Luh Fei turned to look at the iron bucket, frowning slightly.


    He was an intelligent and clever person; otherwise, how could he be working with Qin Yize?


    But he didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened.


    He only felt that Gu Qiaoqiao was too tense just now.


    But he couldn¡¯t find any reason to explain her nervousness.


    So, he attributed it all to being new to the place, coupled with her young age, plus seeing many of her husband¡¯s colleagues and friends, which probably gave her too much pressure.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled the corner of her mouth, her clear eyes smiling, and continued, ¡°I guarantee you¡¯ll eat your fill!¡±


    Luh Fei grinned and laughed.


    While she talked, Gu Qiaoqiao had finished stir-frying two dishes.


    Luh Fei happily carried the two dishes into the living room.


    The last dish was carried in by Qin Yize.


    He looked down at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and asked in a deep voice, ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao said nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    Qin Yize felt somewhat guilty, ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard day today.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, hurry up and bring the dishes in.¡±


    There was a slight flicker in Qin Yize¡¯s starry eyes, his demeanor somewhat somber.


    He looked steadily at Gu Qiaoqiao. By this time, the sun had already set, and a sliver of sunset¡¯s afterglow cast upon Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, outlining her hair in a layer of golden light.


    Gu Qiaoqiao appeared almost unreal.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t know why he felt this way.


    He carried the dish, his dark eyes glancing at the iron bucket filled with meat and potatoes, but he didn¡¯t speak and went straight into the living room instead.


    After finishing the last egg drop and seaweed soup, Gu Qiaoqiao placed it in a basin and brought it into the living room.


    The Qin family¡¯s dining table was crowded with people.


    Upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao enter, their eyes all lit up.


    They had never expected that Qin Yize¡¯s wife, looking clean and pure like a student, would have such impressive culinary skills.


    Her skills were on par with the master chefs of grand restaurants.


    No, to say they were even more skilled than the chefs of restaurants would be more accurate.


    They felt they had never eaten such delicious food in their lives.


    Even the usually ordinary daylily flowers, wood ear mushrooms, potatoes, cabbage, and glass noodles became incredibly delicious dishes under Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s skilled hands.


    So delicious that they almost wished they could eat their tongues too.


    Therefore, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao come in made everyone very happy, as they said words of praise and thanks.


    Their praise was not just polite and courteous but truly heartfelt.


    Gu Qiaoqiao happily accepted it all and after exchanging a few words with them, left the living room.


    Even though gender equality was advocated nowadays, it was still impossible for her to sit at the table and dine with them.


    And if she really did sit down, these people would undoubtedly feel uncomfortable.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was well aware of this.


    And there were some things she needed to think about seriously.


    Gu Qiaoqiao began to clean up in the kitchen.


    In the quiet, she felt a little scared.


    Because at this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao realized the situation might be even more serious than she had imagined.


    Her hands washing the basin trembled and felt even colder.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at the window, where the sun had already settled behind the mountain.


    The lights in the foyer and living room were turned on, making the house very bright.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart grew heavier and darker.


    She put the unwashed iron pot in the corner, then squatted beside the iron bucket, placing her hand on it and feeling it carefully before finally standing up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t explain why the spiritual energy in her hands was so acutely sensitive to these things.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao knew that this perception was never wrong.


    The toxicity in the meat was significant.


    If that pot of meat was consumed by all the doctors, engineers, researchers, and even the captain of the security team in the house, she believed not one person would survive.


    This was another horrifying and utterly nerve-wracking incident.


    This was no ordinary place.


    They were not common folk.


    This was a special experimental base.


    One could say it was a place of massive investment and abundant talent.


    If such a collective poisoning death incident occurred, it would surely be major news.


    At that time, even if she and Qin Yize were innocent and unaware, they would have a hard time proving their innocence right away.


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao, although she had calmed down and regained some reason, could not help but break out into a cold sweat on her back.


    Who was this person who had poisoned the food?


    Choo Lan, Zhu Xiaohong, or that Zhao Ying?


    They all were suspects!


    Zhao Ying?


    At this thought, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    She suddenly remembered that, in her past life, there was a moment when she had heard this name.


    And when she first heard this name back then, she was greatly shocked.

 Chapter 146 - 146 Consequences

    Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Consequences


    Why was it shocking?


    What on earth was it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao rubbed her head, trying to calm her thoughts bit by bit.


    However, after a long time thinking, Gu Qiaoqiao still had no clue at all.


    In her past life, after the incident, there had been times when her mind was very chaotic.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for her brother Gu Zishu supporting her, she would have gone crazy long ago.


    Many memories were automatically erased, and there were also those she forced herself to forget.


    For example, the three years of base life, Gu Qiaoqiao in her past life, never thought about it until recently, when she saw certain people and things, did she gradually start to remember.


    But she really couldn¡¯t remember anything about Zhao Ying.


    In the memories of her past life, she had never met a person named Zhao Ying.


    The moment she thought of this, Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That¡¯s not right, she had lived here for three years.


    If this Zhao Ying was indeed the team leader in charge of daily affairs at the base, she should have seen him during these three years.


    Yet, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s memory of this person, Zhao Ying, was completely unfamiliar.


    Could it also prove from another aspect that this person might have left the base a few months later?


    And that was the most likely scenario!


    Leaving the base, whether it was due to dismissal or some other reason, Gu Qiaoqiao had no idea at that moment.


    And now, Gu Qiaoqiao was more inclined towards Zhao Ying.


    Because Zhao Ying had entered the kitchen, she hadn¡¯t turned around at that time, but now thinking carefully, Zhao Ying should have stood beside the iron pot.


    If it really was him, then this man was truly ruthless.


    Considering these were all his colleagues and friends.


    The ones he had once shared life and death with.


    Yet this man had turned his slaughter knife towards those he had once fought alongside.


    And if this event were really to succeed, the consequences were unimaginable.


    This was almost half of the base¡¯s mid to senior level research backbone.


    The base only had two PhDs, one surnamed Chen and the other was Qin Yize, and they were all here.


    There were also several senior engineers with research achievements, they were the core strength of the base.


    If something really happened, it would turn everything upside down here.


    But in her past life, things seemed very calm.


    Or perhaps it might have happened somewhere, but it was an inside secret of the base and had nothing to do with Gu Qiaoqiao, so Qin Yize of her past life would not have told her.


    As she speculated wildly, Gu Qiaoqiao had already cleaned the kitchen spotlessly.


    She sat on the kitchen stool, spacing out.


    And by this time, the rice was already perfectly steamed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao switched the rice cooker to keep warm, set the iron pot properly, and then returned to her bedroom feeling uneasy.


    The living room was just opposite the bedroom.


    The hearty laughter of these great intellectuals, tempered by the northern winds and frost, seemed as if it could penetrate the roof.


    But Qin Yize¡¯s voice could not be heard.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that at this time, he should also be wearing a faint, shallow smile.


    After all, although he was cold, he was very close to the colleagues he truly got along with.


    It could be said that although he was such a person, he truly had a few brothers he could entrust his life to.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the chair, her fingers unconsciously stroking it.


    And the swelling on the back of her hand had already disappeared by this time.


    Only the faint scent of ointment lingered on the back of her hand.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she hadn¡¯t felt nervous earlier, but now she remembered how Qin Yize had held her hand and applied the medicine.


    Qin Yize¡¯s hands were not only well-defined but also filled with warmth.


    Unlike her hands, which at the moment, she didn¡¯t know whether it was due to nerves or their natural state, felt frighteningly cold at the fingertips.


    Gu Qiaoqiao really couldn¡¯t figure out how those threads of spiritual energy were spilling out from such ice-cold fingertips?


    And where did this spiritual energy exist?


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t find the answer.


    But she knew that this ability had saved the lives of the people in the living room.


    Zhao Ying was now the team leader, and since she didn¡¯t know him, Gu Qiaoqiao naturally knew nothing about his background.


    Yet, reaching his position at his age had not been easy.


    If he maintained his performance, he could progress even further.


    But why would he do such a thing?


    Did he bear a grudge against Qin Yize, those colleagues, or even her!


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t understand at all.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if she had entered a maze, wondering if the incidents involving her father and the events of today were connected?


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed her hands on her forehead, forcing herself to think through some matters even though she preferred not to.


    Gu Qiaoqiao began connecting the dots little by little.


    If this person bore a grudge against her, then he must have been preparing for this day for a long time.


    Yet, she had just arrived here.


    Counting carefully, it had only been a little over a week.


    And there was no way she could have crossed paths with this person.


    Therefore, the only explanation was, could this person be associated with the ones behind Sun Chuxia?


    At this thought, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly startled.


    Could it be?


    Could that be the case?


    How powerful was this person, capable of extending his reach into the base!


    Was he unaware that investigating this would be easy?


    Thinking this way, Gu Qiaoqiao felt her logic waver.


    If he really bore a personal grudge or perhaps despised her because of Qin Yize.


    It wouldn¡¯t warrant such drastic measures.


    If he truly had such capability, wouldn¡¯t killing her silently have settled it all?


    So, was this person grudging against Qin Yize, framing him?


    But although they couldn¡¯t escape implication in this matter, it would ultimately be cleared up.


    After all, no one would be foolish enough to dig their own grave.


    Inviting colleagues to one¡¯s home for a meal and then blatantly poisoning them doesn¡¯t make sense, and neither would the senior leaders believe such an implausible thing.


    They would soon clear their names from suspicion.


    Why wouldn¡¯t he be afraid?


    At this thought, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered the news she had seen on television and in newspapers in her past life.


    Her heart sank momentarily.


    If analyzed with normal reasoning, the person had put the poison in the pot, and the poison must have been colorless and tasteless.


    Since the other individuals had not reacted at all.


    Luh Fei too was sharp-witted; he didn¡¯t notice anything off when he was about to eat the meat, suggestive that the poison was a very sophisticated one.


    Moreover, this pot of meat must have been very popular.


    After all, in this era, it was not possible to indulge in meat and fish every day.


    And life in the Northern Border City was inherently tough.


    So none of the meat and potatoes would have been left behind.


    Thus, the result would naturally follow.


    Possibly including Qin Yize, the ten members from the base present in the living room, the core strength of the base, would all be poisoned to death.


    All experiments would essentially end.


    And the person¡¯s plan could be considered successful.


    The life of one person in exchange for so many, even if he were to die, it would be worth it.


    Therefore, the person behind him would not be someone who admired Qin Yize.

 Chapter 147 - 147 What on earth happened today?

    Chapter 147: Chapter 147 What on earth happened today?


    If someone were infatuated with Qin Yize, they wouldn¡¯t have poisoned him to death as well.


    Just who exactly is Zhao Ying?


    At this thought, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a chill all over. This person was simply too cruel and terrifying, a devil incarnate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands clenched tightly together.


    There were also Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong.


    Yet, they came with him.


    Could they be accomplices?


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about her past life.


    In her previous life, after Choo Lan¡¯s fruitless pursuit of Qin Yize for two years, her grandfather learned the truth and, as the once influential family head, personally came to Border City, furiously took her away.


    Zhu Xiaohong was also dismissed and sent back to her hometown not long after.


    It seemed that their relationship wasn¡¯t significant¡­


    Time always flies when lost in thought, and in the blink of an eye, it was already ten o¡¯clock at night.


    These people weren¡¯t drunk either, after all, there were still so many tasks and urgent problems to be solved.


    The base¡¯s regulations were also very strict, so even if they could relax in some aspects, their self-discipline was excellent.


    So, all these people left the Qin Family quite normally.


    Luh Fei didn¡¯t go, but instead stayed and helped Gu Qiaoqiao clean up the leftover food and pots and pans before he left.


    And by this time, Qin Yize had also tidied up the living room.


    He was lazily leaning on the chair, holding a teacup in his hand, his slender fingers that seemed as smooth as jade were tapping some rhythm on the cup.


    His starry eyes were slightly narrowed, concealing the almost overflowing starlight.


    Standing at the door, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Under the bright lights, Qin Yize appeared even more exquisite.


    There was a faint blush on his cheeks and the corners of his eyes.


    His gaze was somewhat misty.


    This appearance of him carried a bewitching power.


    He was indeed incredibly charming.


    And at this moment, the once boisterous house had become exceptionally quiet.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood against the wall, biting her red lips.


    She was thinking about how to articulate this matter to Qin Yize.


    Then to uncover the mastermind behind the scenes.


    Yet in her heart, there lingered a sliver of hope, maybe her senses were wrong.


    After contemplating for a moment, just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to speak, Qin Yize seemed to sigh softly, then he stretched his long legs, put down the teacup, and stood up from his chair.


    He quickly walked up to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s side.


    His gaze dropped to her left hand.


    The redness and swelling seemed to be gone, everything looked normal again.


    Was the ointment really that miraculous?


    Or was her burn not that severe?


    Qin Yize slightly lowered his head, looking at the Young Girl in front of him who seemed to have something to say, and spoke softly, ¡°What exactly happened today?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    So she looked up at Qin Yize.


    Her wet and clear eyes were full of questions.


    Such a gaze was like a thin fog had settled over it.


    Her lips shone with a glossy sheen under the light.


    Qin Yize¡¯s heart tightened.


    Even in that moment, he forgot the question he wanted to ask Gu Qiaoqiao¡­


    This feeling was somewhat inexplicable.


    It made Qin Yize¡¯s brows furrow slightly.


    His complexion also faded a bit.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tentatively asked, ¡°Are you talking about the meat and potatoes I dropped on the floor?¡±


    Qin Yize gently nodded his head.


    He felt his hand itch again, wanting to reach out and tap her smooth forehead once more.


    Or perhaps pat her head again.


    But today is not the day.


    Because he still hasn¡¯t confirmed whether today¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao did what happened in the kitchen on purpose or by accident?


    Gu Qiaoqiao lightly bit her red lips, considering what kind of words to organize to tell Qin Yize about this unbelievable incident.


    After all, if she were to tell him that there was poison in the food, Qin Yize would definitely ask her how she discovered it.


    She couldn¡¯t possibly tell Qin Yize that her hand was different from others.


    Just like her rebirth, it was a secret that couldn¡¯t be shared with anyone.


    Except for Elder Luo.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qin Yize frowned, prompting her.


    Showing some impatience, he did not like Gu Qiaoqiao being so hesitant.


    Whether it was an accident or intentional, he hoped Gu Qiaoqiao would tell him the truth.


    So at this moment, Qin Yize stared unwaveringly at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s every small gesture.


    To see if she would fabricate lies on the spot.


    Then, he let out a slight sigh of relief.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to tell him the truth.


    She just didn¡¯t know how to say it.


    What exactly happened that made Gu Qiaoqiao so conflicted?


    Qin Yize spoke indifferently, ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao steeled her heart, looked up slightly at the intently focused Qin Yize, and asked earnestly, ¡°Qin Yize, if I say that the meat in that pot is poisoned, would you believe me?¡±


    Qin Yize did not expect Gu Qiaoqiao to say such a thing.


    He was taken aback. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was something he had never considered.


    He had speculated in his heart that the matter might be related to Choo Lan or Zhu Xiaohong.


    But he had not considered that the meat in the pot was poisoned.


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s picturesque features instantly took on a trace of chilling austerity, and his aura involuntarily radiated.


    The focus in his eyes now seemed somewhat aggressive.


    His tone was serious and sincere, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, do you realize the consequences of what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded quickly, ¡°I do.¡±


    Qin Yize stared into Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, word by word, he said, ¡°Then can you tell me how you knew there was poison in the meat, or perhaps who administered it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao swallowed hard, feeling a soreness in her throat.


    At this time, she too was feeling nervous.


    She didn¡¯t know what to say that would most naturally avoid arousing Qin Yize¡¯s suspicion.


    And Qin Yize, when exerting his full aura, was quite intimidating.


    ¡°Qin Yize, the stewed meat and potatoes in that pot were normal before Zhao Ying, Choo Lan, and Zhu Xiaohong entered,¡± she said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qin Yize asked, frowning.


    ¡°What I mean is that, after these three people entered the kitchen, the braised meat and potatoes turned into a pot of poison, and the potency of the poison is very strong. You could take it quietly to your laboratory for testing, but I think the poison is enough to kill a person,¡± she said.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s eyes were inscrutable as he caressed his fingers, asking in a slow and measured tone.


    Yet inside, his mind was a maelstrom. Who was so bold to dare put poison in the food?


    Doesn¡¯t he know the consequences of such actions?


    Or is that the outcome he desired?


    Who is this person?


    Is it Zhao Ying, Choo Lan, or Zhu Xiaohong?


    In the blink of an eye, Qin Yize had several thoughts.


    But his expression remained impassive.


    It was not until he noticed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s increasingly pale face that he realized he might have been questioning her as if she were a suspect.


    And the least likely here were he and Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Realizing this, Qin Yize¡¯s expression gradually softened.


    He said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am here for you¡­¡±


    With that, he no longer pressed Gu Qiaoqiao for answers.

 Chapter 148 - 148 The Attitude a Wife Should Have

    Chapter 148: Chapter 148 The Attitude a Wife Should Have


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s thoughts were extremely complicated; she had hidden too many things from him.


    But when he looked into those clear, piercing eyes, his usually cold heart couldn¡¯t help but soften.


    Let it be.


    So be it.


    No matter how Gu Qiaoqiao knew, since she didn¡¯t want to talk, he wouldn¡¯t force her.


    He would give her time to trust him bit by bit.


    If she wanted to talk, he would listen.


    If she didn¡¯t want to reveal anything, he would pretend to know nothing.


    After thinking it over, Gu Qiaoqiao added one more thing, ¡°However, I can¡¯t guarantee one hundred percent that this meat was really poisoned.¡±


    Better safe than sorry.


    Qin Yize remained silent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up and asked, ¡°Will you take these things for testing directly?¡±


    Only after the test results come out will they know what exactly happened.


    Qin Yize nodded lightly.


    Yet his mind was churning.


    Daring to tamper right under his eyes, targeting such an important place as the Border City Base laboratory, the person¡¯s purpose and motivation are definitely not pure.


    Especially given the current climate and background.


    He couldn¡¯t be sure if this was connected to some foreign forces.


    But he couldn¡¯t tell Gu Qiaoqiao.


    And this matter must not show any signs that might expose Gu Qiaoqiao as the one who found something off with this pot of meat.


    So this must be carried out in secrecy.


    Now, he needed to test the poison in this pot of meat as quickly as possible and then ferret out the person behind this.


    As the second-in-command at the base, he needed to secure the most accurate evidence.


    And the person responsible was definitely not acting alone; they might be collaborating with foreign forces.


    Or perhaps this person was a part of foreign forces themselves.


    He couldn¡¯t be sure it was Zhao Ying.


    After all, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong had also turned up uninvited today.


    And the fact that all three of them came together was also quite suspicious.


    Many things shouldn¡¯t be taken at face value, what seems normal might not be normal, and what seems abnormal might actually be normal.


    Qin Yize looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, whose complexion was even paler than before.


    He praised gently, ¡°Whether there was poison or not, the decision you made was the right one. You are a smart and brave girl. But keep this matter between you and me, don¡¯t tell a third person. I¡¯m going to leave now, shall I have Engineer Zheng¡¯s wife accompany you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize, shook her head, and said softly, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Are you not afraid?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said softly yet firmly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew she had already faced the worst moments of her life; what was this by comparison?


    Moreover, Qin Yize¡¯s work would only get busier, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay home twenty-four hours a day.


    So if he wasn¡¯t home, it wasn¡¯t possible to have Engineer Zheng¡¯s wife accompany her every day.


    Since she had come here, she was prepared for everything.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao was confident in herself.


    At the very least, her sense of danger was exceptionally sharp.


    And her hands, any random object in her grasp could become a deadly weapon.


    So she was not afraid at all.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes flashed with approval; this was exactly the attitude his wife should have.


    At this moment, a sense of pride inexplicably rose in Qin Yize¡¯s heart.


    He looked deeply at Gu Qiaoqiao, said nothing more, and strode toward the door.


    Ten minutes later, Luh Fei arrived in his car.


    This was someone Qin Yize could trust.


    And when Qin Yize carried the bucket containing the braised pork and potatoes that Gu Qiaoqiao had scraped off the floor, the hint of doubt in Luh Fei¡¯s mind finally found its release.


    He instantly understood what was happening.


    But actually, he was even more confused.


    However, it wasn¡¯t the time for him to delve deeper into the matter.


    He solemnly took the bucket and placed it in the car.


    Then, glancing at Gu Qiaoqiao, he said softly, ¡°Sister-in-law, thank you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved her lips in a smile, shook her head, but didn¡¯t speak. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luh Fei immediately drove off with Qin Yize towards the direction of the research building.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closed the gate, then double-locked the door.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao finally took a deep breath of relief.


    She believed that, given Qin Yize¡¯s abilities, he would soon discover the truth.


    When the bucket was taken away, Gu Qiaoqiao knew her senses were right; she could be 100 percent certain there was poison in the meat.


    Next, it was Qin Yize¡¯s responsibility.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt very tired, washed up, and went straight to rest.


    Qin Yize might not be able to return tonight.


    Perhaps he would arrest someone overnight.


    What was most needed today was swift and decisive action!


    That night, Gu Qiaoqiao slept rather peacefully.


    And Qin Yize returned two days later.


    During those two days, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong did not appear in her sight.


    As for anything else, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t have the courage to inquire.


    So everything remained as calm as ever here.


    Seeing Qin Yize¡¯s expression at the time, Gu Qiaoqiao knew that either there was a breakthrough, or the culprit was caught.


    However, such matters had become internal secrets of the base, and Gu Qiaoqiao smartly did not ask.


    She stood at the door and asked softly, ¡°Have you had lunch?¡±


    Because it was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was unsure whether Qin Yize had eaten.


    Qin Yize rubbed his forehead. After two days and nights of intense effort, he had finally captured the real culprit.


    It was Zhao Ying.


    Upon interrogation, Zhao Ying indeed had connections with a foreign force.


    And he was one of the key members.


    Qin Yize could not forget the smile on this man¡¯s face before he died.


    Not for money, not for fame; the purpose was self-evident.


    But Zhao Ying¡¯s family background was simple, hailing from a small county town with relatives engaged in farming or manual labor, none with overseas connections.


    Zhao Ying had grown up in that county town.


    When he contacted local police officers, he learned that in the eyes of neighbors and relatives, Zhao Ying had always been a straightforward child.


    At the base, he had also progressed quickly.


    There was nothing abnormal.


    The only anomaly was that he had returned home only once in the past few years, and he was still single.


    He confessed very quickly, as if he knew his fate was sealed, and his admission carried a touch of defiance.


    From his mouth, Qin Yize learned that the original target was the base¡¯s canteen.


    Although this time it was a sudden decision, if it had been successful, the consequences would have been greater than the influence of the base canteen.


    It just so happened that it wasn¡¯t successful.


    When no more useful information could be extracted, the guards executed Zhao Ying on the spot.


    As the guards of the Border City Base, they had certain privileges in such respects.


    After all, this was a special area.


    But this was just the beginning.


    Zhao Ying confessed too readily, which only added to the eeriness.


    The lab results showed that there was indeed poison in that pot of meat, and the poison was a newly developed biochemical toxin.

 Chapter 149 - 149 She Prevented a Disaster.

    Chapter 149: Chapter 149 She Prevented a Disaster.


    It came from overseas, named AS-3.


    It belongs to the category of chronic drugs, which do not cause instant death, but will corrode the internal organs within half a month, beyond medical help, leaving only death to await.


    And the duration of the effect depends on the amount ingested.


    Which means, the ten people who ate at the Qin family that day, including Qin Yize, will not die at the same time.


    This is why Zhao Ying came swaggering in and left just as confidently.


    He was fearless.


    There would be no issue immediately upon consumption.


    Both this new type of biochemical poison and the person Zhao Ying were alarming, making the three-party investors realize that the research at the base had attracted the attention of foreign forces.


    So, the situation became extremely complex.


    Fortunately, there was Gu Qiaoqiao, who prevented a disaster.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao, a mysterious and smart and brave young girl, his wife in name, was destined to become an unsung hero for her safety.


    Qin Yize¡¯s focused gaze enveloped Gu Qiaoqiao, and seeing her in good spirits, he also breathed a sigh of relief. Moments later, his slightly hoarse voice broke the silence, ¡°I didn¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll roll out some noodles for you, we have ready-made meat sauce,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao cheerfully suggested.


    Qin Yize nodded, but then he turned back to close the door properly, ¡°Wait a moment, I need to tell you something.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had the right to know part of the truth, as had been decided in the meeting of the main persons in charge.


    After all, Gu Qiaoqiao was also involved.


    And she inadvertently saved them as well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was about to head into the kitchen but followed Qin Yize to the living room upon hearing his words.


    Then she listened to the general course of events as explained by Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao broke out in a cold sweat as well.


    Was this drug so overbearing?


    That it could let the poisoned die like this?


    And its original target was actually the base cafeteria.


    The base cafeteria?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened suddenly.


    She remembered.


    In her past life, during the summer and around the Summer Solstice, many of the base¡¯s staff had fallen ill one after another within half a month.


    Then the area was placed under martial law.


    Qin Yize also didn¡¯t come home for nearly a month.


    At that time, Gu Qiaoqiao did not know what disease the workers had contracted but did know that people were dying consecutively.


    Their families said it was contagious.


    Others said it was a virus leaked from the lab.


    Then a minor base leader, fearing infection and trying to escape, was shot dead while attempting to flee across Da Jiang to another country.


    Zhang Yali said that the man died miserably, riddled with bullets.


    He was turned into a sieve.


    That man was Zhao Ying!


    And that disaster, which was said to be a contagious disease, was contained after a month of quarantine and the sacrifice of five base personnel, thanks to the medicine developed by Qin Yize.


    It turns out, it wasn¡¯t a disease at all.


    It was poisoning.


    Perhaps that was the official explanation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao finally understood why she felt so shocked deep inside whenever she reiterated the name Zhao Ying.


    That shock came from the way Zhang Yali described the death in her past life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s anger was ignited; this man was too despicable and cruel.


    In both her past and current life, he died a justified death!


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression shift from shock and fear to righteous indignation, Qin Yize felt the exhaustion of the past few days fade away.


    His brows quirked in pleasure, and he spoke with a nonchalant air, ¡°Go cook, I need to change my clothes.¡±


    As he said this, he began to undo his buttons.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t immediately grasp the sudden shift in conversation.


    She stood there, stunned.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he unfastened the first button of his uniform and continued on to the next.


    Soon, his shirt underneath was revealed.


    Seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao still hadn¡¯t left, he simply started to undo his shirt buttons as well.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao caught glimpses of his muscles revealing little by little, she came back to her senses and swiftly turned around with flushed cheeks, hastily leaving the living room.


    Behind her, Qin Yize, looking as though a startled little rabbit had fled, continued to unfasten his uniform buttons.


    A smile that even he hadn¡¯t noticed crept onto his lips.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao had entered the kitchen.


    With her lips pursed in annoyance, she muttered several curses at Qin Yize, then slapped her face and stopped thinking about the jumble in her mind, hurrying instead to start kneading the dough.


    Noodles for one were easy to make, especially with ready-made meat sauce.


    Now that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands had grown stronger, the dough she kneaded was very resilient.


    Although the dough was a bit darker at this time, the flavor was exceptionally rich.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s actions were quick; after all, she was used to doing these things in her previous life.


    So by the time Qin Yize had changed his clothes, washed his hands and face, Gu Qiaoqiao had already put the noodles into the pot.


    Qin Yize stood by, silently watching.


    However, he suddenly felt that although such days were mundane, they seemed very warm.


    Seeing that there was no need for his help here, he carried the meat sauce to the living room.


    Picking up the newspaper, he had only read for a moment when Gu Qiaoqiao came in carrying a large bowl of noodles fished out of the water.


    This was the first time Gu Qiaoqiao had rolled noodles for him to eat.


    The noodles were cut very evenly.


    The thickness was the same throughout.


    They looked very strong and resilient.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then went to the kitchen to fetch two small dishes of pickles and ladled a bowl of the noodle soup, adding some green onions and a pinch of salt to make a soup for after the meal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao brought all this to the table, and Qin Yize had already eaten more than half of his bowl.


    Knowing he didn¡¯t like to talk during meals, she went to the kitchen to clean the rolling board.


    After finishing his meal, Qin Yize carried his bowl and chopsticks to the kitchen.


    Cleaning up after one person was easy.


    In no time, Gu Qiaoqiao had the kitchen spotless.


    Then, looking at Qin Yize who was still standing at the door, she asked in surprise, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?¡±


    Qin Yize shook his head and said in a deep voice, ¡°Not this afternoon.¡±


    Seeing the faint shadows under his eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao said softly, ¡°You should go rest then.¡±


    With this, she headed out of the kitchen.


    Qin Yize, leaning against the kitchen doorway, slightly shifted his body to watch the petite girl pass by him.


    A feeling stirred in his heart, and he followed Gu Qiaoqiao into her bedroom.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around, saw Qin Yize following her, and asked in surprise, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    At that moment, Qin Yize realized he shouldn¡¯t keep going along with Gu Qiaoqiao in such a confused state.


    If certain things were silently changing, and he wasn¡¯t averse to these changes, then it was time he had a proper talk with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°Sit down, I have something to talk to you about,¡± Qin Yize said solemnly.


    What could it be this time?


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat down as told, lifted her eyes in surprise looking at Qin Yize, uncertain as to what he wanted to discuss. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she obediently waited for Qin Yize to begin speaking.


    Qin Yize has always been a decisive man.

 Chapter 150 - 150: Qin Yize, Do You Love Me?

    Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Qin Yize, Do You Love Me?


    Knowing what he needed to do, he would never shrink back or hesitate.


    So, with his thin lips slightly parted, his voice carried a trace of gentleness, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s live our lives well together from now on.¡±


    His clear, captivating voice, like the brows of a cold, distant mountain star, was tender and lingering with an imperceptible hint of affection.


    Especially those eyes, seemingly gathering all the stars in the sky.


    They tinted this spring afternoon with a heart-throbbing hue.


    But to Gu Qiaoqiao, these words struck like a bolt from the blue.


    She stood up abruptly.


    She wasn¡¯t overjoyed, she was shocked!


    Shocked that Qin Yize could utter such words to her.


    In two lifetimes, she had never expected to hear even a slightest bit about a future together from his lips.


    She had hoped countless times¡­


    ¡­hoped that Qin Yize would look at her as seriously as he would a book, then softly say, ¡°Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s live our lives well together.¡±


    But she never heard such words until her death!


    And now, when she had no more love for him, never even thought of a future with him, she suddenly heard these words.


    One had to admit, fate really did play tricks on people.


    In that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s casual and warm mood vanished into thin air.


    Her complexion grew colder by the second.


    And this Gu Qiaoqiao reminded Qin Yize of the one he saw on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Indifferent, distant, radiating a chilly air.


    It was as if the cheerful young girl, who had been bustling about happily like a little bee making noodles for him just moments ago, was merely his illusion.


    He didn¡¯t know what he had said wrong.


    He thought these should be words that Gu Qiaoqiao liked to hear.


    They should also be what she had wished to hear.


    And they were also his true feelings!


    At that moment, he truly wanted to be with Gu Qiaoqiao properly.


    After all, she was already his wife.


    But why didn¡¯t such words make Gu Qiaoqiao happy, and instead, turned her face frosty and her gaze cold?


    Qin Yize, in turn, lost his former gentleness.


    But he didn¡¯t speak.


    Instead, he continued to focus on Gu Qiaoqiao intently.


    His expression was calm, and his dark eyes showed no hint of emotion.


    After a while, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed to finally find her voice. She fixed her gaze tightly on Qin Yize and suddenly asked, ¡°Why do you have such thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong for me to have such thoughts?¡± Qin Yize asked back indifferently.


    ¡°Wrong, of course it¡¯s wrong¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao frowned and said, her voice tinged with a hint of mockery, ¡°You, Qin Yize, are someone who sits high above the clouds. Such words really don¡¯t suit you.¡±


    At this moment, there was none of the playful young girl in Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression gradually turned colder as well. His handsome brows slightly arched in a semblance of a smile, he said with a mockingly, ¡°How I should speak is not for you to dictate.¡±


    The chill in his voice seemed to easily freeze the warm sunshine of spring.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, she was actually being a bit melodramatic.


    But she couldn¡¯t help it.


    She had long known she was wrong, that she and Qin Yize were worlds apart, that she had forced this marriage.


    So, without affecting Qin Yize, she had continued with him just to find her enemy.


    After all, now when they were together, she didn¡¯t make him take care of her like she did in her past life.


    Nor did she cause him trouble and embarrass him like before.


    But things shouldn¡¯t be this way.


    Qin Yize shouldn¡¯t have changed his mind.


    He should have kept being indifferent toward her.


    Perhaps this way, her heart would be a bit more balanced.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao of her past life wouldn¡¯t have been too tragic.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew she might have psychological issues, but she couldn¡¯t control herself.


    She knew Qin Yize was angry.


    But she had no thoughts of living a life together with Qin Yize.


    Just like now, they were merely two strangers living under the same roof.


    She did what she could do, and as for the rest, there was no longer any possibility.


    When love was gone, it was gone.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao who had once loved Qin Yize so passionately was already dead.


    Dead in the dark and deep waters beneath the cliff.


    In this life, Gu Qiaoqiao had only two things to do: one was to protect her family and ensure their lifelong happiness and well-being, and the other was to find her enemies from her past life and take her revenge!


    As for everything else, she really never thought about it.


    Regarding love, she would never have extravagant expectations again.


    Even if Qin Yize had changed his opinion of her, even if he had developed a bit of affection for her, the Gu Qiaoqiao of this moment couldn¡¯t accept it.


    Between them lay several human lives, a blood feud of unknown origins.


    Before all matters were clarified, the fact that she could live with Qin Yize in peace was already rare.


    Her restoration of her former smile didn¡¯t mean she had forgotten her family¡¯s ruin and her own desperation¡­


    The person who placed the order, the one who orchestrated accident after accident, the one who caused the demise of the Gu family, she hadn¡¯t found him yet.


    The persistent nightmares that haunted her in her sleep were still with her often.


    How could she dare to think about the future?


    But the current Gu Qiaoqiao truly didn¡¯t dare to confront Qin Yize outright.


    She knew how ruthless this man could be.


    Yet, Qin Yize¡¯s attitude still infuriated her.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if numerous grievances and anger were surging to her head.


    Even if her love in the past had been reckless, was there anything wrong with her love?


    She hadn¡¯t hurt anyone, she hadn¡¯t done anything bad.


    She embraced everyone around her with the utmost goodwill.


    But what was the result? What did she get?


    All she received was hurt upon hurt.


    Not liking her was one thing, treating her as if she didn¡¯t exist would have been fine, so why did they have to harm her and her family?


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao mustered the courage, her piercing gaze fixed on Qin Yize, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t have the right to dictate how you speak, but, do I have the right to ask you a question?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s tall and slender figure stood erect in the narrow bedroom. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The afternoon sun was somewhat brilliant.


    Light filtered through the glass window into the room, and it seemed as if tiny dust particles were dancing in the light.


    Qin Yize stood in the hazy interplay of light and shadow, his cool gaze directly on Gu Qiaoqiao, and after a long while, he spoke indifferently, ¡°Ask.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her red lip, struggled with the embarrassment in her heart, steeled herself, and boldly asked, ¡°Qin Yize, do you love me?¡±


    Qin Yize hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to ask this.


    In that moment, he seemed to see the bold and persistent young girl once again.


    At this moment, Qin Yize was stunned.


    Did he love her?


    What is love?


    What does love have to do with spending life together?


    But seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s persistent expression and those clear eyes, Qin Yize knew this was a serious and earnest question.


    It deserved no carelessness, no perfunctory response.


    So, did he love her?

 Chapter 151 - 151 My Life Plan Does Not Include You

    Chapter 151: Chapter 151 My Life Plan Does Not Include You


    Love, in traditional sense and in Han culture, has different interpretations.


    And from a biological perspective, the explanations are even more detailed.


    But were his actions a display of loving and desiring her?


    Or was it just a fondness for the current peaceful and warm life?


    It seemed that there was still some distance from love.


    Qin Yize gazed at Gu Qiaoqiao with a straightforward and frank expression, ¡°I don¡¯t love you at the moment!¡±


    Hearing the answer she wanted, a layer of sourness still spread in Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes at that moment.


    It felt as though her heart had been pricked by a steel needle.


    She cursed herself for being pathetic, isn¡¯t this answer great? It solved the current predicament all at once.


    What are you upset about?


    Didn¡¯t you already stop loving him?


    If you¡¯ve stopped loving, what are you still hoping for?


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly curved her red lips, a trace of coldness tinted her smile, just as she was about to speak, Qin Yize continued with a deep voice, ¡°Please understand clearly, it¡¯s that I don¡¯t love you now, but I don¡¯t dislike you, and what I just said was sincere. Since you said we could reconsider the divorce, then I think we may be able to continue living together, this isn¡¯t a conflicting matter.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew Qin Yize disdained to lie to her, just like his response about not loving her earlier.


    Therefore, she knew what he had just said was the truth!


    But she did not want to listen to this truth.


    ¡°In my heart, there is a conflict, if you don¡¯t love me, how are we supposed to live on?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao retorted.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, then what have we been doing these days?¡±


    ¡°What have we been doing?¡± Qiaoqiao laughed coldly, ¡°No matter what we¡¯ve been doing, it¡¯s not the way a husband and wife should be.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you think a husband and wife should be like?¡± Qin Yize apparently did not understand and asked earnestly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat embarrassed, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    At this point, Qin Yize glanced outside the window, suddenly a mischievous smile crossed his lips, he turned his head, gazed at Gu Qiaoqiao intently, and slowly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t think you¡¯re too young and actually want to have a child, we can start now.¡±


    ¡°Who would have a child with you?¡± Qiaoqiao¡¯s cheeks instantly blushed with twin spots of crimson, she protested in embarrassment without a second thought.


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows lifted slightly, his smile ambiguous, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, right now you are still my wife by law, so even if you want to have children, you can only have them with me.¡±


    Such blunt and barefaced words, laced with arrogance and assertiveness, struck Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ears, making her heart pound like thunder and her ears turn red.


    And the air in the room, because of this statement, suddenly grew charged with innuendo.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was at a loss for words, her face turned away blushing, her lips tightly pressed, and her eyes restlessly shifting.


    And such a Gu Qiaoqiao, Qin Yize¡¯s anger from before gradually dissipated.


    He simply took her as being capricious.


    After all, she was young, still not fully grown.


    As the proverb says, changing moods every day like cats and dogs is quite normal.


    So he didn¡¯t hold it against her.


    Thus, Qin Yize relaxed the chill in his demeanor, and his gaze softened somewhat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath.


    She decided not to continue this topic with Qin Yize.


    Because he always managed to shift serious, stern topics to another level.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao had not expected that Qin Yize could be such a devilish person in certain aspects.


    And this Qin Yize was even more difficult to cope with than the indifferent Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tensed her little face.


    She then moved her gaze to the window, not looking at Qin Yize¡¯s expression, and said in a low voice to herself, ¡°Qin Yize, the things I said to you in the Imperial Capital were sincere, I have no plans to move towards a future with you, and you are not in my life plan. Although I proposed a divorce and then went back on my word, which might seem inconsistent, if you think this hinders your life, I can sign the divorce papers right now and agree to it; I won¡¯t influence you in the slightest.¡±


    The young girl¡¯s voice was low and soft, yet carried a hint of sadness and helplessness, and resonated in the confines of the cramped bedroom.


    Qin Yize¡¯s thin lips were tightly closed, as he scrutinized Gu Qiaoqiao intently, not missing any small movement on her face.


    It seemed he wanted to know if Gu Qiaoqiao was truly speaking from the heart.


    Moments later, he realized that Gu Qiaoqiao was telling the truth.


    Qin Yize¡¯s slight glimmer of hope had gradually vanished into thin air. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Qin Yize finally understood.


    The power to direct their marriage now lay in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands.


    It wasn¡¯t like before, when as long as he wanted to continue with Gu Qiaoqiao, she would follow him without hesitation, without a hint of reluctance.


    Now, everything was just the opposite.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words were calm, they were actually quite cruel.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s future life no longer included him.


    In other words, the current Gu Qiaoqiao, seemingly living a tranquil life with him, actually had her own goals.


    And in her life plans, there was no longer a man named Qin Yize.


    It felt somewhat desolate.


    Qin Yize thought quietly.


    It was really like the words he¡¯d said during the Spring Festival. She starts when she wants, and ends when she wishes.


    She really treats marriage and divorce like child¡¯s play.


    So, is that how it is?


    Will she get her way?


    At that moment, Qin Yize suddenly smirked.


    All the coldness and chill were hidden in that faint smile.


    Because Gu Qiaoqiao was looking down, she didn¡¯t see that smile.


    If she had, she would have been scared out of her wits.


    For in that smile lay a suffocating determination!


    Maybe it had nothing to do with love.


    Qin Yize wondered, what is love? What is this thing called love?


    Does his current wish to live life with Gu Qiaoqiao have anything to do with whether he loves her or not?


    To Gu Qiaoqiao, a young girl who dreams of love, his earlier confession of not loving her might seem cruel.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao should know that since he promised to have a good life with her, he would take it seriously.


    He would be a qualified husband.


    He would be loyal to this marriage, loyal to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Loyal until the very end of his life!


    Did all this really not measure up to that so-called love?


    Love, after all, is just a beautiful dream young girls like to indulge in.


    Life requires more than just love!


    It¡¯s just that the current situation was not suitable to continue this conversation.


    The current Gu Qiaoqiao seemed somewhat like a startled bird.


    It was better not to talk about marriage and love, for as soon as these were mentioned, it was as though a stake had been driven straight into some part of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, transforming her instantly.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze darkened as he said in a low voice, ¡°Then, let it be as your heart desires.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had not expected Qin Yize to give in so easily.


    He did not persist any further.


    Yet in her heart, a strange and complex feeling began to rise.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao both despised herself and was relieved that Qin Yize was a true gentleman with the demeanor of a great general.

 Chapter 152 - 152 If you dont take good care of it, it might grow crooked.

    Chapter 152: Chapter 152 If you don¡¯t take good care of it, it might grow crooked.


    Otherwise, as a normal man, he would indeed have to force her to fulfill her duties as a wife, and she definitely would not be able to beat him.


    And that outcome was not something Gu Qiaoqiao wanted.


    Gu Qiaoqiao cleverly shifted the topic, sliding down the slope and changing the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s make dumplings tonight, using duckbill vegetables as the filling, it¡¯s really delicious¡­¡±


    The cheerful little bee, Gu Qiaoqiao, was back.


    Qin Yize¡¯s thin lips curled into a handsome arc as he stared at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s black hair and her long, curled eyelashes drooping down.


    A moment later, he said softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then he packed away all his emotions and walked out of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedroom unhurriedly.


    It was only after Qin Yize had left that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s tense shoulders finally relaxed.


    She let out a long sigh of relief.


    Then she had no heart to go check those pieces of jade.


    After all, the tools hadn¡¯t been mailed over yet.


    Gu Qiaoqiao temporarily had nothing to do but also didn¡¯t want to stay in the room, so she pushed open the door and looked in the direction of Qin Yize¡¯s bedroom, listening for any movement.


    She knew that Qin Yize had probably been tirelessly chasing after Zhao Ying these past few days.


    By now, he should have gone to rest.


    After all, he was also a mortal, not a god!


    Gu Qiaoqiao patted her chest and tiptoed out the door.


    She knew there was a grassy area just outside the main door which was now covered with freshly sprouted duckbill vegetables.


    This wild vegetable was very tender when it first came out.


    Blanching it and chopping it fine, then mixing it with some meat to make a filling for dumplings, was extremely fragrant.


    Picking duckbill vegetables didn¡¯t require any tools; one could just pinch the tips of the leaves with fingers.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a basin and went out through the main door.


    It was already late May.


    In another month, summer would arrive in the North, and actually, this was a good place, at least in summer it really wasn¡¯t hot, very cool indeed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, standing at the doorway, looked out to see the vast distant mountains lush and green, with the nearby area equally verdant.


    She thought that right now, on the hillside, those wild lilies and rhododendrons were blooming their most intense and beautiful.


    In a while, the wild fruits in the mountains would also be ripe; actually, if transportation were convenient and winter not cold, this place would become a paradise on earth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed at herself, turned her head to glance at her own main door, and suddenly, reflecting on Qin Yize¡¯s words just now, her face flushed red again.


    He really dared to say it.


    Talking about having children as if it were light and breezy, so natural.


    Gu Qiaoqiao patted her face and then shook her head, looking around.


    The family quarters and the research base were built together.


    However, there was a primeval forest separating them.


    It was said that to protect these centuries-old trees, the base was divided, but to Gu Qiaoqiao, this made it feel even more mysterious.


    On the other side of the county town was the local military station.


    It was about twenty Li from here.


    Although it was early spring, the sunlight of May was the warmest and brightest.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around once and then refocused her gaze.


    She then began to squat down and one by one, started picking the duckbill vegetables.


    Qin Yize lay down and only then felt indeed a bit tired.


    Although physically exhausted, he felt utterly sleepless.


    He heard the sound of Gu Qiaoqiao leaving the house.


    He rubbed his forehead with some headache, suddenly wondering what the outcome would be if he told her he loved her.


    What would Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reaction be?


    Imagining for a moment, he shook his head slightly, unable to guess at all.


    For the first time in his life, Qin Yize felt a sense of powerlessness over something uncontrollable.


    Yet, this feeling of powerlessness was quite fresh.


    It made him feel that the future, filled with unknowns, might be even more exciting.


    He rolled over and sat up.


    Looking at the lifelike eagle carved on the Wolf¡¯s Fang on his chest, when he saw the red eagle¡¯s eyes, a subtle soft light flashed through his eyes.


    Actually, truly, from the very beginning, he had never disliked her!


    Moreover, during today¡¯s conversation, Qin Yize once again confirmed his own opinions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mindset had major issues.


    Not to mention the drastic change in her personality in just a few days around the Spring Festival, but also her inexplicable harshness towards human traffickers.


    If he hadn¡¯t stopped her, he thought, perhaps the human trafficker would have been killed by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Such behavior, from Qin Yize¡¯s perspective, was actually admirable.


    Mercy to an enemy is cruelty to oneself.


    The story of the farmer and the snake can happen at any time.


    But, she was a girl, just a nineteen-year-old young girl.


    Not even an adult yet.


    She shouldn¡¯t have such a mindset.


    Moreover, in certain situations, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s self-protection was too strong; once it involved matters concerning her own interests, like today¡¯s conversation, she thought of herself first.


    Then, she suddenly became a different person, filled with a coldness and desolation that even she herself did not realize.


    Qin Yize could not guess what she had experienced.


    The neglect by her parents and sister might be related, but, surely, that wasn¡¯t the main reason.


    Because, besides neglect, there was no deep-seated vengeance.


    And most importantly, she was only nineteen years old this year.


    It was the time to enjoy making friends.


    But, she didn¡¯t have a single friend.


    She didn¡¯t like making friends either.


    Aside from herself and her family, there was no one else in her eyes.


    Although her relation with Luo Fan was not bad, that was also because Luo Fan took the initiative.


    Of course, there was also Chang Qing.


    Her attitude towards him was quite strange as well.


    It seemed, she had known about his future long ago.


    This was not normal. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Life is not like cutting a cake.


    Dividing each piece perfectly, only taking the part that belongs to oneself, indifferent to all else.


    Humans are social creatures; they cannot live alone, above societal norms.


    Even him, with his aloof demeanor, had many good brothers with whom he could entrust his life.


    As for her secrets, they were even more numerous.


    So much so that Qin Yize had no interest in knowing any more at this time.


    His expression was solemn, his demeanor more serious than ever before.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, at this moment before him, seemed just like a small sapling.


    If not properly cared for, it might end up growing crooked.


    So, rather than Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s secrets and their future together, it seemed this was more important.


    Qin Yize hoped that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, like her smile, was filled with brilliant sunshine.


    Just like the first time he met her!


    A firm and fervent light passed through his eyes.


    Then, he leisurely put on his sweater, opened the door, and walked outside.


    Immediately, he saw Gu Qiaoqiao, dressed in a light green sweater, squatting outside on the grass, picking what she referred to as duckbill vegetables that could be used for stuffing dumplings.


    The color of the sweater looked very nice, he had noticed it just now, fresh like her age, but when squatting on the lush green grass, she somewhat resembled the small sapling he had just envisioned.


    He concealed the smile in his eyes, raised his eyebrow slightly without a sound, and walked unhurriedly towards Gu Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 153 - 153: Dumpling Dinner Party

    Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Dumpling Dinner Party


    When Qin Yize reached Gu Qiaoqiao, he naturally crouched down.


    Gu Qiaoqiao only felt a shadow looming over her.


    Looking up, she was startled¡ªit was Qin Yize!


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked several times and asked, ¡°Are you going to the base?¡±


    Today, Qin Yize was wearing a coffee-colored sweater, which absolutely highlighted his jade-like complexion and elegant demeanor.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t pick up on her words; instead, he took a pickerelweed from the iron basin by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s feet and asked her, ¡°Is this the pickerelweed you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is it.¡± Hesitating for a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao honestly replied.


    ¡°Does it have a scientific name?¡± Qin Yize asked gently, turning the pickerelweed over in his hands.


    Scientific name?


    Uh¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneaked a glance at Qin Yize; he was squatting very close to her. The sun was shining brightly today, illuminating his face, and she suddenly realized how flawless his skin was.


    Not a single acne spot.


    A grown man!


    And yet, he had such great skin.


    Gu Qiaoqiao silently curled her lips and then felt that today¡¯s Qin Yize was stranger than ever.


    So, better be careful in the future.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the scientific name; maybe this is the scientific name,¡± she replied.


    Noticing the curiosity on Qin Yize¡¯s face, Gu Qiaoqiao continued, ¡°This pickerelweed can also reduce swelling and detoxify. If you accidentally get bitten by a venomous snake or insect in the woods, take the fresh pickerelweed, mash it into a paste, and apply it directly to the wound. It will quickly decompose and expel the toxins from the body, and it can also quickly alleviate the symptoms of redness and pain caused by the snake bite.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao, his lips curving up, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    ¡°Where did you read about it?¡±


    ¡°In books, of course,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and replied.


    Putting down the pickerelweed he was holding, Qin Yize simply sat down cross-legged on the clean grass and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Do you love reading books?¡±


    He seemed to have never seen her reading one.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, staring at those starry eyes that were fixated on her, and unconsciously said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Actually, her true love was sculpting.


    Qin Yize¡¯s brows twitched, but he didn¡¯t speak; instead, he began to pinch the leaf buds of the pickerelweed nearby.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t stop him, yet she felt quite strange inside.


    The conversation they had in the bedroom earlier seemed to have no effect on him, as if it had never happened. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if it were just a daytime dream she had during her nap.


    She felt resentful in her heart.


    She already had a tendency to be absent-minded in situations, and this Qin Yize must be doing it on purpose.


    At that moment, Zhang Yali and her child walked by the roadside, accompanied by a woman in her thirties. Gu Qiaoqiao squinted and suddenly remembered¡ªit was Engineer Mu¡¯s wife.


    Her name was Du Shuang.


    True to her name, she was a very straightforward woman.


    In the beginning, in her past life, the two did not get along well. During the darkest two years of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s life, they had even quarreled.


    What it was about, Gu Qiaoqiao had actually forgotten.


    All she remembered was that she had been called stupid before the other woman turned and walked away.


    It wasn¡¯t until half a year later that they started talking again and resumed their interactions.


    But now, Gu Qiaoqiao thought what Du Shuang said back then was quite right; she had been pretty stupid at that time.


    Certain people, at certain stages, are as if their brains are covered in mud, wandering through life in a daze, and a moment of enlightenment isn¡¯t that easy to come by.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at her and stood up with Qin Yize.


    Before Qin Yize could introduce her, Du Shuang¡¯s loud voice rang out, ¡°Oh, are this young couple picking herbs, or are they on a picnic¡­¡±


    She then walked up to the two of them, curiously looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°So you¡¯re Gu Qiaoqiao, right? My goodness, you¡¯re so young, yet your cooking skills are so impressive. Yesterday, my husband Zheng said the food I made was like pig feed. By the way, my name is Du Shuang, but you can just call me Sister-in-law Zheng.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, blinked her misty eyes, and obediently said, ¡°Sister-in-law Zheng.¡±


    Du Shuang smacked her lips and praised, ¡°Such a cute little face, no wonder Doctor Qin married you so early.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know what to say, so she just pursed her lips and smiled, seemingly embarrassed.


    Qin Yize, who was used to such scenes, asked indifferently, ¡°Sister-in-law, is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just came to see your wife.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, please come in then.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t seem to see Zhang Yali not far off; she just politely greeted Du Shuang.


    Du Shuang waved her hand, ¡°No need, no need.¡± Then, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, she asked, ¡°Is that duckbill plant in your basin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister-in-law, you recognize it as well?¡±


    ¡°Used to eat it all the time when I was a kid, of course I recognize it,¡± Du Shuang continued, ¡°It tastes even better blanched.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I plan to use it as a filling for dumplings.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making dumplings tonight?¡± Du Shuang¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    Du Shuang clapped her hands, her eyes smiling, ¡°Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s have a dinner gathering tonight.¡±


    A gathering?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back and knead the dough, make a few more dishes, and you prepare the dumpling filling. We can make dumplings together.¡± Then looking at Qin Yize, ¡°What do you think, Doctor Qin?¡±


    Qin Yize naturally nodded his head.


    His heart stirred.


    This Du Shuang was quite decent, much better than the neighbor who was holding her child.


    It would be nice for Gu Qiaoqiao to be friends with her.


    But it still depended on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After all, making friends should be based on likability.


    Thus, he discreetly glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao to gauge her reaction.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate and cheerfully nodded, ¡°Sure, then I¡¯ll pick more duckbill plant and prepare the dumpling filling to bring over.¡±


    Du Shuang had actually regretted it a bit, not because she begrudged the white flour from her home, but because she was worried her forwardness might have scared off Qin Yize¡¯s young wife.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to be so straightforward.


    So, she walked off the grass happily onto the street, where Zhang Yali was holding her child as well.


    She met her right in front of her house.


    That woman was too lazy; not much housework, no elders to care for, yet she managed to keep her two kids so untidy.


    Lacked any tact as well.


    Didn¡¯t even ask, just tagged along.


    But since their men were colleagues working together, they couldn¡¯t just spoil the unity.


    So she cheerfully said, ¡°Zhang Yali, come roll out dumpling wrappers with me. With your Engineer Mu joining us tonight, we¡¯ll have a lively time.¡±


    If familiarity was the criterion, Du Shuang and Zhang Yali knew each other the best, and since Du Shuang was the eldest and the main host was at her house, naturally she had the final say on whom to invite.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, being young has its benefits.


    Qin Yize thought, Gu Qiaoqiao could indeed easily win others¡¯ favor if she wanted to.


    Just like now!


    Zhang Yali happily followed Du Shuang.


    Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao began picking duckbill plants.


    If this spot of grassland were cordoned off, these two would somewhat resemble a couple out on a picnic.

 Chapter 154 - 154 Unrest

    Chapter 154: Chapter 154 Unrest


    No one could have imagined that just moments ago, these two had been discussing a topic with no future.


    The dumplings in the evening once again made everyone look at Gu Qiaoqiao with admiration.


    These dumpling fillings are indeed fragrant.


    With the chewy dumpling wrappers and the delicious dipping sauce, everyone ended up eating every last one.


    They arrived happy and left satisfied.


    The moon quietly climbed over the mountain, and the night in Border City fell into silence.


    Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital, at the old residence of the Shen Family.


    After taking a walk post-dinner, Elder Shen was back at his simple desk, reading the latest newspaper.


    The young man who always accompanied him, Loo Zhigang, entered with a doctor.


    ¡°Elder Shen, your test results have come out,¡± Loo Zhigang gently reminded him.


    Elder Shen finally raised his head, looked at the two people in front of him, put down the newspaper, and leaned back.


    The doctor placed the test results on the desk in front of Elder Shen and was about to speak when Elder Shen chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t use any of that professional jargon, just give it to me straight.¡±


    ¡°Elder Shen, your health is improving. Particularly, the shadow in your lung has dissipated, and the inflammation in your bronchus has also improved. Your medication has been rearranged; you need only to take one of them, and moreover, you can completely stop taking it in one week. Going forward, you need to pay attention to rest and diet¡­¡± the doctor indeed put it plainly.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it, thank you for your efforts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, this is my duty.¡± The doctor then handed a piece of paper to Loo Zhigang, ¡°There are some foods you¡¯d better avoid or at least reduce consumption¡­¡±


    Loo Zhigang quickly interjected, ¡°Like chili peppers, right?¡±


    The doctor nodded.


    Elder Shen glared at Loo Zhigang, but his mood was also not bad. With his health improved, he could do more things.


    After giving further advice to Elder Shen, the doctor finally left the office, and Loo Zhigang followed him to see him out.


    Elder Shen then stood up, took a few light steps around the room, and then sat down on the sofa.


    The amulet on his chest, whether due to the warmth of his body or the amulet itself, only Elder Shen knew that, after wearing this amulet for over a week, the cough that had troubled him for many years gradually improved.


    The burning sensation in his airways that had tortured him for decades also gradually eased.


    Until now, it had almost returned to normal.


    All of this may have been the effect of the amulet, or perhaps the effect of the medication, but it was just too coincidental.


    Elder Shen¡¯s gaze deepened as he looked at the filing cabinet where the urgent documents from the afternoon had been placed, containing the complete record of Zhao Ying¡¯s attempted poisoning.


    Inside, he saw a name, the girl who had carved the amulet¡ªGu Qiaoqiao.


    This was a secret from within the Border City Experimental Base.


    To the outside, of course, it was a different story.


    After a moment of thought, Elder Shen picked up the telephone and spoke in a serious tone, ¡°I have finished the document. Erase the girl¡¯s name completely, leaving no trace.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder Shen, I¡¯ll carry it out immediately!¡±


    After putting down the phone, Elder Shen sat back down at his desk, meticulously placed the document, and knew that the current situation was indeed very serious.


    Some enemy agents were simply ruthless and frenzied; he could not allow Gu Qiaoqiao to be in potential danger.


    No matter what was special about her, Elder Shen knew in his heart that the amulet she had loaned him was only beneficial and not harmful.


    Although they were all materialists, the Huaxia civilization had a long and splendid history, with a broad and profound culture. Elder Shen was very familiar with some of the subtleties of the culture.


    So, he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    He possessed a wealth of economic knowledge that could be described as forward-thinking. Although he was old now, he still wanted to continue doing things that would benefit the country and its people.


    He understood the principle that strong science and technology enrich the nation.


    He was the chief in charge of the experimental base.


    And such experimental bases had grown from just one to several.


    But he valued the one in Border City the most.


    Because Qin Yize was there.


    Although there were investments from the Qin Family here, the involvement of Qin Yize had already resulted in three globally notable achievements.


    Of course, all this was confidential.


    Outsiders currently didn¡¯t know.


    Therefore, he wanted to eliminate all potential dangers and obstacles for this young man and his family.


    At this moment, Loo Zhigang entered, smiling with his eyes squinted, and after pouring a glass of water for Elder Shen, he cheerfully said, ¡°Elder Shen, it¡¯s wonderful; you finally don¡¯t have to take medicine and injections all day long.¡±


    Elder Shen took the water, took a sip, and gently asked, ¡°Has my salary been deposited in that passbook yet?¡±


    Loo Zhigang nodded and pouted his lips, ¡°Elder Shen, you know I keep my word, and I didn¡¯t plan to renege. But these two times depositing money in the passbook, my heart aches, we suffered too much, the other day Xiao Zhang bought five of them for ten yuan, and he even gave me one¡­¡±


    Elder Shen looked at Loo Zhigang amusedly but did not expose him; instead, he straightened his face and said sternly, ¡°You should have no more complaints about this matter, we are in business, and we trade fairly with the young lady, it¡¯s not coercion. So, no more grumbling in the future, and the debt should also be sent on schedule.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder Shen,¡± Loo Zhigang, seeing Elder Shen¡¯s stern face, quickly agreed enthusiastically.


    Elder Shen nodded with satisfaction, ¡°That¡¯s how it should be.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Elder Shen had resumed reading, Loo Zhigang quietly exited.


    Meanwhile, in a civilian house in a northern city, a phone call was made to the Imperial Capital where a woman picked it up. The contents of the call were extraordinarily ordinary.


    But it was, in fact, encrypted communication.


    Only the involved parties understood what was being said.


    The woman¡¯s voice was a bit gloomy as she rebuked the caller, then instructed them not to act rashly and to destroy all of Zhao Ying¡¯s other information.


    Zhao Ying had changed the plan on her own; her death was insignificant now, the important thing was how to clean up the traces completely and remain undetected.


    The person on the other side nodded continuously, and then they each hung up the phone.


    The night grew deeper, and the moonlight was like water.


    And this night was destined not to be calm.


    It was now two AM, and in a special care ward of a hospital in the Imperial Capital, Gu Qingfeng, who had been in a coma for over a month, suddenly moved his finger.


    Uncle Gu, who had been dozing off at his side, suddenly opened his eyes as if by telepathy.


    He then saw Elder Gu¡¯s finger trembling slightly.


    Uncle Gu first wiped his eyes in disbelief, then, seeing Elder Gu¡¯s eyelids also twitching, he threw himself forward, crying out, ¡°Old Patriarch, you¡¯re awake; can you hear me talking?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng struggled to move his finger again.


    His eyelids were also twitching as if he was trying to open his eyes.

 Chapter 155 - 155: How Good Shes Been All Her Life

    Chapter 155: Chapter 155: How Good She¡¯s Been All Her Life


    Uncle Gu shouted loudly for the family¡¯s personal physician, ¡°Doctor Han, come quickly, the old master seems to be waking up.¡±


    The door was swiftly opened, and a figure dashed in like an arrow, followed by various examinations.


    An hour later, Elder Gu slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡­


    Dawn arrived quickly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was still in her dreams, while Qin Yize had already returned from his run, bringing back breakfast for Gu Qiaoqiao, then left a note and departed.


    The note told Gu Qiaoqiao that he had to go to the test site below to check on work and wouldn¡¯t be back for a few days.


    But that was just a pretext, what he was really heading to was Mountain City, miles away.


    Wherever he went, Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t concerned, she had her own matters to attend to.


    She was going to start clearing land with Du Shuang to plant vegetables.


    The two were collaborators, first planting in Zheng¡¯s vegetable garden, and then in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s.


    Then, under their lead, a large number of families also started planting, and as for vegetable seeds, the base¡¯s logistics planted vegetables every year, so there was no shortage of seeds.


    Besides, growing vegetables was a good thing.


    It could reduce quite a lot of burden.


    In one week¡¯s time, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s vegetable garden was all planted.


    Then she stopped managing it.


    No matter how it was planted, or whether it grew well or not, it was enough for two people to eat.


    During this time she received letters from An Xiaotong and Shang Qing, as well as from Chang Qing.


    An Xiaotong¡¯s letter made Gu Qiaoqiao a bit worried, she poured her heart out to Gu Qiaoqiao, saying her mother and elder brother were very critical of her, because once An Xiaolan mocked her for being weak and incompetent, a disgrace to the An Family, and out of anger she raised her hand. She felt she didn¡¯t even touch her, but somehow, An Xiaolan tumbled down the stairs.


    Then An Xiaolan got injured and was hospitalized, and before she could recover, she cried and asked to leave the An Family. Her elder brother was even furious, to the point of slapping her. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now she was very sad and in pain, with only her grandmother standing by her side, believing she would not do such a thing.


    Even her parents didn¡¯t believe her.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do, feeling like she was unnecessary, that An Xiaolan, the adopted daughter, was the real blood relative.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that a mean person is always pretentious.


    Although there was no evidence, Gu Qiaoqiao felt that An Xiaolan wasn¡¯t kind-hearted.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sent a letter back, telling An Xiaotong that now was not the time to be meek, nor a time to compete in kindness. If she didn¡¯t want to have accidents anymore, then it was time to wield the authority of the An Family¡¯s legitimate eldest daughter.


    After all, she was just a scheming adopted daughter.


    Did she really think she was the Golden Phoenix?


    Gu Qiaoqiao told An Xiaotong that only by standing up for herself could she knock others down.


    Otherwise, not only would she never be able to turn things around, she might even lose her life.


    As for Shang Qing and Chang Qing, there were no major issues.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a few days before replying to their letters.


    And to contact home she could just go to the base to make a call, or to the post office in the county town.


    Gu Tianfeng still hadn¡¯t received a reply from the magazine, which probably wouldn¡¯t come so quickly, but his grandmother¡¯s greenhouse had started officially selling vegetables.


    The first batch of cucumbers didn¡¯t even need to be transported; the truck from the Luo Family took them directly away.


    Just from this one time, half of a greenhouse¡¯s capital costs were recovered.


    Not to mention, the tomatoes were about to ripen too.


    Now, the Lian Family Village had become a model for wealth creation.


    The county paid special attention to it, not only sending people to provide guidance but also planning to make Lian Family Village a demonstration site to vigorously promote greenhouse vegetable cultivation.


    Now, Lian Family Village had undergone earth-shattering changes in just a few months.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also very happy to hear it.


    If her eldest uncle and youngest uncle continued on this path, their lives would get better and better.


    And on the day she made the phone call, the machinery also arrived.


    Although it was not big, it was quite heavy.


    Two members of the security squad helped to bring it back and then placed it in the living room.


    The bedroom isn¡¯t suitable for this kind of thing, because there will be powder and dust when grinding jade.


    After connecting to the power supply, Gu Qiaoqiao began to operate according to the manual.


    Gu Qiaoqiao learned quickly; of course, this was also thanks to the training from her past life. There were many machines in the kitchen back then, especially the ones for mixing dough; they were all electrically operated.


    By now, it had been over a week since Qin Yize left, and Border City had entered early summer.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s life was fulfilling.


    She spent an entire day grinding out her first piece of Gold Jade Stone.


    These hands were simply marvelous.


    When cutting and grinding, there was hardly any mistake, removing the useless parts to leave behind the Gold Jade Stone.


    The first piece of Gold Jade Stone had a round gold nugget embedded in dark green jade, which Gu Qiaoqiao held in her hand, deciding to carve a Gold Jade Stone Carving of a ¡°Rising Sun¡± based on its natural contours.


    The gold nugget would be the sun.


    The dark green jade below was like the sea at dawn, and just beneath the gold nugget was a hint of amber in the jade, perfect for making the reflection of the sun.


    Then, she¡¯d carve a few seagulls spreading their wings and flying.


    Gu Qiaoqiao believed that this Gold Jade Stone could definitely sell for a good price.


    So, a week passed by.


    Gu Qiaoqiao carved out two pieces of Gold Jade Stone.


    Each had its own unique characteristics and appeal.


    Even Gu Qiaoqiao herself found them irresistible.


    If she hadn¡¯t been in need of money, she would not have been willing to sell either of them.


    After completing two, Gu Qiaoqiao felt she could take a break. The key reason was that when Qin Yize left, he had given her a book and unexpectedly asked her to write a book review.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao found it amusing,


    she was also inexplicably alarmed.


    Even if she had changed a lot in this life, some things from her past life still came without warning in this one.


    Though they came two years earlier.


    And the book that Qin Yize left, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered clearly, was the first she read here.


    After writing three book reviews, Qin Yize was finally satisfied.


    Gu Qiaoqiao actually couldn¡¯t remember what she had initially written.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao knew that her mindset now was completely different from that time in her past life,


    so naturally, her insights wouldn¡¯t be the same either.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t understand why Qin Yize would do this.


    She had been so good in this life.


    She had good relationships, didn¡¯t cause trouble, had great cooking skills, and could sculpt¡­


    She even felt herself to be quite perfect.


    But since Qin Yize had asked, Gu Qiaoqiao thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to write it.


    After all, if her father became a famous author in the future, his daughter couldn¡¯t be criticized for not reading books.


    Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t people say the father had failed in his education?


    Gu Qiaoqiao had almost forgotten the book¡¯s content, so she spent an afternoon re-reading it.


    Afterward, she felt somewhat conflicted.


    The protagonist in the book was optimistic and upbeat, always meeting the hardships of life with a smile, and despite being knocked down time and again, they kept living strongly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t deny that there were indeed such strong-willed people in life.


    Not to mention others, think about those who were persecuted in special eras; didn¡¯t they all come through like that?


    Struggle sessions, strikes, the double punishment on both the body and spirit¡­


    But people are actually not all the same.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze was lost; she wondered, if the same disaster occurred in this life, what would she do?


    Would she face life with a strong smile?

 Chapter 156 - 156: The Old Grandma Who Always Waited in Front of the Store for Her

    Chapter 156: Chapter 156: The Old Grandma Who Always Waited in Front of the Store for Her


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, holding tightly onto the book, gritting her teeth, her eyes squinting dangerously.


    There were no ifs, in her life, no more ifs!


    Gu Qiaoqiao spent an entire evening writing a very sunny and bright reflection on her reading.


    The insights were genuine, so was the admiration.


    Although some opinions were hard to agree with, they could only be buried in her heart.


    The book was indeed not read in vain.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did learn something.


    Though she had always felt that the only reliable thing in this world, which would never betray her, was herself.


    But recent events had caused Gu Qiaoqiao to change her view.


    In life, seeking help and showing weaknesses appropriately were not signs of incompetence and cowardice, but means to live better.


    Moreover, most importantly, she definitely should not confine herself within a boundary she deemed safe.


    Sometimes, friends were also an indispensable presence.


    Of course, Gu Qiaoqiao did not want to ponder too much on other things. She was not a student, nor did she need to analyze paragraphs for their main ideas.


    Being able to write a reflection was already quite an achievement.


    At that time, Qin Yize still had not returned.


    So it seemed, what Qin Yize had said was all true.


    Being his wife was not so easy.


    She could only blame her own delusion at the beginning.


    In fact, strictly speaking, Qin Yize was also innocent. If it were not for her, perhaps Qin Yize would be even more carefree than he is now.


    He was an heir to the prestigious Qin Family from the Imperial Capital, in charge of such a huge base, holding vast, unreachable resources in his hands, and he was sufficiently outstanding¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips curved into a bitter smile, then she stopped her wandering thoughts and went to wash up for bed.


    Because she and Du Shuang had agreed to go to the county town the next day to buy some cooking essentials.


    As for household supplies, there were plenty at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s house, enough to last a year.


    The next morning, Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang followed the logistic vehicle of the base to the county town.


    Her relationship with Du Shuang was the best at the moment.


    She got along well with the others too.


    Often, human nature was such that if you chose to be a soft persimmon, there would definitely be someone reaching out to pinch you.


    If you became a hard piece of jade, then they would not dare to pinch you carelessly.


    Take Zhang Yali, for example.


    She did not dare to gossip about her behind her back.


    When they saw Gu Qiaoqiao, they were all very polite.


    Now several family members were sitting in the back of the Liberation truck, chatting and laughing.


    They soon arrived at the county town.


    Their first destination was still the grocery store.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed behind Du Shuang and got off the vehicle.


    Just as she steadied herself, she heard an old and surprised voice in front saying, ¡°Girl¡­ girl, I¡¯ve¡­ waited for you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Following the voice, she saw an old lady with a walking stick, squinting her eyes at her, then hurriedly walking toward her. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit dazed, but she quickly remembered.


    It was that old lady who had grabbed the wooden doll from the child, not very clear-headed, but today she seemed much more alert.


    Still, her squinting eyes were a bit cloudy, and her gaze still dull.


    The other family members were all watching Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Du Shuang quickly asked Gu Qiaoqiao what was going on.


    Gu Qiaoqiao briefly explained the incident from that day to Du Shuang, and Du Shuang suddenly understood, looking at the approaching old lady, she said, ¡°This old lady must have mistaken you for someone else.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you go ahead inside.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said as she walked toward the elderly woman.


    Du Shuang nodded. ¡°Be careful not to get too involved and unable to extricate yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, her daughter will come to find her soon.¡±


    ¡°That would be best. I¡¯ll go in and do the shopping first, but hurry up!¡± Du Shuang advised with concern.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and by then had reached the elderly woman. She was just about to speak when the old woman began again, ¡°I¡­ recognize you, but Niuniu told me I shouldn¡¯t¡­ recognize you, so I¡¯ve been waiting here, wanting to ask¡­ girl, do you recognize me?¡±


    The elderly lady spoke much more fluently today.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at the blazing sun in the deep blue sky and quickly assisted the elderly woman toward the shaded area by the shop.


    It was much cooler there.


    Helping the elderly woman sit on the concrete steps, Gu Qiaoqiao squatted down and looked at her carefully, confirming she had never met her in this lifetime or any previous one,


    then she smiled and said, ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t recognize you. Today is only our second encounter.¡±


    The old lady opened her mouth, examining Gu Qiaoqiao carefully, and murmured, ¡°You resemble someone¡­¡±


    ¡°Who do I resemble?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked curiously.


    The old lady squinted her eyes, seeming to think seriously.


    After a long while, she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Indeed, she was confused.


    ¡°Granny, do you know where your home is? Let me take you back, it¡¯s quite hot today, and it¡¯s not good for you to be outside.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back, I recognize you¡­¡±


    The elderly woman stubbornly muttered, her voice low, but Gu Qiaoqiao still heard her.


    She helplessly stood up, looking around, not seeing the woman named Niuniu anywhere.


    Perhaps she hadn¡¯t arrived yet?


    ¡°Granny, where¡¯s your daughter Niuniu?¡±


    At the mention of Niuniu, the old woman¡¯s eyes brightened, then she suddenly said, ¡°Niuniu said she would come to pick me up at noon¡­¡±


    It was still morning.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit worried.


    Could she just leave?


    But she really didn¡¯t recognize her.


    And she certainly couldn¡¯t wait until noon.


    Because the base¡¯s truck was leaving soon.


    At that moment, a woman hurried over and said to the old lady, ¡°Grandma Yu, your daughter has been beaten, her leg is broken, and she¡¯s lying at home right now¡ªyou should go home and see her!¡±


    What?


    The elderly woman visibly froze and seemed utterly baffled, just staring with her mouth open at the woman in front of her.


    The woman, about forty years old, wore lipstick and had thick face powder on her face.


    There was no foundation for sale here, and young women wore face powder like flour, known here as ¡°face powder.¡±


    She wore a scarf and sunglasses.


    Seeing the old lady¡¯s lack of response, she shrugged, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve relayed the message. Even if you stay here till dusk, your daughter won¡¯t be able to come fetch you.¡±


    With that, she glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and walked away.


    This time, Grandma Yu understood and hurriedly stood up, leaning on her cane and heading in the opposite direction on the left.


    She walked very fast.


    Not paying attention to avoiding people or cars, she just stumbled forward, muttering, ¡°Niuniu, Niuniu¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, it was too late to inform Du Shuang now, so she just gritted her teeth and chased after her.


    Since the day they parted, Grandma Yu might have been coming here every day, waiting for her.


    If she let her go back alone, Gu Qiaoqiao felt sure she wouldn¡¯t be at peace.


    She took hold of Grandma Yu¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Grandma Yu, do you know where your home is?¡±

 Chapter 157 - 157 The Tree Wants to Stay Still but the Wind Keeps Blowing!

    Chapter 157: Chapter 157 The Tree Wants to Stay Still but the Wind Keeps Blowing!


    The elderly person nodded and continued walking forward.


    Although somewhat confused, as soon as she heard that her daughter was in trouble, she seemed to become a lot more alert.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no choice but to support her and follow her forward.


    The county town was not large, and since it had only recently been upgraded to a county town, many areas were still wooded land.


    At this time, Gu Qiaoqiao was following the elderly woman walking eastward on the road, then passed through a small wooded area, and Gu Qiaoqiao could see a few houses not far away.


    It must be the old lady¡¯s home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao let out a sigh of relief.


    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t far.


    But just then, two people suddenly sprang out from the woods beside them.


    Their faces were covered with black cloth, and their movements were swift and fierce; one of them pushed Grandma Yu away, and the other grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s neck and rapidly dragged her toward the woods.


    The incident happened too suddenly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was completely unprepared, and her mind even went blank for a moment.


    As for Grandma Yu, who was pushed to the ground, her cloudy eyes suddenly widened, her breathing hurried as if she saw something terrifying.


    But then, she suddenly got up, holding her cane and rushing towards Gu Qiaoqiao, striking a man on the back with her walking stick, whimpering through her teeth, ¡°Despicable thieves, despicable thieves¡­¡±


    The man who had just pushed down Grandma Yu had not expected the old woman to be able to get back up, let alone strike him with her cane.


    Enraged with humiliation, he turned and kicked viciously towards Grandma Yu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s throat was tightly clamped by the man¡¯s arm, her face turned red, and even breathing was difficult.


    She couldn¡¯t even speak, watching helplessly as Grandma Yu was kicked down by the man, while she was dragged deeper into the woods.


    This wooded area was not isolated; beyond a dike in the middle lay a vast forest.


    In less than two minutes, Gu Qiaoqiao had already been dragged more than a hundred meters.


    Branches scraped against Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, bringing a stinging pain.


    Her bare feet were scratched by tree roots, and blood seemed to flow.


    She clenched her teeth tightly, forcing herself to calm down.


    There were no pedestrians here, and even if she wanted to scream for help, no one would hear.


    She looked up at the clear blue sky, a shadow of menace flickered in her eyes.


    The tree wants tranquility but the wind does not cease!


    This was not her fault!


    Following behind Gu Qiaoqiao was the man who had kicked down Grandma Yu, holding in his hand a dagger that glinted coldly, its point aimed at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    With his face covered, only his eyes were visible, filled with maliciousness and threat, as well as nauseating lewdness.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t know what they wanted to do, but clearly, it was more than just taking a life. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her menacing gaze suddenly turned towards the man following her; he paused, and in that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly grabbed the arm choking her throat and pulled with force, followed by a scream of pain, and then she was released.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gasped for air, taking in big gulps.


    The man who had been strangling her looked in disbelief at his hand, which was now snapped off cleanly at the wrist, forming an eerie ninety-degree angle.


    Severe pain caused him to kneel down on the ground with a thud.


    He clenched his teeth, biting back any further cries, but turned to the man holding the dagger, still in shock, and shouted, ¡°What are you waiting for, kill her!¡±


    The man with the knife finally snapped back to reality and charged towards Gu Qiaoqiao as she was about to run.


    By this time, Gu Qiaoqiao had already clenched a few stones in her hand.


    As the man charged at her, she coldly curled her lips, and the stones shot out, hitting the man¡¯s eyes, the wrist holding the knife, and finally the adam¡¯s apple.


    The stones might not have been large, but they carried all the anger and power that Gu Qiaoqiao could muster.


    The man, clutching his eyes, wailed and also knelt on the ground.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gritted her teeth, and coarse tree branches were scattered all about the forest floor. She picked up one at random and swung it at the man¡¯s head in front of her. Although the man was well-trained and rolled on the spot, he couldn¡¯t evade the strike from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s stick, which seemed to have eyes of its own.


    Struck on the back of the head by the stick, the man grunted and then fell unconscious.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to know who had sent this person, Grandma Yu had been kicked and was in a critical condition, her life hanging in the balance, so Gu Qiaoqiao, holding the stick, ran towards Grandma Yu.


    Meanwhile, one of the men had passed out, and the other, gritting his teeth, staggered to his feet and went over to the unconscious man. He called out a few times but got no response, and he dared not stay any longer.


    A malevolent glare followed the direction Gu Qiaoqiao had run; he was shocked and furious. His martial skill was ranked in the top ten of his group.


    Yet he now found himself with a broken arm, inflicted by their mission target.


    The strength of that young girl was astonishingly great, frighteningly so.


    What he had thought would be an easy mission, almost like a game, had turned into a nightmare in mere minutes.


    The plan had failed, and if he wanted to survive, he needed to leave immediately with his cohort.


    But his cohort was bleeding from his eyes and the back of his head, clearly not going to wake up any time soon, becoming a burden. If left behind, and if he woke up and got caught, possibly revealing everything about him, it would all be over.


    He had never considered the possibility of failure.


    Everything had seemed logical and natural; he had not planned for an escape route.


    His eyes revealed a ferocious intent as he suddenly picked up a dagger from the ground and without hesitation, plunged it into his cohort¡¯s heart with his left hand.


    Thinking to himself, ¡°For the honor and future of the organization, go in peace,¡± he then, not to leave any chance, stabbed several more times before forcing himself to run towards the depths of the forest, despite the intense pain.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao knelt on the road, where Grandma Yu lay pale and motionless before her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao reached out to check for Grandma Yu¡¯s breath, and was suddenly startled.


    There was no breath.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands began to tremble. Was Grandma Yu dead?


    She bit down hard and checked once more, her fingertips imbued with Mind Power, and then she felt a surge of joy; Grandma Yu was not dead, only her breath was so faint that it had been almost imperceptible.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked around; no one was in sight.


    Perhaps Du Shuang and the others were still shopping, or knowing she wasn¡¯t there, it was unlikely they could find her so quickly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath and quickly unbuttoned Grandma Yu¡¯s blouse. On her chest, Grandma Yu wore a pendant that looked like a pocket watch. Gu Qiaoqiao set it aside and pressed her hands rapidly onto the heart area.


    Unlike CPR, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands remained still, and strands of warmth flowed from her fingers towards the heart.


    After a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s forehead was beaded with sweat.


    And Grandma Yu¡¯s complexion slowly began to improve.


    There was now a faint breath from her nose.


    But she still remained unconscious,


    probably due to her advanced age.


    Feeling that the situation was now stable, Gu Qiaoqiao withdrew her hands in relief, and as she was tidying up Grandma Yu¡¯s clothes and the string of the pendant, the string broke.


    The pendant, similar to a pocket watch, rolled onto the ground.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly picked it up and only then realized in the palm of her hand it was not a watch but a slightly convex piece of jade on both sides.


    The color was an emerald green, clearly a piece of fine jade.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tied a knot in the broken string and was about to put the jade back around Grandma Yu¡¯s neck when her finger pressed against a spot.


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused, feeling as if there was a button.


    Without being able to control it, she pressed down and with a click, the jade that seemed to be one solid piece split open in the middle.


    Underneath was indeed a watch.


    Many people from the Republic of China era liked pocket watches specially made with such jade.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was just about to close it when, in the next moment, her entire body stiffened.

 Chapter 158 - 158: The Photo in the Jade

    Chapter 158: Chapter 158: The Photo in the Jade


    Her heart even skipped a beat.


    Disbelieving, her eyes widened.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao held her breath.


    Her heart cramped for a moment, and her face turned even paler.


    Gu Qiaoqiao brought the Jade Pocket Watch even closer, staring intently at the specially made photograph.


    The photo was black and white, cut into an oval shape, and although not large, the three people inside were very clear.


    A man and a woman sat in chairs, with a young man standing behind them.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t dare to blink her eyes.


    The young man, she knew, was her grandfather¡ªGu Dashan.


    Her grandfather looked slightly more mature in his wedding photo, but she still recognized him at a glance.


    And that woman seemed to be her in her previous life at the age of twenty-nine.


    She bore a strong resemblance.


    The woman in the photo wore a cheongsam, her hair put up in a bun, with a jade hairpin slanted into it.


    She had a very happy smile.


    The man was a stranger, handsome, and from his appearance, one could tell he was the young man¡¯s father.


    What was going on?


    Why did Grandma Yu have such a photo?


    Could it be?


    Was she the woman in the photo?


    But¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart pounded violently.


    A bold guess surged in her mind.


    The woman and man in the photo, were her grandfather¡¯s parents!


    Then, was the fainting Grandma Yu in front of her, her Great Grandma?


    Was she?


    If so, why had she ended up in the North while her grandfather had never mentioned this?


    If a person was lost, wouldn¡¯t anyone look for her? Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if no one did search, it couldn¡¯t be that there was no mention at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows slightly.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­ Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡± At this time, Du Shuang¡¯s urgent shouts suddenly came.


    Gu Qiaoqiao snapped the Jade Pocket Watch shut.


    With trembling fingers, she put the pocket watch back on Grandma Yu, and then yelled loudly, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    Afterward, Du Shuang ran this way, sweating profusely, followed by a logistics worker.


    There wasn¡¯t time to explain the details now, with Grandma Yu still unconscious.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was in such turmoil, she couldn¡¯t calm down at all.


    Soon, the truck arrived on the main road, and the logistics team leader, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao unharmed, finally let the heart hanging in his throat relax.


    The two of them carefully carried Grandma Yu onto the truck, and Gu Qiaoqiao told the logistics team leader she had just been kidnapped.


    Fortunately, she had escaped.


    And at this moment, she had no idea about the whereabouts of those two people.


    The team leader¡¯s expression was somber as he decisively ordered the driver to take Grandma Yu to the base hospital and to notify for immediate assistance.


    Then he reached to his lower back, where Gu Qiaoqiao could see there might be a weapon concealed.


    ¡°Be careful on your own,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said. ¡°One of them had a knife.¡±


    The logistics team leader shook his head, fully aware that it had been half a day, and with not a rustle in the woods, those people had likely long since fled.


    But, this Gu Qiaoqiao was quite formidable.


    Without the chance to ask for a detailed account, the logistics team leader quickly ran toward the location of the incident and soon entered the woods.


    Meanwhile, the logistics driver headed toward the base.


    Seeing the state of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face and ankle, Du Shuang spoke with residual fear, ¡°How could such a big incident happen, you scared me to death, if something had happened to you¡­¡±


    Du Shuang actually cried as she said this, sobbing, ¡°If something happened to you, not to mention I couldn¡¯t explain it to Doctor Qin, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to forgive myself¡­¡±


    Then, without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak, she began to check on her, not daring to touch the wound on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, worried that bacteria on her hands might cause an infection.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was tender; what would they do if a scar was left?


    ¡°Luckily you¡¯re not hurt¡­¡± She wiped away another tear and said angrily, ¡°Next time you come out with me, if you dare run off again, I¡¯ll break your legs¡­¡±


    A wave of warmth flooded her heart, and Gu Qiaoqiao kept apologizing to Du Shuang, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s all my fault. Don¡¯t be mad, I won¡¯t dare do it again.¡±


    As they talked, the truck entered the research base¡¯s hospital.


    Considering the local medical conditions, this base¡¯s hospital had opened to the local people two years ago.


    After the examination, the elderly person had only fainted due to excitement and would be fine upon waking.


    As for that kick, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mention it because she had already healed it.


    A serious-looking male doctor began to apply medicine to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, with Du Shuang watching anxiously by her side.


    The doctor wasn¡¯t wearing a mask, just slightly red in the face.


    Apparently, he was embarrassed by Du Shuang¡¯s intense gaze.


    Seeing that things were almost settled, Gu Qiaoqiao asked Du Shuang to go back first, as there were still some family members waiting in the grocery store.


    They split into three groups.


    Du Shuang took the family members back to the base in another truck.


    Meanwhile, the third squad of the security team swiftly took over the mission.


    The captain and the base¡¯s number one person were in charge of commanding personally.


    He did not see this incident as a common robbery.


    It was an organized and planned action targeting Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Especially after the incident involving the spy, Zhao Ying, he dared not take it lightly.


    Moreover, Qin Yize, with his mysterious team, had successfully destroyed the spy liaison point hidden five hundred kilometers away in Mountain City.


    The principal culprit committed suicide by taking poison on the spot, while another accomplice didn¡¯t have the chance to do so before Qin Yize dislocated his jaw.


    After the interrogation that followed, a lot of information was revealed.


    The biggest gain this time was learning about several of their branches within the country.


    They also intercepted and decrypted many received and sent radio waves.


    The majority of the enemy forces were directly crushed.


    In the short term, they would definitely not dare to show their faces again.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had almost been in danger, so this incident was definitely not a coincidence.


    Fortunately, Gu Qiaoqiao was safe and sound; otherwise, how would he explain to Qin Yize?


    As for the two men who had kidnapped Gu Qiaoqiao, one was already dead, probably to silence him, and the other was thought to have escaped to the deep mountains.


    The pursuit officially began.


    And all of this was unknown to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    But since she had entered the safety of the base¡¯s compound, there was no problem with her safety.


    A member of the security team was dispatched to inform the daughter of Grandma Yu, who worked at the lumber mill.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao sat by Grandma Yu¡¯s side, waiting for her to wake up.


    Although it seemed like a lot had happened, it had only been two hours.


    But by then it was already noon.


    A security team member tasked with helping Gu Qiaoqiao brought her lunch. Gu Qiaoqiao only ate a few bites before putting down her chopsticks.


    Her mind was in utter turmoil.


    Who exactly was Grandma Yu before her?


    She was extremely anxious.


    After the young man took the remaining food away and brought Gu Qiaoqiao water, she thanked him with a smile and told him to go have his meal.


    Then she stood up to check on Grandma Yu¡¯s condition.


    She sat back down and, looking at Grandma Yu¡¯s chest, hesitated but still couldn¡¯t resist wanting to take another look.


    Just at that moment, Grandma Yu¡¯s eyelids moved.


    Then, her eyes slowly opened.

 Chapter 159 - 159: Grandma Yu Cant Open the Jade Pocket Watch

    Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Grandma Yu Can¡¯t Open the Jade Pocket Watch


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the elderly woman with surprise and delight, ¡°Grandma Yu, you¡¯re awake. How do you feel? Where does it hurt? I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Grandma Yu said hoarsely, then seemed to remember something, her expression suddenly becoming anxious as she looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Girl, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly shook her head, then directly said, ¡°Just now, the jade string around your neck broke, and I tied it back together for you.¡±


    Grandma Yu touched her chest and let out a soft ¡°Oh.¡±


    Her expression seemed very confused.


    ¡°Grandma Yu, your jade is really beautiful. You¡¯ve worn it for many years, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡± Grandma Yu frowned, troubled, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with my memory, I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Is there something inside this jade?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao probed further.


    Grandma Yu sat up, extended her hand to touch her chest, and asked oddly, ¡°What could be inside a stone?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you opened it before?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t open it.¡± Grandma Yu muttered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    It couldn¡¯t be opened?


    At this moment, Grandma Yu seemed to have regained a lot of spirit as her body had recovered.


    She took off the jade from her neck, tried to pry and poke at it, and after a while, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with surprise, ¡°Girl, it really won¡¯t open.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.


    She took the jade, placed her finger on the little protrusion, and then realized that she could find the switch because of her hand.


    It was somewhat like an organ box.


    It was just like Grandpa¡¯s desk.


    In the hands of ordinary people, this piece of jade was just a solid rock, but only in her hands, or the owner¡¯s hands, could it be opened.


    This wasn¡¯t something ordinary families would have.


    What secrets did Grandpa have in the past?


    Was there a connection between him and the present Grandma Yu?


    And was the jade on Grandma Yu¡¯s neck hers or someone else¡¯s?


    Without changing her expression, Gu Qiaoqiao put the jade back on the elderly woman and casually asked, ¡°Grandma Yu, you always say that you recognize me, is it possible you¡¯ve seen a photograph of someone who looks similar to me?¡±


    ¡°Photograph?¡±


    Grandma Yu murmured to herself, her blurry eyes squinting as she thought, causing Gu Qiaoqiao to watch her nervously.


    You could no longer imagine what Grandma Yu looked like when she was young, her face was so ravaged by age.


    Her somewhat scattered eyebrows were tightly knitted together.


    After a moment, she let out a defeated sigh, seemingly becoming somewhat lucid in that moment, but her lucidity was because she realized she had aged, become muddled, forgotten everything from the past¡­


    Suddenly, Grandma Yu¡¯s eyes moistened, and she looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a hoarse voice, ¡°Girl, I¡­ I can¡¯t remember, but I truly recognize you, I¡­ really do know you¡­¡±


    Her aged, raspy voice repeated this over and over.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart inexplicably ached, and she didn¡¯t press further, ¡°Grandma Yu, you must recognize someone who looks like me. It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t think about it anymore. Thinking too much will give you a headache¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Grandma Yu obediently nodded her head, looking affectionately at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You¡¯re as good as Niuniu¡­¡±


    Right at that moment, the door to the base hospital ward was pushed open.


    The middle-aged woman Gu Qiaoqiao had seen that day walked in with a face full of anxiety.


    It was only when Gu Qiaoqiao saw that Grandma Yu was safe and sound that she finally let out a huge sigh of relief.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched her striding energetically.


    She had finally confirmed the speculation in her heart, that the woman with sunglasses had actually come for her.


    It was all to lure her to that deserted place.


    But how had that woman known she would go out today?


    And how had she known Grandma Yu was waiting for her? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To say she wasn¡¯t scared would be a lie.


    But she couldn¡¯t afford to be afraid!


    When she broke the man¡¯s arm and injured the back of another man¡¯s head, no one knew that at that moment, she finally truly realized.


    Powerful!


    What kind of feeling and experience strength brought to people!


    After the middle-aged woman had spoken with Grandma Yu for a few words, she then thanked Gu Qiaoqiao and revealed her name was Zhao Yuxiang.


    This year she was forty-nine years old.


    Because of Grandma Yu, she had remained unmarried to this day, and added to her tall and strong build, she worked hard, which is why she was nicknamed Zhao Esha.


    She didn¡¯t mind it.


    And it was only upon hearing this that Gu Qiaoqiao realized that there was no blood relation between the present Grandma Yu and Zhao Yuxiang.


    It was on some day before the liberation, that Grandma Yu found her, merely seven years of age and close to death from starvation, and then she saved her. From that day on, they depended on each other for survival and had never been separated again.


    A sudden leap occurred in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, though she was anxious inside, she still asked unhurriedly, ¡°Aunt Zhao, what about Grandma Yu¡¯s family members then?¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Zhao Yuxiang sighed, glanced at Grandma Yu, ¡°By the time I could remember things, my mom was already like this, sometimes lucid, sometimes confused¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, when Grandma Yu is lucid, hasn¡¯t she talked to you about her family? Maybe her family is looking for her¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked innocently on purpose.


    Zhao Yuxiang shook her head, ¡°If only she had told me, I would¡¯ve taken her to find her family long ago, so she wouldn¡¯t have to endure hardship with me. You don¡¯t know, I remember clearly when I was young, my mom¡¯s hands were so white, fine, and smooth, one look and you knew she came from a well-off family, but now¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhao, Grandma Yu encountering you is also her good fortune, not everyone likes to take care of the elderly, let alone someone who isn¡¯t their own mother,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said straightforwardly.


    From Grandma Yu¡¯s appearance and spirit, it was evident that she was being well cared for.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Zhao Yuxiang smiled and nodded with regret, ¡°I don¡¯t have much ability, my mom seems like she should have a son, but I can¡¯t help mom to find him.¡±


    ¡°A son?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice trembled imperceptibly.


    Zhao Yuxiang did not notice Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s abnormality and continued, ¡°You saw her clutching the wooden doll that day, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw it.¡±


    ¡°For decades now, whenever my mom sees a wooden doll, she¡¯ll desperately snatch it up and then hug the wooden doll and cry, ¡®My son¡­''¡±


    At this moment, Grandma Yu seemed to be triggered by these words, her gaze grew a bit frantic as she grabbed Zhao Yuxiang¡¯s hand and said, ¡°The wooden doll, is¡­ my son¡¯s¡­¡±


    And then she became confused once more.


    It was only then that Gu Qiaoqiao truly realized Grandma Yu¡¯s memories were disordered, without the slightest clue.


    After they had managed to calm the elderly woman down, both Zhao Yuxiang and Gu Qiaoqiao were sweating profusely.


    Grandma Yu clung to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and wouldn¡¯t let go, she always suffered from headaches whenever she got confused, but this time, holding the girl¡¯s hand, her head didn¡¯t hurt as much as usual.


    Oh, what a wonderful hand, cool to the touch, as if it could steady her heart and her chaotic memories.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes shifted slightly as she joked, ¡°Aunt Zhao, you see, Grandma Yu always says she recognizes me, could it be that I resemble her when she was young? Do you have a photograph of Grandma Yu from when she was young?¡±

 Chapter 160 - 160: Is She Crazy for Being So Desperate?

    Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Is She Crazy for Being So Desperate?


    Zhao Yuxiang was startled.


    She looked carefully at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Finally, she said with shame, ¡°It makes sense that everyone calls me foolish. I can¡¯t even remember what my mother looked like when she was young, but I guess she didn¡¯t resemble you; otherwise, I would have felt that you looked familiar. My mom and I used to take photos together, but the house we lived in caught fire five years ago and everything was burned to ashes¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hid the disappointment in her eyes and comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s normal, really. If I don¡¯t look at photos, I can¡¯t recall what my mom looked like in her twenties either, even though I could remember things back then.¡±


    Indeed, perhaps many people feel the same way.


    We can only remember what our parents look like now.


    Zhao Yuxiang gave Gu Qiaoqiao her address because Gu Qiaoqiao had promised Grandma Yu to carve a wooden figure for her.


    Then Zhao Yuxiang left the base hospital with Grandma Yu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also took the ointment and rode back to the residential area of the base.


    Du Shuang brought Gu Qiaoqiao some steaming hot dumplings, and after a few words, Du Shuang hurried off.


    Gu Qiaoqiao checked the time; it was only five in the afternoon. For the North, nearing the summer solstice, the sun still hung high over the western mountains.


    She put on a jacket and sweatpants, switched to her sneakers, and then headed to the riverside near the base.


    The riverside was very close to the residential area.


    Only a few minutes away. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In her previous life, whenever she felt sad, she would come here alone to pick up stones and play.


    By the riverside of the Da Jiang, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered, there were many tree roots and branches washed up by the river water.


    These roots and branches were tough yet flexible, and their surfaces were extremely smooth.


    Suitable for carving wooden figures.


    And those repeatedly washed by the river water were exactly what Gu Qiaoqiao wanted.


    Bending down to look for a long time, Gu Qiaoqiao could not help but admire the miracle of nature.


    Looking at these uniquely shaped tree roots, Gu Qiaoqiao thought that if these roots could be carved, they would definitely be an impressive fortune.


    But she had more important things to do.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao found the right wood, then quickly walked back home with it.


    At that moment, the sun had just set.


    It took Gu Qiaoqiao four hours to carve the wooden figure. Looking at the finished wooden figure in her hand that closely resembled the face in her grandfather¡¯s wedding photo, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes were slightly moist.


    Idly she thought, if Grandpa really was Grandma Yu¡¯s son, then Grandma Yu would be her Great Grandma.


    The ages matched perfectly.


    But now Grandma Yu was senile, having completely forgotten her past.


    She could be Grandpa¡¯s mother, or perhaps a friend of his mother or someone else.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t always say she recognized her.


    In Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s memory, Grandpa had never mentioned his parents or other relatives.


    She had always thought Grandpa was an orphan.


    Gu Qiaoqiao reflected on the two incidents she experienced here; the first was an accident, but the second was targeted at her.


    And if not for her own intervention, Grandma Yu would already be a cold corpse.


    She had implicated Grandma Yu.


    It was already midnight.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tossed and turned until dawn.


    When the wake-up call sounded, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t wait to find Lu Fei.


    She wanted to deliver the wooden figure to Grandma Yu.


    She heard from Aunt Zhao that Grandma Yu liked to hold the wooden figure in her arms, so she carved it with care, filling the wooden figure with spiritual energy.


    Although Grandma Yu was confused, holding this wooden figure would gradually improve her health over a month, and her memory would also start to recover bit by bit.


    By then, everything will be crystal clear.


    She is not a goddess, so naturally, she dare not be absolutely certain that Grandma Yu was indeed her Great Grandma.


    Besides, there was still the matter of her parents.


    Therefore, without factual evidence, Gu Qiaoqiao would not make decisions on her own.


    Moreover, her current situation was not safe.


    The woman in sunglasses and the fleeing man had not been caught, along with the two suspects who had harmed her father yet were still on the run.


    Her surroundings were still filled with crises.


    After Luh Fei finished eating, he drove Gu Qiaoqiao towards Grandma Yu¡¯s house.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao had expected, Grandma Yu grabbed the wooden manikin as soon as she saw it.


    However, she seemed indifferent to the face on the wooden manikin that resembled her grandfather, merely muttering to herself: My child¡­


    By that time, Grandma Yu, who seemed a bit lucid yesterday, became confused again. Hugging the wooden manikin, her gaze became vacant, seemingly immersed in a world unknown to anyone else.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed Luh Fei and left.


    Upon leaving the yard, Gu Qiaoqiao paused, turned around, and saw Grandma Yu, who had been staring blankly, now smiling and waving at her, with Zhao Yuxiang gently wiping her face next to her.


    The mother and daughter¡¯s days were warm and peaceful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao concealed the expressions in her eyes and waved back at Grandma Yu with a smile, then got into the jeep.


    It was already ten in the morning. Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t eaten much yesterday at noon, had only three dumplings in the evening, and hadn¡¯t eaten a grain of rice this morning.


    She looked somewhat pale, her delicate face seeming a bit thinner.


    But she didn¡¯t feel hungry at all.


    She wondered, where was her grandfather¡¯s father?


    Had he passed away, or was he still alive?


    If alive, if Grandma Yu really was her Great Grandma, why did he let his son wander in the rural North, and let his wife drift in the northern forests?


    Until the day she died in her previous life, Gu Qiaoqiao had no news of her grandfather¡¯s parents.


    She had thought they were no longer alive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat at her desk and took out the Mysterious Dragon Box again, gazing at the empty eyes of the black dragon, thinking to herself that she should make a trip to the Imperial Capital.


    Perhaps, all secrets lay within the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    But what did she have that could be used as a bargaining chip with Old Master Gu?


    Gu Qiaoqiao slightly furrowed her brows.


    The next moment, Gu Qiaoqiao knew that her only bargaining chip was her carving skills.


    Old Master Gu, with such a huge Yubao Square, was making a fortune daily; he wouldn¡¯t be short of money.


    Gu Qiaoqiao made up her mind, stopped hesitating and began to carve day and night.


    Immersed in carving, Gu Qiaoqiao spent over a week like that.


    And since Du Shuang had gone back to her mother¡¯s house a few days ago, no one knew about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s condition.


    Qin Yize, with a weather-beaten face, pushed open the front door.


    The moment he saw Gu Qiaoqiao sitting at the table carving, the always calm him suddenly froze.


    How had she gotten so thin?


    Her oval face had turned into a melon seed face!


    Her usually rosy complexion was now frighteningly pale, and those big, spirited eyes looked even larger, bloodshot, seemingly sleepless for nights¡­


    Seeing the line of works laid out on the table, Qin Yize felt a pang in his chest; he understood.


    Then a touch of coldness tinged his frosty features.


    Was she crazy to be working so hard?

 Chapter 161 - 161: Hes Angry!

    Chapter 161: Chapter 161: He¡¯s Angry!


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Yize.


    He had returned.


    But she was immediately stunned by his expression.


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s handsome brows were tightly furrowed, his starry eyes emitting a sharp light.


    The atmosphere in the room seemed somewhat oppressive.


    And the air around them felt as if it had frozen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat afraid to look directly into Qin Yize¡¯s eyes.


    She also felt inexplicably uneasy.


    She was just about to stand up.


    Unfortunately, having eaten irregularly these past few days, she felt somewhat dizzy from the abrupt movement.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body swayed¡­


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression grew even darker.


    But his body reacted faster than his mind, reaching out to steady Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s swaying body, then he unnoticeably withdrew his hand.


    ¡°You returned?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao quietly asked.


    Qin Yize blandly hummed in response, then walked over to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s desk, looking over her works while simultaneously admiring her skill and attempting to restrain his anger. ¡°Have you finished all those stones?¡±


    ¡°One left,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said in a low voice.


    ¡°Why are you pushing yourself so hard?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao choked up, unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°Are you really that short on money?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re short on money, do you need to push yourself to this extent?¡±


    Having said that, Qin Yize suddenly grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm. Without waiting for her to react, he pulled her in a few strides into the bathroom and pressed her in front of the mirror, his voice cold and devoid of emotion echoing over Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head, ¡°Look at yourself. Do you intend to waste the life you retrieved from the robbers on your carving tools?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up.


    Indeed, she was startled.


    She had been somewhat delirious these days.


    She even felt disoriented as if she didn¡¯t know whether it was day or night.


    The girl in the mirror had a pale complexion and deep-set eyes. Even though her hands possessed Spiritual Energy, it couldn¡¯t substitute for food.


    Moreover, she hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet.


    Desperate for speed, she was frantically overexerting herself.


    But why did Qin Yize seem very angry?


    ¡°I want to go to the Imperial Capital earlier, to exchange these Gold Jade Stones for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow from the hands of Old Patriarch Gu,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao finally muttered.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even washed your face today, have you?¡± Qin Yize seemed to ignore Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, instead looking at the girl in the mirror, asking with a half-smiling, half-serious tone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face turned red instantly.


    Qin Yize released his hand, gazing intently at Gu Qiaoqiao through the mirror, and commanded softly, ¡°Wash your face first, then come out to eat.¡±


    After speaking, he left the bathroom.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, peeking through the slightly ajar door, she saw Qin Yize skillfully making a fire to boil water.


    She felt somewhat embarrassed. Clearly, Qin Yize had just returned from the testing ground a hundred miles away.


    And yet he was preparing food for her.


    But Qin Yize has always disliked others defying his orders.


    She stood there unmoving.


    Then she saw him take out several cans of military pork and instant noodles from the canvas bag he had just brought back.


    It was the very first kind of seafood instant noodles.


    Then Qin Yize effortlessly opened a can, but paused mid-action, his piercing gaze sweeping towards where Gu Qiaoqiao was.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, startled, swiftly turned around and hurriedly turned on the water to wash her face.


    When she had finished washing and came out, the kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of meat and noodles.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood by, feeling somewhat uneasy.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize was slightly bent over, his gaze lowered, methodically stirring the instant noodles in the small iron pot with chopsticks.


    This item wasn¡¯t even sold here yet.


    It was obviously brought back by Qin Yize from another place.


    The old iron pot had been thrown away a long time ago, along with the rice spoon. These were all purchased recently.


    The chopped green onions were placed in a small dish, already cut by Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneakily glanced at Qin Yize, knowing that he was angry.


    Having lived with him for three years, she was extremely familiar with his mood swings.


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s whole being radiated a ¡®don¡¯t talk to me, don¡¯t upset me¡¯ vibe. Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, blinked her watery big eyes twice, then quietly moved a few steps away, and out of the kitchen.


    It was best to keep a distance from him when he was angry, or else you would be frozen into ice chips.


    Qin Yize, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ostrich-like actions, couldn¡¯t help but curve the corners of his mouth upward.


    This girl, she really can¡¯t take care of herself.


    Gu Qiaoqiao returned to the bedroom.


    But the moment she entered the room, she froze.


    In just the time it took to wash her face, everything on the table had disappeared.


    The engraving knife, the last piece of Gold Jade Stone half-carved, and the pile of Gold Jade Stone Carvings that had been on the table were all gone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and opened the drawer; nothing. Under the table, also nothing¡­


    Her eyebrows furrowing, she stood up and walked back to the kitchen. By then, Qin Yize had already cooked the noodles. Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, he calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ve put the things away, let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    ¡°Where did you put those things?¡±


    ¡°Eat.¡±


    ¡°Where did you put them? I haven¡¯t finished carving them¡­¡± The young girl¡¯s voice unconsciously carried a tinge of irritation.


    ¡°Eat¡­ food¡­¡± Qin Yize¡¯s gaze grew cold, unyielding, and he slightly elongated his tone, carrying a faint command in his voice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, swallowed the words she was about to say, decisively stopped asking, and hurriedly went to the living room to set the table.


    She also picked a few condiments and placed them on the table.


    The two of them ate the noodles, each lost in their thoughts.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was quite full.


    Qin Yize, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao enjoying her meal, slightly relaxed his frosty expression.


    After cleaning up, Qin Yize¡¯s expression became serious as he looked intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice grave, ¡°Sit down, I need to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao looked around, wanting to find her belongings.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± Qin Yize said flatly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao snorted internally, stealthily glared at Qin Yize, then sat down and asked, ¡°You want to talk about the day I was kidnapped, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Yize continued, ¡°The three people who kidnapped you are in cahoots with Zhao Ying, and Zhao Ying is not Zhao Ying!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    After Qin Yize briefly explained the situation, Gu Qiaoqiao found out that this Zhao Ying was an imposter.


    A few days before they left their hometown, the real Zhao Ying had been murdered, and then his body was burned to destroy the evidence.


    Naturally, the fake Zhao Ying looked very similar to the real one.


    This must have been arranged a long time ago.


    Thus, the fake Zhao Ying entered the base.


    Those who wanted to kidnap Gu Qiaoqiao were Zhao Ying¡¯s accomplices.


    After Qin Yize calmly finished narrating, his heart was far from calm.


    The moment he heard that Gu Qiaoqiao had almost been kidnapped into the deep mountains, his heart filled with fear and anger.


    He even came close to shooting several people they had just captured at the criminals¡¯ hideout on the spot.


    He quietly watched Gu Qiaoqiao, thinking that even if she was kidnapped, even to the ends of the earth, even to the furthest corners of the world.


    He would spare no effort to bring her back!

 Chapter 162 - 162: Doubts

    Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Doubts


    And in that moment, Qin Yize knew that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s place in his heart was definitely more than just a nominal wife.


    However, it seemed that the two of them had no future.


    He raised an eyebrow, hiding the thoughts in his eyes, and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°The man who kidnapped you and the woman who sent the false report tried to cross the border and were killed on the spot by our side.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dead?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Then do we know who leaked my information?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked.


    Qin Yize fell silent.


    Elder Shen, the supreme commander above, had already ordered all traces of Gu Qiaoqiao to be erased, but the enemy¡¯s special agents still found out.


    Therefore, the one who leaked this information was a mole.


    Zhu Xiaohong was the initial suspect.


    But there were still many doubts.


    Yet these things, he couldn¡¯t tell Gu Qiaoqiao just yet, he simply responded indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, their power has almost been crushed, nearly ninety percent, the remnants wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, her clear eyes shifting as she spoke unconcernedly.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of admiration, ¡°You¡¯re a brave girl!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s smile made her eyes crease at the corners.


    ¡°And you¡¯re quite strong too,¡± Qin Yize said in a deliberate manner, ¡°You even broke the other person¡¯s wrist.¡±


    ¡°My hands can carve stone; do you think I¡¯d be lacking in strength?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked half in jest, half in earnest.


    Qin Yize laughed softly.


    Then his gaze gradually softened, ¡°Can you tell me why you¡¯re in such a hurry to find the Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback; she thought Qin Yize hadn¡¯t heard her.


    Looking into those deep, abyssal eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao thought that in Border City, she had to clarify the matter related to Grandma Yu, whether it was connected to her or not, especially the photo in Grandma Yu¡¯s Jade Pocket Watch.


    Therefore, she definitely couldn¡¯t keep it from Qin Yize.


    It would be better to tell him.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao told Qin Yize about Grandma Yu¡¯s matter, including the picture around her neck.


    Qin Yize was taken aback.


    He hadn¡¯t expected such reasons to be involved.


    He spread his long legs and leaned lazily against the chair, casting a glance at Gu Qiaoqiao with a seemingly fleeting thought in his mind, yet so fleeting that he couldn¡¯t catch it before it disappeared.


    The Mysterious Dragon Box, the picture in the jade ornament.


    Was Grandpa Gu really just an ordinary retired soldier who took up farming?


    And the mechanism in the desk was definitely set up by Grandpa Gu himself.


    His past seemed not so simple.


    A moment later, Qin Yize got up, hands in his pockets, and stood by the window, looking out at the blue sky and white clouds, he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Are you sure that the young man in the picture is your grandfather?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told your parents, have you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qin Yize said, looking down at Gu Qiaoqiao behind him, his voice cold yet very serious, ¡°Great Grandma cannot be acknowledged lightly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, which is why I want to go to the Imperial Capital,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao murmured.


    Somehow, after speaking out, the heavy stone that had been pressing on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s chest for days seemed to have been moved away.


    But Qin Yize, unexpectedly, didn¡¯t dwell on this issue.


    Calmly, he asked, ¡°What if Elder Gu doesn¡¯t agree?¡±


    ¡°Then I still have to try¡­¡±


    Qin Yize was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, ¡°Are you planning to leave soon?¡±


    ¡°As soon as all the carving is finished, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Calculating the time, Qin Yize spoke lightly, ¡°In a week¡¯s time, I¡¯ll be going to the Imperial Capital, you can come with me then.¡±


    Ah, he was going to the Imperial Capital?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a little stunned, ¡°But I was thinking of going home first.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after we return from the Imperial Capital,¡± Qin Yize said decisively. ¡°We¡¯re not taking the train this time; we¡¯re driving. Otherwise, how would you, a young girl, manage with a bag full of stones?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought it over and felt that it was a good idea.


    Indeed, those stones were quite heavy.


    All together, they weighed several tens of kilograms, not to mention the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    All were valuable items.


    It was still unsafe for her to go out alone.


    If she lost them, she wouldn¡¯t even know where to start crying.


    If she went with Qin Yize, then she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about safety.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao wondered, if she had never fallen in love with him, never married him, could the two of them be friends, just like she was with Luo Fan?


    In fact, Qin Yize really wasn¡¯t suited to be a lover.


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao readily agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Seeing that she was in good spirits, Qin Yize suddenly remembered something and spoke at a leisurely pace, ¡°Do you want to go to the shooting range?¡±


    The shooting range?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Yize in surprise, ¡°What for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew that though the security team was part of the experimental base, they had been approved to possess some standard equipment.


    Including the base¡¯s key personnel, in Border City, they were also specially permitted to carry guns.


    And Qin Yize was the best shot.


    At this time, curiosity filled Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    Qin Yize glanced at her and said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯ll find out once we go.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t object; she really did need to get out and about.


    These past days, apart from sitting, it was just lying down, feeling as if all the bones in her body had rusted.


    The shooting range was located on the southern side of the base and consisted of a large and a small range.


    Qin Yize took Gu Qiaoqiao to the smaller shooting range.


    At the moment, it was deserted.


    Only the targets stood upright in the wind in the distance.


    Qin Yize was actually quite curious.


    He had long wanted to bring Gu Qiaoqiao here.


    He wanted to see if Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shooting was as accurate as her use of rubber bands and sticks.


    He chose a handgun suitable for her.


    Then, standing on the firing line, he began to teach Gu Qiaoqiao how to shoot.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also became interested.


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s tall figure stood beside Gu Qiaoqiao, extending his left hand to support her arm, then slightly bowed his head, his cool breath like bamboo scent lingering over the top of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head.


    ¡°This is the sight. Aim at the center of the target, pull the trigger with your index finger¡­¡±


    His voice was steady, and he was in close proximity to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    When she felt his warm breath envelop her in a matter of moments, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her face grew hot. Feeling uncomfortable, she twisted her body a bit. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She also felt a tickling sensation on top of her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Qin Yize said without noticing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s reaction, his voice cold.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned slightly and stealthily looked up, seeing Qin Yize¡¯s exceptionally serious expression, she thought she might be overthinking.


    He was genuinely teaching her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped fidgeting and began to seriously follow the steps Qin Yize had taught.


    Qin Yize fixed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s posture, hid a flash of emotion in his eyes, and quietly stepped back without a sound.


    He spoke in a deep voice, ¡°You can try firing a shot.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the distant target.


    Her index finger moved on the trigger, and soon she achieved ¡°Heart and Mind as One.¡± Then, Gu Qiaoqiao coolly curved the corners of her mouth, pulled the trigger, and the bullet left the chamber, heading straight for the predetermined target.


    Bullseye!


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze sharpened; it was indeed almost as he had guessed.

 Chapter 163 - 163 This is Just the Beginning (Extra)

    Chapter 163: Chapter 163 This is Just the Beginning (Extra)


    His accuracy was one hundred percent.


    Qin Yize suppressed the shock inside him.


    He fixed his gaze on the focused Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Under the sunlight, the charming young girl¡¯s eyes seemingly carried a hint of murderous intent, yet her lips were slightly curled up.


    It was her first time holding this pistol, and her movements were awkward and inexperienced. Yet the shot she fired hit the bright red target dead center without any deviation.


    At that moment, Qin Yize felt as if his heart skipped a beat.


    Afterward, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t hide it and told Qin Yize through her perfect score that she was a shooting prodigy.


    Naturally, the real reason was known only to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    But that didn¡¯t stop her from smugly raising her eyebrows at Qin Yize, who was intently watching her, ¡°How about a match?¡±


    ¡°Not today,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s eyes were slightly dim as he smiled lightly, ¡°When we return to the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll take you to the shooting range.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hummed indifferently. Going to the Imperial Capital, she might not have time to play.


    ¡°Is it fun?¡± Qin Yize asked again.


    ¡°Yeah, quite fun.¡±


    ¡°Ever thought about becoming a soldier or a shooting athlete?¡± Qin Yize asked as if casually.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was firstly startled, then found the Qin Yize in front of her somewhat baffling, and soon after, she chuckled, ¡°What are you joking about?¡±


    A soldier?


    An athlete?


    She had never thought about that.


    Qin Yize bent his lips into a smile, gazing at the girl laughing brightly under the sun, his eyes deep and solemn. He spoke after a long pause, ¡°I was joking.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao handed the pistol back to Qin Yize, looking around, this place was actually a restricted area, by rights, she shouldn¡¯t have come here.


    But she knew that Qin Yize wanted to test her.


    To see just how skilled her hands were.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao knew she and Qin Yize had no future, it didn¡¯t conflict with her knowing that he was an upright man.


    So, she trusted him.


    At this moment, Qin Yize also seemed to feel this, his eyebrows softened, and he stretched out his hand to pat the top of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head, speaking softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Having said that, without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to react, he took the lead with his long strides towards the exit of the shooting range.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly.


    The hand by her side clenched.


    Qin Yize¡¯s little gestures seemed to be getting more and more natural.


    Was it her indulgence, or did he just want to act this way?


    This couldn¡¯t be good.


    She realized she had ignored a fact: Qin Yize was a man.


    At that time, Qin Yize stopped walking, turning back to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, who seemed to be lost in thought.


    He clenched his hand, knowing what she was struggling with.


    She would get used to it.


    This was just the beginning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to leave?¡± he asked, his eyebrows fluttering, his voice deep.


    Gu Qiaoqiao then snapped back to reality, reined in her thoughts, and quickly followed Qin Yize home.


    It was already afternoon.


    For some reason, just when she guarded her heart, she felt difficulty breathing in the same room as Qin Yize.


    It had been very natural before.


    In her heart, Qin Yize seemed so aloof that he didn¡¯t appear human, so she hadn¡¯t minded before.


    But today, she couldn¡¯t help but think a lot.


    Standing at the door, Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, her expression cold, and directly asked, ¡°Where are my carving knife and stone?¡±


    Qin Yize, who was leafing through a book in the living room, turned his head and swept his eyes over Gu Qiaoqiao, who seemed to have geared up in a moment.


    He found it amusing.


    Getting so defensive over a touch on the head?


    He raised an eyebrow, his smile seemingly meaningful as he asked, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, what are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°What do I have to be afraid of?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao retorted.


    ¡°Good if you¡¯re not afraid.¡± Qin Yize said, then he opened the large wardrobe, took out a box, carried it to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedroom, and placed it on the desk.


    Afterward, standing at the doorway, he lowered his gaze to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, who had followed him inside, and said softly, ¡°Rest well today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be traveling far in a few days, and I don¡¯t want you to be a burden.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried, then I can just take the train myself,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, not minding at all.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, do you really have to oppose me?¡± Qin Yize asked, holding back his anger.


    He was clearly being considerate, so why didn¡¯t Gu Qiaoqiao appreciate it at all?


    The phrase ¡°turn one¡¯s face and not recognize anyone¡± really suited her quite well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, Qin Yize wasn¡¯t someone who usually cared about others.


    Yet, his behavior today proved that he was indeed concerned about her.


    Did she need it?


    Apparently not!


    Hesitating for a moment, she spoke quietly with her head down, ¡°I hope you remember what I told you that day.¡±


    ¡°What if I say I forgot?¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t mind repeating it.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and repeat it then,¡± said Qin Yize as he settled into a chair, raised his eyes to meet hers, and watched Gu Qiaoqiao intently with a deep voice, ¡°Go on.¡±


    How should she say this?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat annoyed.


    The air in the room suddenly felt eerie.


    Qin Yize noticed the fine beads of sweat on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s nose.


    His heart stirred, his eyes slightly narrowed, and he asked, puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just that you really want to divorce me and that we have no future? But Gu Qiaoqiao, how is that related to you resting well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not related, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Qin Yize asked calmly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows, looked at Qin Yize who was sitting on the chair, and said resentfully, ¡°I want to take a nap.¡±


    This was possible.


    Qin Yize got up and walked away.


    In the following days, Qin Yize disappeared again.


    And after Gu Qiaoqiao had carved all the stones in her possession, she began packing them.


    Visiting the Qin Family in the Imperial Capital was still inevitable on this trip.


    After all, she and Qin Yize were still not divorced, so staying in a hotel was definitely not feasible.


    Moreover, she wasn¡¯t sure if it would be okay to see Old Patriarch Gu.


    Thus, it was uncertain how many days she would actually spend in the Imperial Capital.


    What comes around goes around.


    She carved a peace charm for Mr. Qin, Mother Qin, and Qin Xiaoyu.


    Whether they liked it or not, her intention was clear.


    All twelve pieces of Gold Jade Stone were carved.


    There were designs of lush green bamboo, little bridges over flowing water, and even galloping horses¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out the Rising Sun. The stone might have been worthless before it was opened.


    But now that it was opened and carved into a masterpiece,


    it was incomparable to its previous self.


    She planned to give this to Qin Yize, since he was the one who found and brought back the stone.


    She couldn¡¯t keep it all to herself.


    She also knew that Qin Yize didn¡¯t really keep the stone with the gold nugget in mind besides admiring her craftsmanship, nothing else.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also finished packing her own luggage.


    Now she was just waiting for Qin Yize to come back.


    Recently, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mood had been good.


    Everything was ready¡ªexcept for the opportune moment.


    She wanted to visit Grandma Yu before leaving.


    However, going out was not easy. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She went to find Du Shuang, and then the two of them went to the base¡¯s logistics department, just as a vehicle happened to be heading to the county town for errands.


    But unexpectedly, Choo Lan was sitting inside.

 Chapter 164 - 164 Do I Still Have Relatives Alive?

    Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Do I Still Have Relatives Alive?


    Speaking of which, Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t seen Choo Lan for a long time.


    Choo Lan had lost a lot of weight, and Zhu Xiaohong, who was usually inseparable from her, was not with her this time.


    When Choo Lan saw Gu Qiaoqiao, her complexion suddenly darkened.


    Yet, the moment she met Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, she quickly averted her gaze.


    She thought, ¡°This woman is really lucky.¡±


    She had actually escaped from the hands of robbers.


    And was completely unharmed.


    Because of her, she and Zhu Xiaohong had been investigated twice.


    Zhu Xiaohong was still under quarantine for review.


    Were these two incidents related to them?


    Choo Lan felt a chill down her back and couldn¡¯t help but recall Qin Yize¡¯s icy gaze.


    And his pressing words.


    She was both shocked and angry.


    It was all because of this woman in front of her.


    If it weren¡¯t for her, how could so many things have happened?


    If she had just stayed at home and not come to the base, wouldn¡¯t everything have been fine?


    However, during this sensitive period, she couldn¡¯t even voice her complaints.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang exchanged glances and smiled nonchalantly.


    The two of them did not go to the control tower but sat in the back of a military mini-truck.


    Now that the weather was good, sitting here was as free-spirited as it could be.


    At this time, Border City had already entered the summer season.


    However, it couldn¡¯t compare with the summer in the south.


    Sitting in the bed of the truck, the wind blowing on them still carried a slight chill.


    Du Shuang, who had just returned from her parents¡¯ home, asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Are you going back to the Imperial Capital in a few days?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got some matters to attend to,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said cheerfully.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, you and Doctor Qin shouldn¡¯t rush to have children. Having children makes traveling inconvenient,¡± Du Shuang said thoughtfully.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blushed, ¡°Why bring up children?¡± she quickly changed the subject, ¡°Sister-in-law, is there anything you¡¯d like to buy? I can bring it for you when I come back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a long way, there¡¯s no need to bring anything¡­¡± Du Shuang decisively declined.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and didn¡¯t insist any further. When she returned, she would buy some gifts for Du Shuang and her son.


    Du Shuang¡¯s son was a very cute little boy, quite polite, who always sweetly addressed Gu Qiaoqiao as Auntie Qiaoqiao.


    Well, although she was only nineteen, in the eyes of a child, she naturally was an auntie.


    The military truck equipped at the base smoothly headed in the direction of the county town.


    The swiftly passing trees were now dripping with lush green, radiating vigorous vitality.


    The distant mountains stretched and undulated, endless in sight.


    The northern sky looked like a slab of gemstone, dotted with clusters of white clouds.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slightly squinted her eyes, comfortably enjoying the breeze on her face.


    Soon, the truck arrived at the county town.


    It was business as usual here, except there were more pedestrians on the streets.


    The weather was fine, and everyone liked to go out for a walk.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang climbed over the truck¡¯s railing and jumped down.


    At that moment, Choo Lan also came down.


    Carrying a shoulder bag, she stood by the roadside.


    Du Shuang greeted her with a smile, ¡°Choo Lan, Qiaoqiao and I are going shopping, we¡¯ll head off first.¡±


    As she spoke, she took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and was about to leave.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, wait a second¡­¡± Choo Lan suddenly spoke and then slowed her voice, ¡°I was going to the county hostel today to see a friend I haven¡¯t seen in a long time. So, how about you and I go together, then I¡¯ll buy you some stuff. Is that okay?¡±


    After finishing, she looked at Du Shuang and Gu Qiaoqiao with a pleading look.


    Du Shuang glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Because she knew she still had to visit Grandma Yu.


    But she was also uneasy about letting Gu Qiaoqiao go alone, and it was impossible to directly refuse Choo Lan¡¯s request.


    Du Shuang thought it over, turned her head and discussed with Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s accompany her first, then go shopping, okay?¡±


    ¡°That would waste too much time, you go with Choo Lan to the hostel, I can go on my own,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said, smiling.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Du Shuang hesitated.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, sister-in-law, I can manage on my own.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to be with Choo Lan in the first place.


    Now was a good excuse.


    Then, she promptly turned around and walked towards the grocery store.


    She wanted to buy Grandma Yu some cake and canned fruit.


    Her bag still had a few cans of military braised pork, which she would also bring to Grandma Yu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that by the time she returned, she might know what was going on.


    Choo Lan¡¯s dark gaze followed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s retreating figure, cursing in her heart, ¡°Ungrateful wretch.¡±


    Did she really think she had climbed onto the Qin family¡¯s big tree?


    She didn¡¯t want to go with her, yet she simply couldn¡¯t let her have her way.


    So she grabbed Du Shuang¡¯s arm, affectionately saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, we can¡¯t leave Gu Qiaoqiao alone. Let¡¯s go shopping first, my matter isn¡¯t urgent.¡±


    It was just a childhood friend she actually had no interest in seeing.


    But now he was trading in timber and had become a well-known boss. Hearing that she was a doctor here, he kept writing and calling her, forcing her to meet him.


    Thus, she was in no hurry.


    Du Shuang was caught by surprise.


    She had no intention of going with Choo Lan; it was just that she was temporarily unable to disentangle herself.


    Du Shuang quickly called out, ¡°Qiaoqiao, wait for me.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking, she hurried toward Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s direction.


    In the end, the three of them entered the grocery store together.


    After buying the items, Gu Qiaoqiao was unable to shake off Choo Lan, so she took her along as well.


    The secret of Grandma Yu was known to no one.


    So visiting Grandma Yu, whom she had implicated, was only natural.


    Choo Lan stood outside the gate of Grandma Yu¡¯s house, looking at the somewhat foolish-looking old lady sitting by the window sill, a trace of annoyance flashing in her eyes.


    So she stayed outside by herself.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang entered the yard.


    It had been about ten days since Gu Qiaoqiao gave Grandma Yu the wooden figure; Grandma Yu seemed to be in good health and looked well.


    Zhao Yuxiang had gone to work.


    Grandma Yu was at home alone.


    The old woman was still capable of taking care of herself.


    Moreover, don¡¯t underestimate this seemingly barbaric northern forest area; the local customs here are genuinely simple and pure.


    The neighbors also took good care of Grandma Yu.


    Moreover, Zhao Yuxiang would come home for lunch.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, Grandma Yu¡¯s cloudy eyes lit up, she grabbed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and looked her over, muttering, ¡°Child, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen you somewhere, but I just can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Grandma Yu, don¡¯t think about it for now if you can¡¯t remember,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao comforted softly.


    Tears welled up in Grandma Yu¡¯s eyes, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t think about it. Thinking too much makes my head hurt, though it¡¯s not as bad as before.¡±


    After finishing, Grandma Yu looked at a spot in the air and said softly, ¡°Maybe by the day I die, I still won¡¯t remember where my home is, who I am, or if I have any relatives still alive.¡±

 Chapter 165 - 165: Have Their Consciences All Been Eaten by Dogs?

    Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Have Their Consciences All Been Eaten by Dogs?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart tightened, and her eyes began to sting. She looked at Grandma Yu and firmly said, ¡°Grandma Yu, don¡¯t worry, you will soon remember who you are and recall your family¡­¡±


    As she spoke these words, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart sank.


    She slowly suppressed the surging thoughts within her.


    Perhaps, by opening the Mysterious Dragon Box, she would uncover Grandpa¡¯s secret, and then everything would be clear.


    But Grandpa was no longer here¡­


    Grandma Yu bowed her head, tightening her grasp on the wooden doll in her arms, and murmured, ¡°My child, my child¡­¡±


    It was at this moment that Zhao Yuxiang pushed the door open and entered.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang, she paused for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°I was wondering why there was a woman standing at the door of my house. You two are together, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Choo Lan was a proud person; even though she knew Zhao Yuxiang owned the house, she wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to speak, so Zhao Yuxiang didn¡¯t know who she was.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao remember there was still one person outside the door.


    After chatting for a few more sentences and politely declining Zhao Yuxiang¡¯s enthusiastic invitation to stay, Gu Qiaoqiao and Du Shuang walked toward the grocery store with the clearly impatient Choo Lan.


    Earlier, in his haste, Du Shuang had forgotten to buy soy sauce.


    By the time they reached the county guesthouse, it was already ten in the morning.


    There was still half an hour left until the meeting time they had arranged with the driver.


    Choo Lan didn¡¯t mind, so naturally, neither did Gu Qiaoqiao or Du Shuang.


    Being incompatible people who still had to come together, they had no choice.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the county guesthouse, identical to the one in her memory.


    Pushing open the door, they walked in.


    It seemed they had arranged to meet here in advance.


    A man in his twenties waiting in the lounge hurried over with a warm and enthusiastic smile, greeting them, ¡°Lan Lan, it¡¯s not easy to get a chance to see you.¡±


    But the moment Gu Qiaoqiao saw the man, her heart shook violently, and her teeth clenched tightly together.


    A fierce flame seemed to be threatening to burn within her.


    A year after her past life, during the summer, she, along with Choo Lan, Zhu Xiaohong, and a few other family members, went out to shop. Although the circumstances were different from today, the person they met was the same.


    Back then, Choo Lan pulled her and Zhu Xiaohong aside, saying they were going to visit a friend at the guesthouse.


    As soon as they entered the guesthouse gate, a man staggered out of the dining room. His bloodshot eyes suddenly lit up with a lecherous gleam upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Without hesitation, he rushed toward Gu Qiaoqiao and grabbed her, attempting to drag her to a room on the second floor.


    At first, Gu Qiaoqiao was terrified.


    When she looked back, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong had disappeared.


    She struggled desperately, while the two staffers responsible for reception hid in fright inside a room.


    Despite being dragged and pulled, Gu Qiaoqiao was no match for the man¡¯s strength and was pulled towards the stairs.


    In her panic, she grabbed onto the iron railing of the staircase and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    It was a guest staying at the hotel who rescued Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Afterward, Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong rushed in, pretending to be in a hurry.


    In the end, they claimed they had to step out for something.


    The drunken man was knocked unconscious by the guest.


    At the age of twenty, Gu Qiaoqiao, though somewhat more mature, was still scared out of her wits.


    So, she let Choo Lan handle the situation.


    Back then, she thought Choo Lan was a good girl; not only did she not hold a grudge for being scalded, but she also helped her.


    And she followed Choo Lan¡¯s advice to keep the incident from Qin Yize.


    The matter was silently kept under wraps.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.


    The drunk man was just that, and she was unharmed.


    It was only later that she gradually learned of the true nature of Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong¡­


    But at that time, she still didn¡¯t know Choo Lan was acquainted with this man!


    Meanwhile, Zhu Xiaohong had given her quite a few sedatives, which made her extremely drowsy after each dose.


    After taking them for several days, her drowsiness became worse.


    It seemed as if her mind was also turning into a pot of mush.


    Latter, she felt that the medicine was not good, so she threw it all away.


    But that was after she had taken it for a week.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao looked back at Choo Lan greeting the man, watching her feigned demure demeanor.


    She really wanted to vomit!


    What kind of environment had her former self been living in?


    Such crude and disgusting tricks were used against her without any scruples.


    Did they all have no conscience?


    A few people sat down on the couch in the reception area.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was cold, and she kept silent.


    Turns out this man was a childhood friend of Choo Lan¡¯s, a term northerners used to call such people. He was a few years older than Choo Lan.


    His name was Liang Mao.


    He had made a fortune dealing in timber over the past few years.


    At this time, he was all smiles, affable on all fronts, where was the ferocious drunk appearance from the past life?


    Gu Qiaoqiao no longer wanted to know what kind of trap Choo Lan and Zhu Xiaohong had set for her in her past life.


    She also didn¡¯t want to know how they conspired.


    All she knew now was that, had it not been for the righteousness of the hotel guest, had she actually been dragged into the room by this man, sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the consequences would have been unbearable for her at the time.


    How should she deal with this pair of despicable people to rid herself of this grudge?


    Otherwise, her heart, which had just started to brighten a little, would be clouded again.


    She discovered that Liang Mao seemed to fancy Choo Lan.


    But after much thought, she still couldn¡¯t come up with a good plan.


    Yet, doing nothing was equally unsatisfying.


    Liang Mao was very enthusiastic in inviting everyone to dinner.


    Du Shuang was the first to decline.


    She had to go home to cook for her son.


    Choo Lan seemed unwilling to spend more time with Liang Mao and showed none of the excitement of an old acquaintance in a foreign place.


    Since Gu Qiaoqiao was the youngest, she could just follow Du Shuang¡¯s lead.


    The time agreed upon with the driver arrived.


    Du Shuang, pulling Gu Qiaoqiao, was ready to leave.


    It didn¡¯t matter to her whether Choo Lan left or stayed; she and Gu Qiaoqiao needed to get home.


    So, everyone rose from the couch.


    However, Choo Lan¡¯s eyes flickered as she pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao and said to Liang Mao, ¡°Liang Mao, aren¡¯t you interested in meeting a measurer? My sister-in-law knows one, we even visited her home today.¡±


    Zhao Yuxiang was a timber factory measurer, which Choo Lan had just learned.


    But she had wasted no time in using this information; her mind was quick.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes darkened. Indeed, even though she had been reborn and even though she tried to change the course of many things,


    some people¡¯s hearts would always remain unchanged, constantly pushing her into the abyss.


    Upon hearing this, Liang Mao¡¯s eyes gleamed, and he eagerly said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful, when can Miss Gu introduce us?¡±


    ¡°What introduction? Aunt Zhao is very straightforward, and she still holds a grudge against Qiaoqiao for dragging down her mother. If I introduce you to her, Liang Mao, rest assured that your truck full of wood might never leave the factory!¡±


    Du Shuang spoke briskly, her tone a mix of truth and jest.

 Chapter 166 - 166 This little physical pain is really nothing!

    Chapter 166: Chapter 166 This little physical pain is really nothing!


    Liang Mao gave a dry smile, but said nothing more.


    Gu Qiaoqiao grinned at the supportive Du Shuang, ¡°Sister-in-law is right.¡± She then turned to Liang Mao, hiding the unusual color in her eyes, and spoke lightly, ¡°Asking me for help would be a disservice. You might as well ask your childhood friend Choo Lan. She has pretty good connections around here, right, Choo Lan?¡±


    Choo Lan was at a loss for words.


    To say her relationships were poor was embarrassing; to admit they were good meant that Liang Mao, like an annoying plaster, would surely pester endlessly.


    She darted a sullen glance at Gu Qiaoqiao and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you said. The relationships are just average.¡±


    Liang Mao naturally didn¡¯t believe her.


    He wasn¡¯t unaware of Choo Lan¡¯s family background.


    And the local people probably knew it too, so currying favor was definitely a given.


    However, it wasn¡¯t good to press her too urgently.


    Impatient, Du Shuang started to leave, pulling Gu Qiaoqiao with her.


    Liang Mao was a stranger to her, and she wasn¡¯t inclined to meddle in his troubles. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Du Shuang pulled her by the hand, Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at her, thinking how foolish she must have been in her previous life to have quarreled with someone as good as Du Shuang.


    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally.


    Some people don¡¯t need to be reborn. They are naturally smart, know what they want, and can distinguish good from bad.


    Just like Du Shuang.


    A loving marriage, a harmonious family, although there were minor conflicts, that was normal.


    And some people need to face setbacks and hardships again and again before they gradually mature.


    Just like herself after the age of twenty-four in her previous life.


    Watching Du Shuang decisively pulling Gu Qiaoqiao away, Choo Lan also pretended to hurry and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Speaking thus, she didn¡¯t wait for Liang Mao to respond and quickly followed the other two.


    The rendezvous point with the logistics department¡¯s driver was at the grocery store.


    And the grocery store was just one street away from the guest house.


    By this time, Choo Lan had caught up.


    Turning her head back, Gu Qiaoqiao saw Liang Mao still standing at the entrance of the guest house.


    But he was already chatting and laughing with a nearby waiter.


    Small stones were everywhere along the roadside.


    The three of them walked side by side.


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao said, ¡°Go ahead without me, sister-in-law. I¡¯ve got sand in my shoe. Don¡¯t wait for me; it would be bad if the driver can¡¯t wait for us. I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡±


    Du Shuang suspected nothing, nodded her head, and continued walking.


    She was also anxious, cursing her soft heart for complicating an originally simple plan of splitting up.


    Hoping they wouldn¡¯t keep the logistics department¡¯s driver waiting for long.


    Choo Lan glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao squatting down and pursed her lips, then followed Du Shuang around the street corner.


    Without hesitation, Gu Qiaoqiao pinched a stone, and with a thought, hurled it at Liang Mao¡¯s knee from a hundred meters away.


    The distance was considerable, and Gu Qiaoqiao was not even facing him directly.


    She wasn¡¯t sure.


    But she wanted to give it a try.


    To her surprise, the stone, carried by a fierce force, accurately hit Liang Mao¡¯s knee.


    He cried out in pain and collapsed to his knees with a thud.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t hear the sound; as she turned around the corner, she looked back and saw from a distance that Liang Mao at the guest house door had dropped a notch.


    It turned out he had knelt down in her direction.


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled her lips upward, he deserved it!


    A man who follows Choo Lan¡¯s words to harm an innocent girl is nothing but scum!


    She briskly walked toward Du Shuang with a cheerful step.


    As for Choo Lan, that would come later.


    Meanwhile, Liang Mao was kneeling on the ground, the pain in his knees causing him to collapse with a thud.


    The sudden turn of events startled the nearby waiter, who quickly rushed to help Liang Mao, only to see blood streaming from under his nose.


    He hurried inside to get him some tissues.


    Liang Mao sat on the ground, rubbing his knee, looking around the empty surroundings, no one was nearby.


    But he had just felt a sharp pain in his knee, which made him unable to resist falling.


    It couldn¡¯t have been someone hitting him.


    Could it be that he had developed arthritis?


    Thinking this, he stood up, covered his nose, and limped with the waiter¡¯s help to the hospital.


    By this time, Gu Qiaoqiao and the others were already on their way back.


    On the return trip, the truck¡¯s bed was loaded with a lot of stuff.


    Choo Lan directly entered the driver¡¯s cabin of the truck, which only had two seats.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, sitting in the bed of the truck, watched Choo Lan¡¯s arrogant demeanor and coldly smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll let you jump around for a while first.¡±


    Du Shuang and Gu Qiaoqiao were quietly talking and laughing, and they arrived at their destination quite quickly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao straddled the railing, ready to step off using the truck¡¯s tire.


    Choo Lan also pushed open the door of the driver¡¯s cabin.


    As one of her legs touched the ground and the other was just about to lower, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, and the stone in her hand accurately hit Choo Lan¡¯s knee.


    Just like Liang Mao, Choo Lan screamed and collapsed directly onto the ground.


    Du Shuang was the first to jump down from the truck. She reached out to help Gu Qiaoqiao but was caught off guard by Choo Lan¡¯s scream.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, go and see what happened to Choo Lan, don¡¯t let her get hurt.¡±


    Saying this, Gu Qiaoqiao stepped on the tire and lightly leaped to the ground.


    At that moment, Choo Lan had already been helped up by the driver and Du Shuang.


    Du Shuang complained, ¡°Did you numb your leg sitting inside? The driver¡¯s cabin is not as comfortable as the back of the truck. Be more careful when getting out. Look, your face is all scraped up. Go quickly to your medical room and apply some medicine¡­¡±


    Choo Lan was taken aback and hurriedly endured the pain in her knee to pull out a small mirror. A beauty always cherishes her own face, and seeing it scratched and bleeding, she no longer cared about the pain and said with a pained expression, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m going back to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Choo Lan, can you walk?¡± Du Shuang hadn¡¯t let go and asked with some concern.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you go back and cook for Xiao Bao. I will take Choo Lan to the base hospital,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao came over and said to the visibly conflicted Du Shuang.


    After thinking for a moment, Du Shuang let go and hurriedly gave a few instructions before heading towards her home.


    Once Du Shuang left, Choo Lan abruptly shook off Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mind and simply arched an eyebrow, knowing it would be like this.


    In front of her, Choo Lan always maintained a sense of superiority.


    How could she let her assist such a disheveled self?


    Choo Lan gritted her teeth, wanting to lash out but finding no reason to do so since the driver, Xiao Wu, was still nearby.


    ¡°No need, I can go by myself,¡± Choo Lan said, then limped toward the direction of the base hospital.


    The driver Xiao Wu quickly caught up, ¡°Doctor Choo, let me take you.¡±


    ¡°Will it delay your work?¡± Choo Lan asked with rare gentleness.


    This was the flower of the base, and Xiao Wu was naturally willing to help, and it really wouldn¡¯t delay his work.


    Thus, Xiao Wu and Gu Qiaoqiao helped her into the truck, and it headed toward the base hospital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood still, her expression calm. Compared to the humiliation she suffered in her past life, this mere physical pain was nothing.

 Chapter 167 - 167 How Much She Admires Him!

    Chapter 167: Chapter 167 How Much She Admires Him!


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that, given the extent of the scratches on her face, she probably couldn¡¯t go out for a while.


    She smiled slightly, her steps light as she walked toward home.


    When she reached the front door, she found it open.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s steps paused for a moment¡ªQin Yize was back.


    She then looked up and saw smoke coming from the chimney.


    She entered the house, still wearing the smile she hadn¡¯t had time to put away.


    Standing in the hallway, she looked toward the kitchen.


    Qin Yize had returned at some point.


    His tall and straight figure was lazily leaning to one side, a slight, ambiguous smile on his face.


    His dark eyes seemed to capture twinkling stars.


    He raised his eyebrows, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao teasingly, his smile slight and aristocratic, ¡°You seem so happy, what¡¯s the good news?¡±


    Happy?


    Good news?


    To say that she, like a childish young girl, threw stones at people?


    Then, Liang Mao and Choo Lan both fell down¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips curved up, her voice not loud, but unable to hide a bit of excitement and joy, ¡°You¡¯re back, isn¡¯t that good news?¡±


    Qin Yize knew she was dodging the question, but still, a smile spread across his face.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked into the kitchen, glanced inside, and saw millet porridge in the stew pot.


    Next to it, in the steamer, it seemed like the cabbage-filled ¡°steamed dumplings¡± she had made that morning were being heated.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took bowls and chopsticks to the living room.


    Then she poured the dipping sauce she had prepared in the morning into two small dishes. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize came out of the kitchen, glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, and noticed that she had taken very good care of herself these past few days.


    Her bright eyes were free of redness, and a little flesh had returned to her cheeks.


    She looked completely different from the ghostly appearance he had seen during his last visit.


    Qin Yize was very pleased.


    Thus, he was naturally in a good mood.


    But then he suddenly remembered something, ¡°Did you read the book I mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°What about the reading notes?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused, then remembered the reading notes.


    Qin Yize hadn¡¯t mentioned them during his last visit, and she thought he had forgotten.


    Her clear eyes twinkled as she smiled and asked Qin Yize, ¡°Shall I read it now?¡±


    Qin Yize glanced at the kitchen where the steamer was just starting to emit steam, looked down at Gu Qiaoqiao, and said softly, ¡°Read it now.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao went to the bedroom, opened the desk drawer, and took out the piece of paper.


    But she suddenly felt a bit ridiculous.


    She was no longer the naive girl from her previous life.


    Back then, she loved Qin Yize, her heart and eyes full of adoration for him, but only she knew how much she idolized him!


    The first time she saw him, the world in front of her eyes became instantly radiant and bright.


    She cherished every word he said.


    Everything he asked her to do, she did without any hesitation.


    She actually didn¡¯t enjoy reading.


    But because he wanted her to read, she read each word carefully.


    If once wasn¡¯t enough, she read it twice.


    If twice wasn¡¯t enough, she read it three times, until she wrote a reading response that satisfied him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at the thin piece of letter paper, lost in thought.


    But suddenly a hand with distinct joints, graceful as a jade carving, reached over, easily snatching the letter paper from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand.


    A voice sounded overhead, soft and close, carrying the unique cool scent of bamboo that belonged only to Qin Yize.


    ¡°Daydreaming again?¡±


    After he spoke, he didn¡¯t wait for Gu Qiaoqiao to answer and started reading seriously.


    He read at an extremely fast pace.


    Almost ten lines at a glance.


    Soon, Qin Yize chuckled softly.


    He looked down at the young girl standing with her back to him, the two of them very close.


    The air was filled with the girl¡¯s fragrant scent.


    He tightened his grip on the letter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly turned around, and his tall figure almost overshadowed her, giving her a feeling of having nowhere to escape.


    She quickly hid the moisture in her eyes and frowned unhappily.


    What¡¯s the deal? Are you mocking me?


    She felt that what she had written was quite good and deserved praise.


    ¡°What are you laughing at? If it¡¯s not good, just say it, why laugh at me?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao spoke indignantly.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement as he read it again, then looked down at Gu Qiaoqiao who seemed ready to explode at any moment, his voice also carrying a hint of laughter, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, at such a young age, where did you learn to use such official jargon, do you think you¡¯re giving a speech at a mobilization meeting?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s there official jargon and platitudes?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked furiously.


    Qin Yize leaned slightly forward, pointing to a section on the letter and said softly, ¡°Right here¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked seriously and her face slowly turned a shade of crimson.


    That passage, pointed out alone, indeed resembled something you¡¯d find in a newspaper speech.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was about to snatch it back.


    Qin Yize suddenly raised his hand higher, looking down at the charming and annoyed girl in front of him, really wanting to reach out and ruffle her little head.


    But he held himself back this time.


    This Gu Qiaoqiao was like a little rabbit about to emerge from its hole, ready to scurry back at the slightest noise.


    His lips curved into a slight smile, ¡°Overall, it¡¯s not bad, I can give you eighty points.¡±


    ¡°Eighty points?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao took a step back unconsciously, glanced sideways at Qin Yize, and half-jokingly said, ¡°Then give me the letter, I¡¯ll revise it properly, maybe I can get a perfect score¡­¡±


    ¡°Ambitious, praiseworthy indeed,¡± Qin Yize said slowly.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to speak, her expression suddenly changed, Qin Yize frowned too, then stuffed the letter into his trouser pocket and walked quickly to the kitchen.


    The steamer had dried out.


    A burnt smell filled the kitchen.


    Then, Qin Yize swiftly took the steamer off the stove, placed it on the counter, and then abruptly removed the lid.


    A scent of slightly burnt steamed dumplings filled the air.


    Qin Yize looked at the dumbfounded Gu Qiaoqiao with a teasing smile, his voice like water striking stone, ¡°I think the dumplings might actually taste better this way.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at Qin Yize.


    Stuffing the letter into his trouser pocket, running into the kitchen, grabbing the pot, lifting the lid¡­


    He completed this whole set of actions within seconds, how did he manage that?


    And why did he stuff the letter into his trouser pocket?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes shifted subtly, no longer hesitating but busily walked into the kitchen, took out a plate and served all the dumplings from the pot.


    Upon lifting the lid, she saw the bottom of the steamer had blackened.


    She wondered if it was still usable.


    Since she had come here, she had thrown out one iron pot, and now, was she going to throw away a steamer too?


    It seems that even heaven doesn¡¯t want these two to smoothly continue their days together.


    However, Qin Yize nonchalantly placed the rice porridge from the simmering pot into a large bowl.


    Then he carried it to the living room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed a large plate of steamed dumplings on the cupboard, then poured a bit of water inside the steamer.


    Picking it up for a closer look, impressive, it wasn¡¯t leaking.


    Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao carried the steamed dumplings into the living room.


    Qin Yize felt that every time he finished eating something Gu Qiaoqiao had made, he had a very pleasant mood.

 Chapter 168 - 168: Are You Interested in Opening an Antique Store in the Imperial Capital?

    Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Are You Interested in Opening an Antique Store in the Imperial Capital?


    He leisurely sipped his tea, his handsome brows lowered, and his originally aloof and solitary features seemed to be overlaid with a layer of subtle soft light.


    His posture was relaxed, exuding an elegant languor.


    Listening to the noises coming from the kitchen, Qin Yize suddenly felt life was really mysterious.


    A small house enclosed a man and a woman bound by marriage.


    Essentials like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and tea¡­


    It seemed to construct a world different from the usual.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao finished tidying up, she brought over the Rising Sun.


    Qin Yize had seen this Gold Jade Stone Carving before.


    He raised his eyebrows and looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, his eyes questioning.


    ¡°It¡¯s for you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blinked several times, then placed the Gold Jade Stone in front of Qin Yize and tentatively asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Qin Yize first glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, then took the Gold Jade Stone Carving. He hadn¡¯t looked closely enough last time; this time he examined it again from all sides.


    He was inwardly impressed, and after a long while, he set it down and slowly began to speak. His voice, though light as a cloud, was earnest, word by word, ¡°I like it!¡±


    It¡¯s good you like it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao breathed a sigh of relief.


    He tenderly gazed at her, seemingly asking carelessly, ¡°It¡¯s a thank-you gift, right?¡±


    Smart!


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled without speaking.


    She neither confirmed nor denied it.


    The air inside the room grew quiet for a moment. Qin Yize placed the Gold Jade Stone Carving on the table and spoke lightly, ¡°Prepare tomorrow, and the day after, we depart.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly nodded, ¡°I am almost ready; I was just waiting for you to come back.¡±


    Qin Yize curved his lips into a slight smile, his gaze fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao, then he suddenly asked, ¡°Are you interested in opening an antique shop in the Imperial Capital?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback.


    Opening an antique shop in the Imperial Capital would require considerable capital.


    Even if she wanted to, she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked into those eyes, cool as autumn water, and felt defeated after only a second.


    Trying to read anything from his eyes was clearly impossible.


    Not wanting to guess his thoughts, Gu Qiaoqiao straightforwardly said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but it¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°I have two street-facing properties in the Imperial Capital. I estimate that the district will be redeveloped by the end of the year. If you want, I can reserve one for you,¡± Qin Yize slowly said.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She knew about Qin Yize¡¯s two street-front properties.


    They were also in an old district.


    Close to the Antique Street.


    They were actually two buildings.


    But if her memory served her correctly, around this time next year, the eldest son of the Qin family¡¯s second son nearly fell out with the Old Patriarch because of Qin Yize¡¯s two properties.


    And those two properties were coveted even by the third uncle of the Qin Family.


    After all, Qin Yize was not always in the Imperial Capital, mysteriously coming and going, often unseen for months, so those properties were rented out at a very high rent.


    This made the second and third uncles of the Qin family a bit jealous.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t want to get involved.


    She quickly shook her head, ¡°No need, no need, I can¡¯t manage an antique shop by myself.¡±


    ¡°I can help you find people.¡±


    ¡°Running an antique shop isn¡¯t that simple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not simple,¡± Qin Yize nodded, then after a moment, added meaningfully, ¡°If you want to do it, I can help you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes flashed with surprise, unsure of what Qin Yize was really thinking.


    She still shook her head, ¡°Not for now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Yize responded softly, then stood up, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, his eyes flickering with a brief glint of darkness, but it vanished just as quickly.


    ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re ready to talk, okay?¡± He was clearly about to leave, and he said this as he put on his coffee-colored trench coat.


    The climate here was still somewhat chilly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked puzzled but nodded her head anyway, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Qin Yize seemed pleased and smiled slightly, then left with long strides.


    Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital.


    The high-level ward of the hospital.


    Gu Kun sat in the chair with his head down, his complexion sallow, obviously in poor health.


    Gu Qingfeng had become much more lucid. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uncle Gu was taking care of him attentively.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression seemed much better.


    However, his movements were somewhat slow.


    He still could not sit up.


    But his eyes, which looked dull, when they flickered with a dark light, were truly terrifying.


    Therefore, Gu Kun dared not look up at him and said softly, ¡°Father, it¡¯s all my fault for provoking you, I won¡¯t dare to do so anymore.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze was grave, and the hard-won paternity test on the table proved the father-son relationship with the Gu Kun in front of him.


    But, all of this seemed too coincidental.


    And when he recalled the words he had heard before he fell unconscious, his heart felt as if it were being pierced by a thousand arrows.


    Were they true?


    Did Lady Yu truly hate him so much before she died?


    But why did she leave home on a whim in the first place? If she hadn¡¯t left, how could she have encountered so many troubles?


    Why didn¡¯t she trust him?


    In this lifetime, even unto the brink of death, she was the only woman for him.


    He lay on the hospital bed, gasping for a moment before calmly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, I forced you to tell me¡­¡±


    Gu Kun murmured a response and then fell silent.


    Gu Qingfeng picked up the Jade Pendant that had been beside him, clumsily rubbing it with his fingers before seeming to ask nonchalantly, ¡°Is this the only jade pendant your mother had on her?¡±


    Gu Kun was visibly startled, a panicked look flashing across his eyes.


    He hesitated for a moment, but seeing Gu Qingfeng staring into his eyes, he bravely said, ¡°Yes, this is the only jade pendant my mother had.¡±


    ¡°She made the cord on this herself, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I guess so, I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±


    ¡°How many years had your mother worn this jade pendant around her neck?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked gravely.


    Gu Kun furrowed his brow, his somewhat blurry eyes carefully observing the old man lying on the hospital bed, who seemed too frail to live much longer, his heart pounding.


    He didn¡¯t understand why he hadn¡¯t asked about the jade pendant when he first saw it but was suddenly inquiring about it now?


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± Gu Kun murmured.


    Gu Qingfeng seemed tired, ¡°You should go back for now; you look pale. I¡¯ll have Gu Cheng take you to see a doctor later.¡±


    Gu Kun felt as if he had been granted a reprieve.


    He quickly stood up, bent his waist slightly, and walked out.


    Uncle Gu closed the door.


    He sat opposite the old man and said softly, ¡°Old Patriarch, your main task now is to recover; let¡¯s not worry about anything else for now.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng breathed heavily a few times before slowly calming down, then looking at Uncle Gu, he slowly said, ¡°How many people have those two arranged at the Jade Mine and Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°Not many, twelve.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a few¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed it is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, and they already can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°So, Old Patriarch, I can¡¯t go anywhere now, I¡¯m staying with you. Once you¡¯re better, we definitely need to investigate thoroughly,¡± Uncle Gu said gravely.

 Chapter 169 - 169: The Legend of the Gu Family

    Chapter 169: Chapter 169: The Legend of the Gu Family


    Gu Qingfeng nodded with effort.


    Since heaven allowed him to live, he would strive to keep on living.


    At that moment, a warmth that only he was aware of radiated from his chest.


    This nucleus carving was a fine thing indeed.


    It was carved by the girl who shared his surname.


    It had once been said by his ancestors that a master carver of unparalleled skill could endow their creations with a spirit of their own.


    And the Gu Family ancestors had produced such a master five hundred years ago.


    He was a person of astonishing talent.


    Legend had it that a single piece of his work could be traded for an entire city.


    Yet he remained detached and free-spirited, never caring for wealth.


    He devoted his life to the mountains and waters.


    In the year he turned thirty, after leaving the Mysterious Dragon Box for the Gu Family Patriarch, he drifted away.


    No news of him surfaced ever again.


    As for the Mysterious Dragon Box, nobody could open it.


    The secrets inside remained unknown to all.


    Five hundred years went by in the blink of an eye.


    He thought that perhaps his only son might open it given the boy¡¯s talent for mechanisms.


    However, at fourteen, his son ran away from home with the Mysterious Dragon Box and his mother.


    That year was the twenty-fifth year of the Republic of China.


    They also took several thousand dollars in banknotes, dozens of gold bars, and agate jade stones.


    He thought they must be hiding somewhere and would come back when they ran out of money.


    But that wait lasted fifty years!


    And in the end, what he received were the tragic news of Lady Yu and a ¡°son¡± who was now close to the age of seventy, weak and nodding in agreement.


    The Mysterious Dragon Box was nowhere to be found.


    And all of this was marked by a series of strange coincidences.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, I will get better,¡± Gu Qingfeng suppressed his thoughts, squinted his eyes, and spoke word by word.


    ¡°Yes, Old Patriarch, your health is improving bit by bit. With all due disrespect, you need to live, even if it¡¯s just for another year. If you can clear up these matters, you can pass away with peace of mind,¡± Uncle Gu said with a choking voice.


    ¡°If all of this is a scheme concocted by Gu Cheng and his mother, I will take back everything they now possess, not leaving a single thing behind!¡± Gu Qingfeng spoke calmly, yet there was a harshness in his tone.


    He had already given them more than enough.


    But they were still not satisfied.


    So, if the recent events were truly their doing, then the things he had bestowed upon them could all return to him.


    Uncle Gu silently clenched his teeth, vowing that if he found the identity of the mole, he would never spare that person.


    Now, he trusted no one but himself.


    That included his wife and children!


    ¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao said she was ready, but she still spent a whole day reorganizing everything.


    There wasn¡¯t much of importance at home anyway.


    Moreover, the house was located within the base compound, so there was no need to worry about thieves.


    Still, Qin Yize took the Rising Sun Gold Jade Stone with him.


    He didn¡¯t say where he was taking it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought he might have taken it to his base office.


    The next morning, Gu Qiaoqiao got into the jeep driven by Luh Fei and sped towards the mountains.


    The mountain roads were not smooth.


    But Luh Fei was an adept driver, managing to spare them many jolts.


    Moreover, traveling by jeep was twice as fast as taking the train.


    However, because Qin Yize was present, Luh Fei was much more subdued.


    He didn¡¯t display any of his usual flamboyant demeanor.


    Just driving quietly.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yize was constantly writing something in a notebook or going through the documents in the cowhide bag.


    In any case, the morning passed in silence.


    By noon, the jeep pulled over on the side of the road.


    At this point, aside from winding mountains and trees, there were no households in sight.


    In the northern forest region, it was not like the south; whenever there was a road, there would be houses nearby.


    The distance between forest stations here could be a minimum of several hundred li apart.


    So, finding a place to eat was out of the question.


    Qiaoqiao had also prepared dry food.


    She had made quite a number of scallion pancakes and cleaned some freshly grown green onions and bok choy from the vegetable garden. She had also brought two jars of pickles, which was enough to last until they emerged from the mountainous region.


    Unexpectedly, Luh Fei took a small iron pot used for marching, from the trunk with a beaming smile and skillfully made his way to the riverside where he set up a stone stove with large goose egg-sized rocks.


    He then filled the iron pot halfway with river water, placed it on the makeshift stone stove, and came back.


    There were dry branches everywhere along the riverbank, and Luh Fei quickly gathered a pile. After considering the wind direction, he started a fire.


    It turned out he planned to make canned egg soup here.


    Qiaoqiao took over Luh Fei¡¯s job and started making the soup.


    Luh Fei, still grinning from ear to ear, spread a canvas cloth on the ground while Qin Yize continued to read the document in his hands.


    His eyebrows were habitually furrowed ever so slightly.


    Only this time, he was leaning against the car door.


    Soon the soup was ready; Qiaoqiao had put in bok choy, green onion slices, and cracked four eggs into it.


    The golden egg flowers, the green bok choy, and the braised pork from the can looked incredibly appetizing.


    Out here in the wilderness, by the riverside in the mountain woods, there was a unique enjoyment to eating such a meal.


    Moreover, the flaky layers on the outside and the tender insides of Qiaoqiao¡¯s scallion pancakes made the pickles taste out of this world.


    Even Luh Fei ate until he was stuffed.


    He used the iron pot to bring river water to extinguish the fire by the river.


    Only after ensuring there were no safety hazards did he feel at ease to leave.


    The jeep continued on its way out of the mountains.


    Qiaoqiao was the only person in the back seat, so she leaned over and fell asleep.


    Qin Yize glanced back inadvertently and found that Qiaoqiao had actually fallen asleep.


    He curled his lips slightly and then continued to look at the documents.


    This time, coming back to the Imperial Capital, he was to report to Elder Shen, the commander-in-chief at the base headquarters, on the recent experimental progress and the encirclement operations against the miscreants.


    His situation was actually quite complicated.


    Three years ago, when he returned from studying abroad, he was put in charge of a mysterious medical team because of his special talents; the team members were elites from various fields. Although they were outside the system, they could enjoy all the privileges of being inside it.


    He moved along the dangerous fringes under the guise of the medical team.


    He had thought it would take some time, but unexpectedly, it didn¡¯t take long to clean up the several hideouts lurking in the Northeast.


    All this was thanks to the girl¡¯s keenness; if she hadn¡¯t detected the anomaly with that pot of meat, Zhao Ying couldn¡¯t have been captured so quickly.


    It just hadn¡¯t crossed his mind that it could have put her in danger.


    As for who leaked her information, or whether the enemy operatives were lying in wait for her, there was still no conclusion.


    In this border base, besides the tasks mentioned, he also led the laboratory staff to overcome a difficult challenge.


    He had fulfilled the promise he made to Elder Shen.


    The Great Grandfather was getting on in years, and the second and third branches each had their own schemes. Perhaps it was time he shouldered the responsibility for the Qin Family.


    The Qin Family¡¯s business was vast but overly scattered; he couldn¡¯t let the Great Grandfather carry on like this. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He just hadn¡¯t expected that the girl needed to go to the Imperial Capital, so he had conveniently brought her along.


    He thought, if he hadn¡¯t returned a few days earlier, Qiaoqiao might have picked up her bag and boarded a train already.


    She wouldn¡¯t have discussed it with him.


    But her, staying by his side, what was it for?


    Qin Yize masked the thoughts in his eyes and gazed forward, just as the sky, unexpectedly, began to darken.

 Chapter 170 - 170: The towering figure guards her tightly

    Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The towering figure guards her tightly


    The weather in June changes on a dime.


    Just ten minutes later, a fierce wind arose, and dark clouds tumbled in from the horizon.


    A storm seemed imminent.


    Suddenly, lightning slashed across the sky, followed by thunder echoing through the mountains and forests.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was jolted awake by the thunder.


    She opened her somewhat groggy eyes and looked ahead, wondering if a heavy rain was about to fall.


    Qin Yize sternly ordered Luh Fei to drive to a more open area,


    to avoid the sudden storm.


    Accelerating, the car shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.


    Seeing that Gu Qiaoqiao had awakened, Qin Yize whispered, ¡°It might rain soon; we¡¯ll find a place to take cover.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hummed softly in response.


    Looking at the trees outside bending in the wind, she realized that this wouldn¡¯t be a light rainfall.


    The mountain road was treacherous, and Gu Qiaoqiao gripped the car door handle tightly.


    But they were still beneath the mountain, a distance away from the meadow ahead.


    Although the section of the mountain road was flat, the mountain to the right was very tall, while to the left lay a swath of low-lying shrubbery.


    The wind grew stronger.


    Suddenly, the sound of raindrops pattered against the windshield.


    The downpour had begun.


    Luh Fei gripped the steering wheel tightly and glanced at the unfazed Qin Yize beside him, which somewhat calmed his nerves.


    Ever since he had started driving for Qin Yize, this was the first time they had ventured this far.


    But at that moment, a rumbling sound seemed to come from above them.


    At first, one might have thought it was thunder again, but Qin Yize¡¯s face turned stern, and he bellowed, ¡°Stop the car!¡±


    But it was too late.


    Due to inertia, even though the brakes were slammed, the car still moved forward more than two meters.


    Suddenly, with a loud crash, countless large and small rocks mixed with mud cascaded down from the mountain.


    In an instant, they struck the military jeep¡¯s body.


    Clang, clang, clang¡ªthe impacts all hit the roof of the car.


    Qin Yize, in the blink of an eye, pressed down on the stunned Luh Fei, shouting, ¡°Cover your head and duck down!¡±


    Then, he pressed down on the seat, hurled himself over to Gu Qiaoqiao, and, in one swift motion, held the dazed Gu Qiaoqiao in his arms.


    His large frame firmly protected her.


    Then there was darkness in the car, followed by a whirlwind motion as the car tumbled down the mountain road and crashed into the bushes.


    And all this transpired in the span of three seconds.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was a blank slate; all she heard was a muffled groan from above, and being held in Qin Yize¡¯s large, warm embrace, she felt no pain.


    Danger and disaster always strike when least expected.


    One moment, they were driving on a mountain road; the next, the car had tumbled into the bushes.


    After rolling several times, the car finally came to a stop.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was completely dazed.


    Before she could recover, she heard Qin Yize¡¯s hoarse voice above her, ¡°Luh Fei.¡±


    ¡°Doctor Qin, I¡¯m okay,¡± Luh Fei replied from the front, breathing heavily.


    Knowing that Gu Qiaoqiao in his arms was also unharmed, Qin Yize kicked at the car door; it was probably warped from the impact. He asked Luh Fei, ¡°Can you get out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trapped in the seat; I¡¯m trying to move.¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    Then Luh Fei finally managed to squeeze out from under the seat with great difficulty, and with a forceful push, he actually opened the car door and climbed out.


    The rain was still pouring outside.


    He felt relieved inside, thankful that after flipping over several times, the car had landed upright. Otherwise, if it had been wheels up, they would have been in real danger.


    Qin Yize loosened his grip on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand a bit, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, climb out from the steering wheel side, quickly¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he let go of her body and carefully but swiftly helped Gu Qiaoqiao out of the car.


    Luh Fei caught Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After that, Qin Yize squeezed out of the car himself.


    Luh Fei, still shaken, wiped the rainwater off his face, thinking how lucky he was.


    Such a serious accident, and yet all three of them could still stand on the ground with limbs intact.


    It was truly a miracle!


    As soon as Qin Yize had steadied himself, he took off his coat and wrapped it around a pale-looking Gu Qiaoqiao, covering her head and upper body.


    And the rain immediately soaked his white shirt.


    Soon the shirt was drenched.


    But it also outlined his muscular physique.


    Filled with strength and a sense of security. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked around, pondered for a moment, and the map of the Northern Mountain Area involuntarily came to mind.


    He carefully recalled the details, confirming their current position.


    And the surrounding circumstances.


    A moment later, his brows furrowed, and after a bit of contemplation, he looked at Luh Fei and commanded, ¡°About twenty kilometers from here, there¡¯s a forestry station, and about ten kilometers from the forestry station is a testing site affiliated with our base. You go make a call to report this incident to the base, and then drive a car over here. This one¡¯s a write-off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Doctor Qin, I¡¯ll make sure the task is completed.¡± With that, Luh Fei quickly ran off towards a fork in the road up ahead.


    It was three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    It should have been bright and sunny, but dark clouds were still rapidly rolling in the sky, like a stormy sea.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Qin Yize called out to Luh Fei, taking a pistol from behind his waist and instructing him, ¡°The mountain roads are even harder to navigate after the heavy rain. Be careful on your own.¡±


    Luh Fei hesitated, ¡°Doctor Qin, I¡¯m fine, you keep the gun.¡±


    This was a desolate mountain range and seemed very unsafe.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine here.¡± Qin Yize then glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was clearly still dazed.


    Luh Fei didn¡¯t argue, aware of Doctor Qin¡¯s combat skills capable of taking down big game.


    He nodded firmly, ¡°Yes, Doctor Qin, then I¡¯ll be going. You and sister-in-law, take care here too.¡±


    After that, he set off at a brisk pace.


    The rain was slowly easing.


    Wrapped in Qin Yize¡¯s coat, Gu Qiaoqiao only then started to feel surrounded by his crisp scent.


    Looking at Qin Yize, who was completely soaked yet heedless as he went to check the car, a sour feeling welled up in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    The moment he had thrown himself over in the nick of time kept replaying before her eyes.


    The three of them were unharmed, perhaps due to the amulets, but more so because of Qin Yize¡¯s composure in the face of danger.


    Otherwise, it was possible they could have suffered scraped faces, and injured arms and legs.


    But none of that happened.


    One had to say, they were truly lucky!


    Breathing in, the scent she noticed was uniquely Qin Yize¡¯s, as if she was surrounded by bamboo.


    Crisp, refreshing, yet with a gentle warmth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s curly lashes fluttered like butterfly wings as she stealthily watched that tall and upright figure.


    A heart that she had tried to freeze was silently thawing.


    She thought that if they couldn¡¯t be husband and wife, perhaps they could still be good friends.


    Suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao remembered something and exclaimed, ¡°Ah!¡± She hurried toward the twisted wreckage of the jeep.

 Chapter 171 - 171: Im Really Sorry for Making You Go Bankrupt!

    Chapter 171: Chapter 171: I¡¯m Really Sorry for Making You Go Bankrupt!


    Qin Yize was checking the fuel tank and felt relieved that there was no oil leak, which would have been really dangerous.


    Then, an anxious voice from Gu Qiaoqiao came from beside him, ¡°Qin Yize, can the trunk be opened?¡±


    ¡°See for yourself.¡± Qin Yize pointed to the severely warped trunk.


    ¡°Could my gold jade stones be broken?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked worriedly.


    Qin Yize glanced at the trunk, estimated the angle of distortion, and the spot where Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s items were placed.


    Then he looked at the young girl who appeared smaller in his clothes.


    His eyes shimmered with a wave of light as he slowly said, ¡°Maybe they are broken.¡±


    What?


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned pale, ¡°Are they really broken? What should I do?¡±


    Those were all the possessions she could present.


    She was almost crying.


    After a while, she murmured, ¡°That¡¯s all I have, and I was planning to exchange them for Red Spirit Jade Marrow¡­¡±


    Qin Yize patted the trunk and said regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, you¡¯ve lost everything!¡±


    At that moment, the drizzling rain gradually stopped.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, feeling devastated, stared blankly at the scene in front of her, truly regretful.


    If she had known this would happen, she might as well have taken the train.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao muttered to herself.


    At this time, the clouds had completely dispersed.


    The sun appeared in the western sky.


    A majestic rainbow also stretched across the horizon.


    The sky, cleansed by the storm, was transparently blue, and the trees were even more verdantly green.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, positioned as if beneath the rainbow bridge, had even more lustrous eyes, and her curled eyelashes were dewy.


    Her delicate eyebrows drew together, as if veiled in a light mist.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s devastated and regretful expression made Qin Yize smile unconsciously.


    But he suddenly remembered the moment he had pulled her into his arms.


    It seemed, fragrant and soft.


    He realized that his little wife was, in fact, becoming more and more attractive.


    However, the girl was currently heartbroken, so he quickly hid the smile in his eyes and spoke indifferently, ¡°This should be my fault. If I hadn¡¯t insisted you come with us, this would not have happened today.¡±


    In fact, he was also scared afterward.


    Had anything serious happened to Gu Qiaoqiao, he could not even imagine what state he would have been in.


    Fortunately, everything was fine!


    ¡°If they are broken, they won¡¯t have any value,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said quietly.


    ¡°These are your hard work. Why don¡¯t I compensate you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, annoyed and heartbroken, ¡°How can you compensate me? Those items were unique, and now they¡¯re broken.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps the gold nuggets inside were fine, but together, they were not as valuable as a single well-carved piece of Gold Jade Stone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my two stores in the Imperial Capital,¡± Qin Yize suddenly said.


    ¡°What?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and then looked up at Qin Yize. Those were two buildings worth tens of millions, and he was just going to give them to her?


    ¡°Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°No joke,¡± Qin Yize gazed at Gu Qiaoqiao seriously, ¡°We can proceed with the transfer of ownership when we return to the Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Transfer of ownership?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao momentarily forgot about the jade stones.


    She knew that in ten years, those stores wouldn¡¯t just be worth tens of millions; their value would keep increasing.


    Was Qin Yize that generous?


    ¡°Yes, transfer of ownership, in your name, as compensation for your loss,¡± Qin Yize spoke casually.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gazed at Qin Yize.


    And suddenly, her heart skipped a beat.


    She saw Qin Yize like this for the first time.


    His cold eyes were mixed with a faint gleam and his sharp, handsome features seemed to soften, as if something was melting, clamoring within him.


    His gaze was domineering and fervent, carrying an air as if to conquer everything.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned, suddenly feeling her heartbeat begin to accelerate, her mouth dry and her tongue parched.


    She hastily shifted her gaze away.


    But the piercing intensity of that look made it seem as though she had nowhere to escape.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly lowered her head, looking at the grass beneath her feet while Qin Yize seemed to be waiting for her response.


    The surroundings suddenly quieted down.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, thinking to herself that her Gold Jade Stone was also a treasure, and it would appreciate in value, no less than that house.


    But if it broke, it would truly be worthless.


    As for Qin Yize¡¯s words, it was better to just listen; they were not to be taken seriously.


    But unexpectedly, a deep and pleasant voice suddenly resounded from above her, ¡°I am serious, not just saying it casually.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up in surprise, only to find that the emotions in Qin Yize¡¯s eyes had disappeared as if they were smoke blown away by the wind.


    Now he appeared calm and composed, with a hint of earnestness.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want your store.¡±


    ¡°Too scared to accept it?¡±


    Yes, she was too scared to accept it!


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself, if she really accepted it, what would the Qin family think?


    They would feel utterly resentful towards Qin Yize.


    Let alone her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao squatted down, avoiding Qin Yize¡¯s gaze, she squinted her eyes at the twisted trunk of the car and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Her voice was soft, yet very firm.


    Qin Yize, unfazed, slightly raised his eyebrows.


    He didn¡¯t continue the topic, but instead casually glanced around the surroundings.


    Lu Fei would not be back for another five hours.


    He looked towards Gu Qiaoqiao, who hadn¡¯t got drenched because she was wearing his jacket.


    He thought for a moment and then said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go hang the clothes.¡±


    Saying so, he walked towards the left direction.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, and called out to Qin Yize, ¡°Here¡¯s your jacket.¡±


    She then jogged a few steps and handed him his jacket.


    Qin Yize took the jacket and added worriedly, ¡°You¡¯d better stay away from the car.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded hastily.


    Qin Yize strode away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked back at the jeep but really did not go back to check the trunk.


    It would be whatever it would be.


    Who to blame? She had no assertiveness; someone mentioned having a car, and she followed.


    Otherwise, had she taken the train, there wouldn¡¯t have been so many dangers and troubles.


    And most importantly, perhaps the Gold Jade Stone really broke.


    She gazed towards the evening sky at the horizon.


    The magnificent clouds were layered over the western mountains, their vivid colors shockingly beautiful to the soul.


    This sky was the most beautiful she had ever seen.


    After a while, as she boredly turned her neck, she suddenly saw Qin Yize behind the bushes.


    Bare-chested, robust, his hands on his hips, only wearing dark long pants, his slim waist belted with black leather, and that belt seemed to emit an icy gleam.


    Just from his back, one could tell that this man was filled with a overpoweringly intense force.


    And that stance carried an arrogance that seemed to scorn the world!

 Chapter 172 - 172: Someone Said that Loving One Person is like Gaining a Whole World

    Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Someone Said that Loving One Person is like Gaining a Whole World


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned for a moment.


    Her dazed appearance was not because she saw Qin Yize¡¯s back, but because there was a new wound on that back.


    Although there was no blood flowing down at the moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s vision still allowed her to see it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao remembered the scene of the car flipping over just now.


    Clearly, Qin Yize had been injured during that time.


    But why didn¡¯t he mention it?


    Didn¡¯t he know?


    Without thinking, Gu Qiaoqiao walked towards Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize, deep in thought, heard a light, rustling sound behind him. Suddenly turning around, he saw Gu Qiaoqiao walking towards him.


    Her small face was tense, looking quite serious.


    What, was she afraid?


    He wasn¡¯t far away, just worried that Gu Qiaoqiao would be scared; otherwise, he would have preferred to walk a few hundred meters to the river below to clean up.


    Yet, considering the recent accident, although she hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she was a girl and her staying composed was already quite impressive.


    Qin Yize quietly watched as Gu Qiaoqiao walked closer.


    His starry eyes reflected the delicate figure of the young girl.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao came near.


    She stopped three steps away.


    She looked at his back, her brows, usually relaxed, now furrowed together again.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t move. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned his eyes toward Gu Qiaoqiao, only to realize that she was looking at his back.


    What about his back?


    That made her frown like that.


    Suddenly, it dawned on Qin Yize¡ªperhaps she was seeing the scars left from before.


    But her expression didn¡¯t seem startled.


    It seemed¡­ well¡­ Qin Yize refused to think further.


    No matter what it was, given this girl¡¯s temperament, it would not likely be concern.


    Yet, he still narrowed his eyes and asked nonchalantly, ¡°Did the scars frighten you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, and only then did she realize that he was unaware of the new injury on his back.


    Was it carelessness, or did he truly not mind?


    If it hadn¡¯t been for his unhesitating leap to her aid just now, perhaps it would have been her back that was injured.


    Even with spiritual energy for protection, the pain from the severe impact would still have been unavoidable.


    Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyes to meet Qin Yize¡¯s gaze squarely. This time, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t look away but said seriously, ¡°Do you know you¡¯ve been hurt on your back?¡±


    ¡°A new injury?¡± Qin Yize raised his eyebrows, asking indifferently.


    ¡°Yes, a new one, probably from just now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Qin Yize said nonchalantly.


    For men like them, unless it involved surgery or lying on an operating table, it didn¡¯t count as an injury.


    Having said that, he turned back and stopped speaking.


    The cold, indifferent atmosphere enveloped him again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had too many guards up, too much clarity, which made him feel somewhat disinterested.


    So, he didn¡¯t want to talk to this girl for now.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that Gu Qiaoqiao would disregard the cold, distant air emanating from him.


    She still stood there.


    From the corner of his eye, Qin Yize saw that the girl was still frowning.


    Did she think his injury was severe in her eyes?


    He tentatively stretched out his arms crossed in front of him, and then moved his arms a bit.


    It seemed his back was a bit painful, but compared to the injury he suffered last time in Diannan, this injury felt like a mosquito bite.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly grabbed his arm, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t move around carelessly, be careful not to tear the wound open.¡±


    Then she told Qin Yize, ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll take care of it for you.¡±


    Only then did Qin Yize look at Gu Qiaoqiao with amusement.


    He noticed her small face was full of seriousness.


    Although he didn¡¯t mind, it was the first time he was treated so earnestly by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He couldn¡¯t be ungrateful, he had to appreciate it, right!


    Afterward, Qin Yize sat cross-legged on the grass.


    By then, Gu Qiaoqiao had completely ignored everything else¡­


    She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and quietly began to dab the blood off the wound.


    Afterward, the bruising became even more apparent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t hesitate, picked up the handkerchief, and placed her right hand around the wound.


    She still hesitated a bit, lightening her touch somewhat.


    However, she didn¡¯t hesitate much and gradually tended around the wound.


    Spiritual energy quietly dispersed into Qin Yize¡¯s wound.


    In this way, the wound would heal faster. If nothing unexpected happened, there might not even be a scar left.


    At this moment, the magnificent clouds and lush, vast forests, under the summer breeze, seemed to reflect each other into a stunning painting.


    Apart from the cheerful chirping of birds, the surroundings were serene. This place was already deserted, and now it seemed even more detached from the bustling mundane world.


    It almost gave off an unreal feeling.


    Qin Yize suddenly turned around, his eyes sparkling with an indescribable light, staring intensely at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The pressing aura, blended with the scent of fresh grass, hit her squarely.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, startled by this sudden action, exclaimed ¡°Ah!¡± and fell onto the ground, staring blankly at the Qin Yize who was so close.


    For a moment, she didn¡¯t understand what he intended to do.


    Qin Yize continued to gaze intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, as if the vast forest and everything around had vanished.


    At this time, those suppressed questions in his heart surged forward like a tumultuous tide.


    He suppressed the inexplicable emotions, the light in his eyes flickering like a distant beacon.


    He slowly began to speak, his voice low and soft, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, some say loving someone is like having the whole world, but when she stops loving, where does that world go?¡±


    Although his voice was somewhat hoarse, it was distinct word by word¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao was greatly shaken, her heart seeming to leap out of her chest in that instant.


    She stared at the man in the sunset.


    His features still picturesque, his presence still as crisp and cool as ice.


    Why did he ask these questions?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, clear as spring water, began to mist over.


    So it turned out he cared?


    So it turned out he too knew that he was once her entire world?


    Qin Yize¡¯s voice remained persistent, his eyes unblinking, ¡°You¡¯re a smart girl, you know what I¡¯m talking about, can you tell me?¡±


    He focused on her.


    A heart that was always steady and cold was now beating irregularly.


    Smart Gu Qiaoqiao, please tell me, why do you say you no longer love me?


    And also tell me, how did you manage to discard me as if I were worthless?


    Please also tell me, since you no longer love me, why do you still stay by my side and then from time to time, unintentionally disturb this heart that was once calm?


    These words rolled off the tip of Qin Yize¡¯s tongue, but he forcefully swallowed them back.


    What he wanted to know now was, where had Gu Qiaoqiao thrown the world she once loved?

 Chapter 173 - 173: He Promised, No More Questions!

    Chapter 173: Chapter 173: He Promised, No More Questions!


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not struggle, nor did she resist, allowing the scorching hand to firmly wrap around her own small hand.


    They had discussed this issue before, and the result was Qin Yize agreeing to a divorce.


    But now, Qin Yize seemed to desire an answer even more.


    However, at this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao also wanted to know¡ªwhere did that world go?


    Perhaps it was when she was locked naked and bruised in a pigpen, or when her family members died one after another, or perhaps when she stood in despair on the edge of a cliff, that the beautiful world she loved collapsed.


    It completely collapsed!


    Leaving behind nothing but pain and despair.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to stand up and leave decisively, she wanted to scornfully dismiss his words with cold indifference.


    She wanted to laugh, she wanted to mock and then coldly tell him that if love was gone, it was gone¡ªwhat¡¯s the use in so many questions and pointless talk!


    But why, why did her vision gradually blur, and why did it seem like all her strength had been drained from her body?


    Allowing sadness, despair, and helplessness to flood her being.


    Tears, drop by drop, fell from the corners of her eyes.


    In a matter of moments, her face was drenched with tears!


    Qin Yize was shocked.


    He looked in disbelief at the Gu Qiaoqiao before him, at her tear-streaked face.


    Why did these words make her so sad? Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why did they leave her panic-stricken and helpless like a wounded fledgling¡¯s cry?


    In that moment, it seemed as if something broke free from the deepest recesses of his heart, taking root and blossoming into a resplendent flower in a matter of moments, when he was most unguarded.


    His heart throbbed, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he reached out gently to wipe the tears from her face.


    Then, slowly but firmly, he embraced the sobbing young girl into his arms, patting her back tenderly, his voice meltingly soft, ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, I won¡¯t ask again¡­¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t ask anymore.


    Truly, he pledged, he would never ask again!


    If love was gone, then it was gone.


    If that world was lost, so be it.


    As long as she wasn¡¯t sad, wasn¡¯t crying anymore, nothing else mattered.


    He still preferred to see her bright smile.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to see her so upset.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, at this time, just couldn¡¯t control herself.


    She didn¡¯t want to be so feeble.


    But why, why did Qin Yize suddenly ask her that?


    Perhaps it was the brush with death in a car accident just now, which stirred the shadows buried deep in her heart.


    And Qin Yize¡¯s words had thoroughly ignited them.


    It seemed she hadn¡¯t even noticed being gently embraced by Qin Yize.


    And her face was pressed against the warm skin of Qin Yize¡¯s chest.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze darkened, his lips pressed tightly together, his hand gently patting Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s back, as if this could bring her comfort.


    He really hated it when girls cried, truly hated it.


    But for some reason, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s tears seemed to wash away all of his impatience and irritation.


    All that was left was heartache.


    Yes, at this moment, this man of iron resolve felt his heart ache.


    Because in his memory, he had never seen her shed a single tear.


    And her tears, so scalding it seemed, ignited a shudder through his skin, layer after layer.


    But he endured, allowing the young girl in his arms to cry inconsolably for reasons unknown to him.


    Time passed, unnoticed, until Gu Qiaoqiao finally stopped crying.


    Qin Yize quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    He gently pulled away from Gu Qiaoqiao and saw that her eyelashes, curled like butterfly wings, still had tear drops clinging to them.


    They were like dewdrops on the tips of grass in the early morning.


    With a helpless sigh, he took Gu Qiaoqiao to the riverbank not far away and crouched down. He scooped up some lukewarm water from the river and gently pressed it against Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s neck.


    Seeing that she still hadn¡¯t snapped out of her sorrowful state, he began to wash her face.


    Perhaps it was the tepid water that startled Gu Qiaoqiao, or maybe it was the calluses on Qin Yize¡¯s palms that hurt her delicate skin.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao came back to her senses from that sad world.


    She stopped Qin Yize¡¯s hand, her voice hoarse, ¡°You have calluses on your hands.¡±


    Oh?


    Qin Yize stretched out his hand and indeed he did¡ªthose were from shooting practice.


    Seeing the faint red marks on her cheeks, Qin Yize withdrew his hand.


    He had truly not noticed this before.


    The more Gu Qiaoqiao washed, the more embarrassed she felt inside, and her cheeks reddened as if they were the clouds at the edge of the sky.


    She finally realized what she had just done.


    Why was she being so sentimental?


    Why had she cried like that?


    And to cry while lying on someone¡¯s chest¡­


    Most importantly, Qin Yize was still bare-chested at the moment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wished she could dive into the river and never come out again.


    Qin Yize, standing to one side, seemed to have noticed Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s unease. He looked at his own body and then at his shirt hanging in the distance.


    He got up and walked toward the bushes.


    Looking at the shirt, it was half-dry.


    The outer garment, however, was fine.


    He moved his body a bit, feeling the spot on his back where Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s small hand had brushed. He felt no pain or discomfort whatsoever.


    Qin Yize picked up his shirt and put it on. He didn¡¯t know if it was because Gu Qiaoqiao had worn the clothes, or because she had just left his embrace.


    His clothes were imbued with a faint, lingering fragrance. With each breath, he felt a sense of elation that was almost stirring.


    Qin Yize looked over to the riverbank, where the figure appeared to still be crouching there.


    He strode towards the riverbank.


    Then he crouched down beside her, watching Gu Qiaoqiao bury her small face in her hands.


    A moment later, he pinched her collar and lifted her up, with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°Stop washing, if you keep washing like this, you¡¯ll scrub off a layer of skin from your face.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao remained silent.


    Bowing her head, not speaking.


    She was really worried that Qin Yize would ask her why her emotions had suddenly gone out of control.


    Qin Yize smiled faintly, glanced at the river water, and then walked towards the nearby woods.


    Feeling the oppressive presence disappear, Gu Qiaoqiao finally breathed a sigh of relief and released her hands covering her face.


    Then, she let out a long sigh.


    Looking up at the still azure sky, she suddenly felt as if some inexplicable entanglement in the depth of her heart had disappeared.


    Her heart felt much more at ease.


    It seemed that a good cry really did have its benefits.


    After a while, Qin Yize came over.


    His eyes were calm, his aura fresh and cool, as if he had hidden all his emotions away.


    He handed the sharp stick in his hand to Gu Qiaoqiao and spoke indifferently, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it by the river? See if you can use this to spear a fish. There seem to be plenty of crucian carp here.¡±


    With such precise skills, it would be a pity not to use them.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned for a moment.


    She was still a bit slow to react.

 Chapter 174 - 174: Overnight in the Mountains

    Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Overnight in the Mountains


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her head, staring blankly at the branch in front of her.


    It felt like a wooden fish spear.


    ¡°All the food is in the trunk, and now that we can¡¯t open it, Luh Fei won¡¯t be back until evening¡­¡±


    Qin Yize softened as he saw the look of confusion on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face and gently explained.


    After all, they needed to find something to distract each other for a while.


    Otherwise, Qin Yize didn¡¯t want to spend the following journey in an awkward silence.


    And the most important point was that when it came to technique, he truly didn¡¯t have the precision that Gu Qiaoqiao did.


    ¡°But, without a pot, are we supposed to eat them raw?¡± Although her voice was hoarse, Gu Qiaoqiao eventually spoke up.


    Qin Yize relaxed inside, took out a match from his shirt pocket, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°If you can spear a fish, we¡¯ll grill it to eat.¡±


    Grilled fish?


    That could work!


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneaked a glance at Qin Yize, noticing his calm and easy-going demeanor, as if everything that had happened earlier had already disappeared with the wind.


    Almost as if it hadn¡¯t left any trace at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, feeling somewhat relieved.


    Without further hesitation, she nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curved into a light smile, ¡°I¡¯ll show you where they are.¡±


    With that, Qin Yize led Gu Qiaoqiao across the river stones to the middle of the large river.


    The current here was gentle, and the underwater weeds were faintly visible.


    Gu Qiaoqiao immediately saw several palm-sized crucian carps swimming by the weeds.


    Qin Yize stood by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s side, pointed to a spot in front of them, and casually said, ¡°Get that one first.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched the wooden stick-turned-spear, narrowed her eyes slightly, and made her move without a second thought toward the fish Qin Yize had just pointed at.


    She struck it with one hit.


    Following that, Qin Yize¡¯s eyes flickered, he bent down, grabbed the fish spear that Gu Qiaoqiao had thrown into the water, and soon, a crucian carp was flipping furiously on the spear.


    With a bit of force, Qin Yize threw the crucian carp onto the sand by the riverbank.


    Thus, it seemed they had finally forgotten the heart-wrenching scene from before, and in a short while caught five fish.


    When the eager flames were grilling a flat stone, Gu Qiaoqiao smelled the enticing aroma of fresh fish.


    The five fish had already been cleaned by Qin Yize and placed on the stone; underneath it, a pile of red-hot coals glowed. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without seasoning or salt, the taste was surprisingly delicious.


    Gu Qiaoqiao ate two fish, Qin Yize ate three, and for now, their hunger was somewhat alleviated.


    Having something to divert their attention, the awkwardness from before slowly dissipated.


    At this time, the sun finally lazily settled behind the mountain.


    Even so, the sky was still bright.


    But at this time, the temperature naturally dropped.


    Qin Yize put on his shirt and threw his jacket to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t refuse and wore it with an air of someone who wasn¡¯t scared of being scalded by boiling water.


    Wearing Qin Yize¡¯s clothes, she squatted in a stone-strewn clearing, watching as Qin Yize gathered a bunch of mugwort and the like, apparently to smoke out mosquitoes.


    Neither of them spoke.


    Yet, their occasionally unintentional glances that touched then quickly shifted away seemed to carry a complexity different from before.


    The mugwort quickly caught fire.


    Clouds of smoke carrying a faint wild grass scent lingered in the surrounding air.


    Qin Yize clapped his hands, stood up, looked into the distance, then withdrew his gaze and said to Gu Qiaoqiao beside him, ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to have to spend the night in the wild.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t lift her head and dully replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Qin Yize, from his higher vantage point, glanced down at Gu Qiaoqiao squatting on the ground, a hint of a smile crossing his eyes.


    This girl, still feeling shy to look at him.


    Qin Yize added Artemisia to the fire at a leisurely pace. The mosquitoes were particularly numerous in the evening, but they were afraid of the scent of the Artemisia.


    The wisps of smoke enveloped them both.


    Gu Qiaoqiao kept her head down. She no longer dwelt on her earlier embarrassment but was wondering how many of her Gold Jade Stones had shattered.


    However, she knew that the Mysterious Dragon Box should be fine.


    The night gradually fell.


    Qin Yize suddenly stood up and looked into the distance, and Gu Qiaoqiao also looked over.


    It was Luh Fei coming back.


    Three young men followed behind him.


    They also brought a few lunch boxes wrapped in towels and a thermos.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had no desire to eat at all.


    The other two brought back simple tents.


    There were no words that night.


    The next morning, as the dawn¡¯s early light broke through the layers of rosy clouds, Gu Qiaoqiao woke up.


    Lifting the curtain of her tent, she saw several young men gathered around the car not far away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao crawled out of the tent.


    Then she saw a jeep parked on the winding road above.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised, this must have happened late at night, and she was completely unaware of it.


    She thought she would toss and turn, unable to sleep, but she had slept like a log.


    Gu Qiaoqiao rubbed her face, re-combed her disheveled hair, and then saw Qin Yize waving at her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment.


    But she still walked over.


    Then the very first thing she saw was her box containing the Gold Jade Stones and the Mysterious Dragon Box, unscathed on the grassy ground.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened with surprise.


    No longer caring for anything else, she hurried to check and found that the Gold Jade Stones inside were also intact.


    They were just as they had been when put in, just as they were when taken out.


    That was the biggest surprise.


    However, the other items did not fare so well; the small iron pot with two ears had become deformed, turned into an iron pancake.


    The eggs and noodles had broken.


    But other things, like the clothes, were fine, as pancakes and pickles do not fear falling.


    Luh Fei explained enthusiastically from the side, ¡°Sister-in-law, your box was lucky, Doctor Qin placed it in a safe corner of the trunk; otherwise, it might have ended up shattered like the eggs and noodles.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao exhaled a sigh of relief, glanced at Qin Yize with an unperturbed face, and smiled at Luh Fei, ¡°Yeah, I had given up hope, but then I got an unexpected surprise.¡±


    Qin Yize cast a glance at Gu Qiaoqiao and said softly, ¡°I brought a new iron pot. Make breakfast.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao agreed and, with her still fortunate, intact washbag, walked briskly towards the riverside.


    After eating breakfast, they packed up again and continued on their way out of the mountains in the new jeep.


    The journey was very safe, without any mishaps occurring.


    Qin Yize was busy with his work as usual.


    He had taken his documents out of the car a while ago, and apart from some stains, they were undamaged.


    And once the jeep emerged from the mountains, they found places to rest at night.


    Because in this region, populated areas were starting to cluster.

 Chapter 175 - 175: Reticent towards others, yet profoundly kind to her!

    Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Reticent towards others, yet profoundly kind to her!


    By the time they arrived at the Mountain City Military Region Guesthouse, Gu Qiaoqiao had thoroughly washed herself with a hot shower, and when she lay on the albeit hard but clean and even bed, she finally felt revived.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the train next time,¡± she decided.


    But she soon felt that the trip had actually been quite fun. Not to mention the scenery, at least it was very convenient; whenever she felt tired, they could stop the car to rest for a while.


    Plus, when they passed through an area of wild strawberries, Gu Qiaoqiao squatted down and picked a lunchbox full.


    Qin Yize and Luh Fei, seeing how much she enjoyed them, also joined her in picking them.


    Locally known as the sorghum fruit, they tasted sweet and left a refreshing fragrance in the mouth.


    Also worth mentioning was that Qin Yize, for reasons unknown, found her fishing skills impressive, and whenever they passed by the river, he would join her on the banks.


    Luh Fei hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s technique to be so accurate.


    When he saw a crucian carp precisely speared by her, his mouth hung open in shock for a long time without closing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her head proudly.


    Luh Fei, thoroughly impressed, gave her a thumbs up.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes held a smile.


    And so, after both of them tacitly and feigned ignorance about that incident, it was as if nothing had happened.


    This might be the most typical form of self-deception.


    Four days later, the jeep entered the Imperial Capital.


    It was already noon.


    There was still an hour¡¯s distance from the Western District.


    Luh Fei was unfamiliar with the road conditions in the Imperial Capital.


    Qin Yize took the driver¡¯s seat and steered the vehicle onto the main road.


    Then, he turned to the right.


    Once smoothly cruising on the road, Qin Yize said to the two people in the car, ¡°Let¡¯s go have lunch first.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao checked her wristwatch; it was nearly twelve o¡¯clock, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    And Luh Fei was all about following commands.


    So, a few minutes later, Qin Yize parked the jeep in front of the parking lot of the Lijing Ho Hotel.


    Standing out front, Gu Qiaoqiao felt a mix of emotions.


    Since her rebirth, she had never been here.


    One reason was the lack of time, the other was not knowing what feelings to confront it with.


    This was the place where she learned to survive and acquired a valuable skill.


    It was here she learned how to conduct herself with others.


    When she was at her most desolate and helpless, it gave her a bed and a bowl of rice.


    Qin Yize walked briskly towards the revolving door, saying a few words to the doorman who then nodded with a smile before leaving his post.


    Qin Yize stood on the steps, waving at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao collected her scattered thoughts and followed Luh Fei towards Qin Yize.


    The three of them entered the lobby one after another.


    It was no different from a few years later. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only thing was that the space directly across from the main entrance was empty.


    In five years, a wooden carving of a dragon and phoenix she crafted would be placed there.


    On An Xiaotong¡¯s father¡¯s advice, that carving earned her fifty thousand yuan.


    Soon after that, misfortune befell that family.


    In the end, An Xiaolan inherited this luxurious hotel.


    Qin Yize led them towards the private room.


    He seemed to be familiar with this place.


    The attending waiter appeared to recognize him, his smile radiating affection as his eyes almost seemed to stick to Qin Yize, unwilling to turn away.


    Luh Fei sneered disdainfully and glanced cautiously at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Probably worried that she would get upset.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, of course, wouldn¡¯t take it to heart¡ªit was pretty normal, after all, she herself would give a pretty girl a few extra glances.


    A group of people turned through the hall and arrived at the corridor leading to the private rooms.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao saw a young man coming towards them, dressed in white chef¡¯s attire with an apron tied around him, walking with his head high and chest out, she was struck still.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to see him so soon.


    In her heart, she had thought countless times about what way and reason she could use to find him.


    After all, in this life, she and he were still strangers.


    And this man was her master¡ªfrom teaching her how to handle a kitchen knife to chop vegetables, to the moment she obtained her grandmaster chef certification and became his assistant.


    Silent and reserved, yet to her, he was a mountain of kindness!


    His name was Fong Lei.


    Everyone called him Master Fong.


    He was the head chef at the Lijing Ho Hotel.


    At this moment, this person who shouldn¡¯t have appeared until five years later was striding towards them with his usual stern face.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heartbeat pounded.


    She really wanted to rush forward and tell him, ¡°Master, my family is all living well, Dad is teaching at school, Mom is taking care of the home and planting vegetables, my younger brother and sister are going to school, I haven¡¯t been trafficked, I don¡¯t have grey hair, and I¡¯m not being cursed as an old mute woman¡­¡±


    You also don¡¯t need to encourage me with your awkward language to live well.


    You also don¡¯t need to scold me with your ¡®tough love¡¯¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t hold back the mist that began to fill them.


    Although Master didn¡¯t recognize her, her current advanced cooking skills and exquisite food carving were all taught by him!


    Yet at this moment, there was nothing she could do!


    She mechanically followed Qin Yize¡¯s footsteps, moving forward with every step feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds.


    Soon, Master Fong came to a stop.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at him closely.


    A scar stretched across his face.


    It gave him a somewhat more elderly and fierce appearance.


    But no one knew what a kind and upright person he was.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was a bit nervous, unsure why Master Fong had suddenly stopped.


    After all, he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    But in the next moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind was shattered by a figurative Nine Heavens Thunder.


    Even, her mind went blank.


    Qin Yize and Master Fong actually shook hands, and then gently embraced.


    After a few breaths, they separated.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze lost its usual cold indifference, revealing nostalgia, his clear voice slowly echoed in the quiet corridor, ¡°Captain Fong, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°You rascal, I haven¡¯t seen you for a whole year,¡± Master Fong¡¯s rough voice contrasted sharply with Qin Yize¡¯s.


    Yet it was unexpectedly harmonious.


    Qin Yize smiled and pointed to Gu Qiaoqiao and Luh Fei, saying, ¡°This is my wife, Gu Qiaoqiao, and this is Luh Fei, a guard from the base.¡±


    Master Fong smiled at the two of them.


    And Qin Yize continued the introductions, ¡°This is my old friend, who became head chef here after retiring, you can call him Master Fong.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand by her side clenched tightly, the pain in her palm snapping her out of her daze.


    She opened her mouth, her eyes slightly dim, but she lifted the corners of her lips, her voice dry yet deliberate, ¡°Nice to meet you, Master Fong.¡±


    In her previous life, she had only ever called him Master Fong in her heart.


    She didn¡¯t know how many times she had uttered it, even when he was harshly scolding her, she would cry while cursing him again and again in her mind.


    Even though she knew it was for her own good.


    But his relentless demeanor had made her feel worthless and utterly embarrassed.


    Later, under his strict instruction, she managed to get her grandmaster chef certification in just one year.

 Chapter 176 - 176: Is It Really You?

    Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Is It Really You?


    On the day he received his chef¡¯s certificate, he stared at it for a long time. Eventually, the typically solemn man cracked a smile and said to her with a laugh, ¡°Qiaoqiao, well done!¡±


    At this moment, upon hearing what Gu Qiaoqiao said, Master Fong laughed heartily and patted Qin Yize on the shoulder, seemingly very pleased, ¡°Good lad, already taking a wife, not bad at all.¡±


    Then he led the way to the private room.


    Once there, he told everyone, ¡°Hang on a bit, I¡¯ll go fry some dishes for you.¡±


    Then he didn¡¯t hesitate and walked towards the door.


    It seemed Qin Yize often received this kind of treatment, so he sat down calmly.


    He said to the still dazed Luh Fei and Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sit dowm¡ªMaster Fong is an old friend of mine, and also a good brother.¡±


    Luh Fei blinked a few times, as if he had just come back to his senses, and leaned in close to Qin Yize, urgently asking, ¡°Doctor Qin, is he the Fong Lei you mentioned?¡±


    Qin Yize nodded lightly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luh Fei suddenly widened his eyes, ¡°The national special class combat hero?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Luh Fei felt his breathing become somewhat erratic.


    He had once heard Qin Yize talk about Fong Lei¡¯s combat exploits.


    Only, it was not quite as he had imagined.


    ¡°Doctor Qin, he is a hero, so why is he working here as a¡­¡±


    Luh Fei didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but it was something along the lines of a chef.


    However, Qin Yize couldn¡¯t explain it clearly to him.


    Fong Lei was the third leader of the special medical team, different from him back then. Fong Lei was an active serviceman, and after he retired, Qin Yize, who had returned from studying abroad, took over that duty.


    And though Fong Lei appeared to have retired, he was still serving the country in another way.


    But this was already a secret.


    He glanced sideways at Luh Fei and said mildly, ¡°Heroes are ordinary people too, and have the right to choose their preferred way of life.¡±


    ¡°Doctor Qin, that¡¯s not what I mean, what I mean is¡­¡± Luh Fei anxiously scratched his ears and neck, his face flushed, struggling to find the right words for a while, ¡°I just think it¡¯s a waste of talent.¡±


    Qin Yize sipped his tea slowly and then said, ¡°He has always loved cooking. He even dreamed of opening a restaurant before he was discharged. Now that he¡¯s the head chef here, he has fulfilled his wish.¡±


    Ah?


    Do heroes dream of being chefs too?


    Luh Fei was confused.


    He scratched his head and, realizing his thoughts might have been inappropriate, he sheepishly chuckled.


    Qin Yize then warned softly, ¡°Few people here know about his past identity. Don¡¯t talk carelessly.¡±


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao sat with her head bowed, sipping her tea in small sips.


    Without uttering a word.


    In her previous life, she also did not know that Master Fong was a retired serviceman, nor that he and Qin Yize not only knew each other but were also good brothers.


    To be called a brother by Qin Yize meant having a friendship deep enough to lay down one¡¯s life for each other.


    And she knew none of this.


    So why had she never seen Qin Yize come to visit him?


    Was it because he was worried about running into her?


    Or was it because of the trembling hand with which she had written that sentence when she divorced?


    All this, Gu Qiaoqiao did not know.


    Soon, the waiter brought in the fried dishes to the private room.


    And the last dish was personally served by Master Fong.


    It was a flavor Gu Qiaoqiao recognized.


    Although she was his apprentice, what she ultimately mastered was her own special touch, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have obtained the special certificate.


    Master Fong also brought over a bottle of liquor.


    He poured some for Qin Yize and then asked Luh Fei lightly, ¡°Do you, a youngster, drink?¡±


    Luh Fei quickly waved his hand, ¡°No, no, my sister-in-law and I will stick to water and grass.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao almost spat out her water.


    Drinking water was fine, but eating grass was not for her. Luh Fei¡¯s comment had lightened her tensed mood considerably. Glancing at Luh Fei, she finally spoke, ¡°I won¡¯t eat grass. If you want some, eat it yourself.¡±


    Luh Fei¡¯s face turned even redder as he awkwardly explained, ¡°Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. I meant to say we¡¯ll eat vegetables.¡±


    Then he picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and after a few bites, he complimented Fong Lei, ¡°So delicious, absolutely delicious.¡±


    The atmosphere livened up instantly due to Luh Fei¡¯s interruption.


    Qin Yize and Fong Lei had only drunk less than half a cup before they stopped.


    The two men were on the other side of the square table, whispering something only they could understand.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao was just responsible for eating and drinking.


    An hour had passed.


    The satiated group left the restaurant.


    They headed towards the west district.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly out the window at the skyscrapers, but her mind was still in a mess.


    In her past life, after she returned from her hometown, she went to a shelter in the Suburbs of the Capital to see her brother, who had just turned eighteen that year.


    Old enough to be sentenced.


    He was the only family she had left.


    So she had to strive to survive.


    But reality was so cruel; without a diploma, not even having finished high school, so she switched many jobs¡ªday laborer, dishwasher, and even worked with some migrants from the countryside carrying bricks on construction sites, later becoming a domestic helper.


    But nothing lasted long.


    Some ill-intentioned men always wanted to take advantage of her.


    Once, she had scratched the face of a male employer who tried to violate her, and during the fight, the lady of the house came back.


    She was then caught, beaten up by the woman, and after being threatened, had her few belongings thrown out as the woman fiercely slammed the door shut.


    That day, the sky in the Imperial Capital was a dull gray, and the air was unusually oppressive. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And that day, half a year had passed since her brother Zishu had been taken into custody.


    It was also that day, as she sat desperately hungry and despondent on the concrete steps of the job market, that Fong Lei appeared.


    He quietly watched her, seemingly indifferent to how disheveled and pitiful Gu Qiaoqiao was, just calmly saying that he worked in the kitchen at Lijing Ho, and he needed a helper, room and board included¡­


    Lijing Ho was indeed a restaurant, with its own staff canteen and dormitory.


    For Gu Qiaoqiao, who was at her wit¡¯s end at that time, this was like a lifesaver thrown from the heavens.


    From that day onwards, she became a kitchen staff member at Lijing Ho.


    From that day onwards, she had a place to call home.


    But why did Qin Yize know Master Fong?


    That day at the job market, was it really just a coincidence?


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, suppressing the tumultuous thoughts rising inside her, and stealthily glanced at Qin Yize, who was focused on driving.


    She really wanted to ask, Qin Yize, was it you who asked Master Fong to look after me?


    Was it?


    Was it really you?


    From the time she was rescued from Cliff Village until after the divorce, she had no idea where Qin Yize had gone.


    It was only several years later that she heard from him again.


    It was when he was awarded a special medal, standing on the stage at the Grand Hall to receive it.

 Chapter 177 - 177: Returning to the Qin Family

    Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Returning to the Qin Family


    Back then, Qin Yize on television was still incredibly handsome, only his aura had become sharper, as if he was like a sword out of its sheath, radiating brilliant light.


    Back then, he was very dazzling.


    And she, refused to know anything about him.


    But the scene that occurred today greatly agitated Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart.


    It left her mind in such turmoil that she couldn¡¯t calm down.


    The person she had hated for so long might have been silently caring for her in an unknown corner.


    How was she to cope with such feelings?


    However, all her grievances and questions were doomed never to be voiced.


    Unconsciously, the jeep arrived at the entrance of the Qin Family¡¯s large courtyard.


    Although they knew Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao were coming back, there wasn¡¯t a specific time, so naturally, no one was waiting at the door.


    Qin Yize opened the gate and drove the car in.


    To his surprise, Grandma Qin came toward them with a smile on her face and a lively pace.


    Qin Yize thought Grandma was rushing towards him, so he stood at the car door, with a faint smile on his lips, looking at Grandma Qin whose complexion was more youthful than when they had left.


    He was also ready to be hugged by Grandma Qin. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, Grandma Qin instinctively passed by him and ran towards Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize gave a wry cough with a smile.


    He then saw Grandma hug Gu Qiaoqiao, who had just gotten out of the car, and joyfully said, ¡°Qiaoqiao, Grandma has missed you so much¡­ ¡±


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s emotions were extremely complex. She looked at Grandma Qin, who revealed genuine affection, and softly said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve missed you too¡­¡±


    She thought she would never come here again.


    She thought that, before her divorce from Qin Yize, managing to make a few phone calls to the Qin Family in Imperial Capital would have been good enough.


    But unexpectedly, she had stepped through the Qin Family¡¯s gate once again.


    And she, in just a few short months, had traveled from the Gu Family to Border City, circling around and coming back.


    Today was not a weekend, so Mr. Qin, Mother Qin, and Qin Xiaoyu were not at home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao breathed a slight sigh of relief; after all, she still felt a bit awkward about seeing them again.


    After freshening up briefly, Gu Qiaoqiao came out wearing slippers.


    She changed into a checkered shirt and wore duck egg blue slim-fit trousers. Although she had lost some weight these past few days, her youthful and extraordinary beauty was undeniable.


    Grandma Qin, Qin Yize, and Luh Fei were sitting in the living room, talking.


    When Grandma Qin saw Gu Qiaoqiao enter, her eyes slightly narrowed with delight, praising her, ¡°Qiaoqiao, how come you grow prettier and prettier¡­ ¡±


    Qin Yize looked up at Gu Qiaoqiao, feeling in his heart that the little weight she had managed to gain back recently had been lost again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, but her gaze met his deep eyes.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her gaze, sitting next to Grandma Qin. She took a quiet breath and carefully observed Grandma, feeling that the old lady looked much healthier than when she had left.


    It was then that Qin Yize stood up and said to Grandma Qin and Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I will be back late tonight, don¡¯t wait up for me for dinner.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao remained silent.


    Grandma Qin looked like she wanted to say something, but instead sighed softly and said, ¡°Go on then, no one is stopping you¡­ ¡±


    Qin Yize left briskly with Luh Fei.


    Soon, the sound of the jeep starting up could be heard in the courtyard.


    Then, it gradually faded away.


    Grandma Qin did not keep Gu Qiaoqiao to talk, instead she sent Gu Qiaoqiao to her room to rest.


    Lying on the soft big bed, Gu Qiaoqiao had no desire to sleep.


    The scene at the restaurant earlier kept hovering before her eyes.


    In her past life, was there really anything she didn¡¯t know?


    Thinking about this made Gu Qiaoqiao somewhat agitated. Her father¡¯s perilous encounter still had no resolution, and the human trafficking organization had mysteriously disappeared after the capture of that human trafficker and his son.


    What method should she use to find the person who had harmed her in her past life?


    There was also Grandma Yu and the Mysterious Dragon Box, and so many things to do, yet she was completely clueless about where to start.


    There was also the book her father wrote, which had been mailed over a month ago. It was sent by registered post, not standard mail, so it should have been received by now.


    Could it really have been suppressed?


    In Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s memory, the cultural industry truly blossomed, but it wasn¡¯t the year 1986.


    Her dad¡¯s book was supposed to be one of those that stood out from the rest.


    It seemed inevitable to give Luo Fan a call. There was no choice; in this era, it was still easier to get things done with acquaintances.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned in bed but still felt no desire to sleep.


    Last night, she stayed at a well-equipped farmhouse in the suburbs, so Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t feel tired.


    She simply sat up and went to the living room.


    At this time, Grandma Qin should have gone to buy vegetables. There were two markets nearby, but it was unclear which one she went to.


    Feeling bored, Gu Qiaoqiao leisurely walked out of the house and played around with Da Hei and Mao Mao for a while before she stood up.


    As if instinctively, Gu Qiaoqiao glanced towards the neighboring Bai Family¡¯s yard.


    The walls between the two houses were very high, preventing a view of the other side.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze shifted, and she walked towards the gate.


    As expected, she saw a girl standing not far from the gate.


    She was wearing a white dress, her black hair billowing in the wind.


    It was Bai Yun.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, but she didn¡¯t speak. Instead, she leaned lazily against the Qin family¡¯s gate, looking at Bai Yun with a half-smile.


    Now that they were already enemies, there was no need to pretend everything was fine.


    Before she was drugged and taken away in her past life, Bai Yun also knew the place she was going to.


    Bai Yun might have been innocent, but she might also have been one of the participants.


    At that moment, the air seemed to freeze at the Qin family¡¯s doorway, and Bai Yun didn¡¯t move. Since the incident, she had never visited the Qin family again.


    When she ran into Shen Manru, who doted on her the most, it was an awkwardly perfunctory smile, giving her face.


    She never understood how the Silent Night Cicada ended up in her pocket.


    Her pants were tight-fitting, and if something was being stuffed into the pocket, she would definitely notice.


    At that time, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t appear to be very close to her.


    Could it really have been her who went to Duobao Pavilion to retrieve it after Gu Qiaoqiao left?


    But why didn¡¯t she remember anything about it?


    Bai Yun once thought she might have schizophrenia.


    However, the extremely strong-minded Bai Yun quickly dismissed that assumption.


    She felt that she wouldn¡¯t forget something as significant as taking an item.


    But now, that detail was no longer important.


    What mattered was that her relationship with Gu Qiaoqiao might never be mended.


    Therefore, there was no need to go against her wishes and speak to her.


    Bai Yun¡¯s lips slowly curved into a cold smile, her eyes glaring ominously at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Just now, she had heard the sound of a car and people talking in the Qin family¡¯s yard.


    She knew Qin Yize must have returned.

 Chapter 178 - 178 178 The Peace Buddha Pendant is a Treasure

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178 The Peace Buddha Pendant is a Treasure Beyond this World Chapter 178: Chapter 178 The Peace Buddha Pendant is a Treasure Beyond this World She could hardly contain her excitement, and as she was still not ready to give up, she hurriedly dressed up and came to the gate.


    But she saw Qin Yize driving a Jeep, coming out of the Qin family¡¯s yard.


    A young man was opening the gate.


    And Qin Yize drove the car out of the yard.


    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, his profile was as perfect as a sculpture, his good-looking thin lips pressed into a cold, straight line.


    Then the young lad got in the car,


    and Qin Yize drove past her as if she wasn¡¯t there, holding the steering wheel.


    In the moment they passed each other, Bai Yun¡¯s heart felt like it had fallen into an icy abyss.


    Her Brother Ze didn¡¯t even glance at her, let alone greet her.


    Bai Yun knew she really had no chance anymore.


    But all this was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s fault.


    Why? Why couldn¡¯t Gu Qiaoqiao remain foolish forever?


    Why did she have to become so clever and articulate?


    Also, why didn¡¯t she die in that forest in Border City? Why did she have to come back?


    Yet all those whys couldn¡¯t stand up to the smile on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips.


    Bai Yun clenched her fists, took a deep look at Gu Qiaoqiao, and rushed towards her own courtyard.


    She had to leave.


    Grandma Qin had already come back from buying groceries.


    Grandma Qin was indifferent to her, and she couldn¡¯t let Gu Qiaoqiao see her being laughed at.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t care and curled her lips slightly; when she looked up, she saw Grandma Qin coming with a basket of groceries.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly went up to take the basket and affectionately helped Grandma Qin into the courtyard.


    Then, she closed the grand door of the Qin family.


    In the evening, Mr. Qin, Mother Qin, and Qin Xiaoyu returned.


    Upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, Shen Manru showed an awkward smile.


    It was very uncomfortable.


    This felt different from before.


    Shen Manru didn¡¯t know how to treat Gu Qiaoqiao; being nice to her was a struggle from deep within, and she had no reason to be unpleasant to her at the moment.


    Frankly speaking, Qin Xiaoyu¡¯s personality was that of a girl who bullies the weak and fears the strong.


    When you¡¯re formidable, not only does she fear you, but she also admires you a lot.


    After a few phone calls with Gu Qiaoqiao, Qin Xiaoyu was noticeably more affectionate this time.


    Qin Xuan, on the other hand, was as usual.


    He asked with concern about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s parents and about the situation in Border City.


    The dinner was lavish, naturally cooked by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Xiaoyu ate with contentment, narrowing her eyes, and even acted coquettishly with Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law, your cooking is really delicious. Stay a few more days this time.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao, looking at Qin Xiaoyu like this, still felt a bit uncomfortable.


    But before she could reply, Grandma Qin scolded with a laugh, ¡°Isn¡¯t the food I make delicious? Besides, your sister-in-law has important things to do; how can she have time to cook?¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue and stopped talking, obediently eating her meal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and still said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll cook when I have time.¡±


    Seeing the two getting along better than before, Grandma Qin nodded in satisfaction.


    After the dinner was over and everything was cleaned up, Gu Qiaoqiao went to her room and took out the peace charms she had carved for the three of them.


    It was just a gift to settle all accounts; Gu Qiaoqiao thought it didn¡¯t matter whether they liked them or not.


    After all, it¡¯s the sincerity that counts, especially Shen Manru, who probably wouldn¡¯t even appreciate the peace charm.


    After all, she was arrogant and had never shown much interest in her carving work before.


    But those were the only gifts she could offer now.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had long been prepared to be scorned.


    But what she had never expected was that the first person to show a look of surprise was Shen Manru.


    She even asked carefully if the three peace Buddha pendants were different from each other.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao told her there was no difference, Shen Manru joyfully picked one up, grabbed Qin Xiaoyu without a word and put it on her.


    Afterward, she checked the knots on the string, seemingly worried they might break on the way; that¡¯s what Gu Qiaoqiao thought.


    But the knots she tied were the sturdiest.


    Unless there was an insurmountable accident, they wouldn¡¯t break.


    Once Shen Manru had put it on Qin Xiaoyu, she picked up another and personally put it on Qin Xuan, then finally put one on herself.


    The moment she wore the peace Buddha pendant, a calming coolness spread through Shen Manru¡¯s chest.


    In the sweltering heat of June, the comfort seemed to soothe the restlessness in her heart.


    At this moment, Shen Manru finally believed the words she had overheard that one time.


    It had been when the old patriarch visited their home. At that time, Grandma Qin¡¯s legs had already healed, and the doctor at the hospital had called it a miracle.


    The rheumatoid arthritis that had tormented Grandma Qin for ten years was gone.


    At the time, Shen Manru hadn¡¯t taken it seriously.


    Because the medicine Grandma Qin was taking was the best, brought back by Qin Yize.


    If she had healed, that would have been normal.


    Shen Manru was cooking in the kitchen while Grandma Qin and the old patriarch went for a walk in the garden. When the food was ready, she went to the small garden in the back to call them for dinner.


    That¡¯s when she accidentally overheard the old patriarch¡¯s words.


    Old patriarch: ¡°¡­ the peace Buddha is a treasure not of this world. The cure for your legs isn¡¯t the medicine; it¡¯s its doing. You must have felt it yourself.¡±


    Grandma Qin: ¡°Yes, my health is getting better, and so is my mood.¡±


    Old patriarch: ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, including your second and third sons. Whether Qiaoqiao will carve for Xiaoyu and the others, well, that depends on their destiny ¡­¡±


    After that, Grandma Qin seemed to sigh but said no more.


    By the time dinner came, because of what she had just heard, Shen Manru began to seriously ponder.


    And indeed, she found it to be true.


    The old patriarch appeared robust, but he actually had many ailments; however, now he looked ruddy and much healthier than he had months before.


    Not to mention Grandma Qin.


    Every morning, she went to the park to walk, moving even faster than Shen Manru.


    So, Shen Manru took it to heart.


    She was intelligent, not a person to cling to outdated beliefs, nor would she scoff at such things.


    Her son was trained in medicine but didn¡¯t practice. Yet, the medicine he supplied was the best, which had only ensured that her mother-in-law¡¯s condition didn¡¯t deteriorate.


    Moreover, these words had come from the mouth of the old patriarch.


    And the remark from the old patriarch about destiny had left her tossing and turning for several days.


    But she couldn¡¯t share this with Qin Xuan.


    After all, it had been an accidental eavesdropping, and it still felt like snooping.


    She always felt uneasy about explaining it to Qin Xuan. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet she never expected that today, their fortune would truly arrive.


    When she looked at Gu Qiaoqiao now, her eyes carried genuine affection.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao noticed it as well.


    Shen Manru truly liked the peace Buddha pendant.


    No matter the reason, it was good that she liked it.


    As night deepened, the moon shone softly like water.


    Gu Qiaoqiao still hadn¡¯t gone to sleep.


    She was waiting for Qin Yize.


    Even though she knew that even if Qin Yize returned, there were some things she couldn¡¯t ask, she couldn¡¯t just go to bed.

 Chapter 179 - 179 179 Do I Look Good

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Do I Look Good? Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Do I Look Good? In her previous life, she thought she would have no contact with Qin Yize after their divorce.


    But the reality today told her that perhaps, in her previous life, Qin Yize had always been looking after her in secret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat absurd, initially thinking she had completely cut ties with the Qin Family, only to realize that connections still lingered.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly at the dim yellow desk lamp, wondering what reaction Master Fong and Qin Yize would have upon learning of her death in her previous life.


    They must have wished for her to live well.


    Yet, she had ultimately chosen to end it.


    Lost in her wild thoughts, she suddenly heard the sound of a jeep outside the door.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at her watch; it was already eleven o¡¯clock.


    She stood up and walked toward the living room outside.


    Then she saw Qin Yize walking in.


    By this time, the other members of the Qin family had gone to sleep.


    They were obviously accustomed to Qin Yize¡¯s unpredictable appearances.


    So, they didn¡¯t bother waiting up for him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao approach, paused visibly and said softly, ¡°You haven¡¯t slept?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± Qin Yize seemed skeptical as he raised an eyebrow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t deny it but simply nodded gently.


    Qin Yize¡¯s probing gaze shifted onto Gu Qiaoqiao, as if verifying the truthfulness of her words.


    In a matter of moments, he slowly curved his lips into a smile.


    His eyes twinkled with amusement, and his previously furrowed brow relaxed.


    No matter the reason Gu Qiaoqiao was waiting for him, the fact was she was waiting.


    Therefore, Qin Yize was in a good mood.


    The day¡¯s fatigue swept away all at once.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t speak, instead fixing his gaze on Gu Qiaoqiao as if waiting for her to speak first.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    Qin Yize slowly shook his head.


    An emergency meeting had been held at the base command center today, and he didn¡¯t want to stay outside. So after the meeting, he drove more than an hour back home.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough to sleep on an empty stomach. I¡¯ll make you a bowl of noodles,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said quietly.


    Qin Yize thought for a moment, then didn¡¯t refuse. He hadn¡¯t eaten much at noon, and having only drunk half a glass of wine, his stomach wasn¡¯t feeling great.


    Eating something warm now might result in a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Thus, he uttered a soft hum, then added politely, ¡°That would be troubling you. I¡¯ll go wash up first.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and shook her head, then turned to head to the kitchen.


    The Qin residence was large, even though it was a single-story building, the kitchen was still some distance from the bedroom.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao still started heating the water quietly.


    Cooking in the big city was naturally most convenient.


    Unlike in Border City, where cooking involved fetching firewood and lighting fires, here, all it took was a simple twist of the valve.


    The cupboard contained ready-to-cook noodles, and the refrigerator had washed bok choy.


    Even though it was hot outside, the night still carried a hint of coolness.


    Eating cold noodles at this time wasn¡¯t good for the stomach.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a piece of roast chicken out of the refrigerator, shredded it, then chopped up some green onion and coriander and placed all of it on a chopping board.


    With some leftover bone broth from the evening, Gu Qiaoqiao added some to the already boiling water in the pot.


    Then, she began cooking the noodles.


    She thought she heard a door opening.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurried out of the kitchen, only to find both the living room and dining room empty.


    There was no one around.


    She then quickly returned to stir the noodles in the pot.


    Shen Manru stood in front of the closed door and said to Qin Xuan, who was getting up, ¡°Qiaoqiao is cooking for Ah Ze, don¡¯t go out.¡±


    Qin Xuan lay down again and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how long Ah Ze can stay this time.¡±


    Shen Manru climbed into bed and said to Qin Xuan beside her, ¡°Who cares how long he stays? I¡¯m too lazy to ask now.¡±


    Qin Xuan raised his eyebrows in surprise but didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he fiddled with the string around his neck and asked Shen Manru, ¡°Do you feel anything wearing this peace Buddha pendant?¡±


    Shen Manru¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°What do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been wearing it for a long time, and it¡¯s particularly comfortable around my chest.¡±


    Shen Manru blinked and whispered, ¡°This peace Buddha pendant is spiritual. Don¡¯t talk about it carelessly with others. Let¡¯s go to sleep, we have to work tomorrow.¡±


    With that, she closed her eyes.


    The room fell into silence once again.


    At this point, Gu Qiaoqiao had already cooked the noodles.


    She scooped the noodles out into a porcelain white bowl, sprinkled some shredded chicken, green onions, and cilantro on top, then poured hot soup over it all.


    The fragrance instantly filled the entire kitchen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed a large bowl of noodles on the dining table in the dining room and went back to pour a glass of water for Qin Yize, setting it beside him.


    Then, looking at the noodles, knowing Qin Yize liked it spicy, she fetched some pickled vegetables mixed with chopped chili peppers, cilantro, and sauce from earlier in the evening.


    After arranging these, Qin Yize emerged from the bathroom with his hair half-dry.


    He was still wearing his favorite cotton beige pajamas and pants.


    He walked over smoothly, seeming as if he was an immortal unattached to any worldly dust.


    Smelling the enticing aroma, Qin Yize felt his hunger increase by a third.


    He sat down and began to eat the noodles.


    There was no need to doubt, the noodles made by Gu Qiaoqiao were naturally delicious.


    Although he ate methodically, his pace was quite fast.


    The small bowl of pickled vegetables quickly reduced by more than half.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t leave.


    Instead, she sat down opposite Qin Yize.


    With her left hand propped against her cheek, she gazed intently at Qin Yize eating his noodles.


    She really wanted to ask Qin Yize, was it you who asked Master Fong to take care of me in my past life?


    We had become enemies since then, separated by the death of Grandma Qin and Xiao Yu, who was injured and lying in the hospital, along with the lives of my parents and my sister.


    Why did you still care about my well-being?


    Why?


    Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if we had simply remained strangers?


    She pondered blankly¡­


    Qin Yize had long noticed Gu Qiaoqiao staring at him.


    He picked up a napkin beside him and wiped the corner of his mouth, then looked up at Gu Qiaoqiao quite seriously and asked, ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    Ah?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback by the question.


    The hand supporting her cheek trembled, almost causing her to crash down onto the dining table.


    Immediately afterward, her ears heated up and her cheeks were tinged with a shade of crimson.


    She looked charmingly shy, like a newly blooming red plum blossom.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, but he continued as if the question was light and breezy, ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened her mouth blankly and mechanically replied, ¡°Good looking¡­¡±


    Qin Yize hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Qiaoqiao would actually respond.


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly.


    Upon hearing Qin Yize¡¯s gentle laughter, Gu Qiaoqiao then realized what had happened. She suddenly stood up, glared annoyed at the serious Qin Yize, and then fled with a flushed face and less-than-graceful exit.


    Qin Yize curled a corner of his lips, picking up his empty bowl and headed to the kitchen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was efficient in her chores, and the kitchen was already clean and tidy.

 Chapter 180 - 180 180 The Sudden Encounter

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Sudden Encounter Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Sudden Encounter Qin Yize placed the bowls and chopsticks in the sink. Noticing it was already midnight, he decided not to wash them. Afraid the noise would disturb others, he returned to his room.


    After brushing his teeth, he came out to find the bedroom door closed.


    Qin Yize looked at the sofa and was relieved to see that his luggage had been moved out.


    He lay down but felt a bit too full, seemingly without any sleepiness despite the lateness of the hour. He wanted to talk to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Plus, he indeed had important matters to discuss with her.


    Otherwise, he feared that in his absence the next day, the girl might take matters into her own hands.


    Thus, he walked unhurriedly to the bedroom door, extended his hand, and knocked softly, asking, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, are you asleep?¡±


    The room was quiet, with no response.


    ¡°Are you planning to go to Yubao Square tomorrow?¡± he continued to ask.


    After a moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s muffled voice surfaced, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking your Gold Jade Stone Carving with you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s your plan for negotiating with the people at Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ haven¡¯t really thought it through,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a bit before replying softly.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t figured it out, don¡¯t show your hand first. Listen to me, don¡¯t take anything. When you get to Yubao Square, just ask Zhang Yi if there is any Red Spirit Jade Marrow,¡± Qin Yize instructed softly.


    The bedroom door opened gently, and Gu Qiaoqiao stood in front of the half-open door, her head lowered as she asked, ¡°Is it okay to just ask directly like that?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Yubao Square is the largest gemstone store in the Imperial Capital. It¡¯s absolutely normal to go there to buy gemstones. Plus, if they really have it, you can examine it for authenticity, see the price, and even haggle¡­,¡± Qin Yize explained patiently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t really thought it through that much herself.


    Her original intention was to use the Gold Jade Stone as a conversation starter, then subtly inquire about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Her ideas were the exact opposite of Qin Yize¡¯s.


    But at that moment, she had to admit she was being a bit naive.


    Even if her Gold Jade Stone was a gem among gems, revealing it first would surely put her at a disadvantage.


    And if the other party were to make exorbitant demands, wouldn¡¯t it be terrible?


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded in agreement, convinced, ¡°Okay, then tomorrow I will go empty-handed, just inquiring about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.¡±


    Qin Yize offered a faint smile, ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up in surprise at the handsome man, a hint of astonishment arising in her heart.


    This Qin Yize seemed to be becoming more and more different from the one she knew.


    And their conversations were becoming increasingly natural.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, pondering for a moment before asking, ¡°You¡¯re not busy tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m off for the day.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ okay.¡±


    ¡°Alright, rest early,¡± Qin Yize said and glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, quickly averting his gaze, then gently closed the door.


    The Gu Qiaoqiao under the light had an almost irresistible charm.


    Taking a deep breath, Qin Yize suppressed the inexplicable restlessness within and lay on the sofa, slowly closing his eyes.


    The moonlight was like water, gentle and clear.


    The next day, after breakfast and getting ready, Qin Yize really did drive Gu Qiaoqiao towards Yubao Square.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat nervous. Opening the Mysterious Dragon Box would reveal her grandfather¡¯s secret.


    And the Red Spirit Jade Marrow was the key.


    But would Old Master Gu part with it?


    If Elder Gu refused to part with it no matter what, what would she do then?


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was preoccupied with heavy thoughts, understanding how important the Mysterious Dragon Box was to her.


    And he, to this date, had not heard any legends about the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    The car continued to drive smoothly.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t speak, nor did he disturb Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s contemplation.


    Although the atmosphere inside the carriage was quiet, there was a faint sense of warmth flowing. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the car arrived at the entrance of Yubao Square.


    The place was as lavish and ancient-looking as always.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked straight into Yubao Square.


    Behind her followed the unhurried Qin Yize.


    After entering, there were few customers at this time, and Gu Qiaoqiao glanced around, only to find no sign of Zhang Yi.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not inquire but instead started to carefully examine the jade displayed in the glass cases.


    She had never seen Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    But she already had an image of this type of jade in her mind.


    After she had looked over all the stones, she shook her head slightly in disappointment towards Qin Yize behind her.


    She knew, though.


    How could such a precious thing be displayed out in the open.


    The store¡¯s staff were well-trained; seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s actions, it seemed she was searching for something.


    And the man in a white shirt and black trousers following her, with an air of wealth, obviously looked like someone with money.


    So, with a beaming smile, a staff member approached them, asking, ¡°May I help you with something?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao also smiled slightly, ¡°Is Yubao Square¡¯s Boss Zhang here?¡±


    ¡°The second manager has stepped out on business.¡±


    Stepped out on business?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt even more disappointed and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then do you know when your second manager will return?¡±


    The staff member shook their head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but at the earliest, it would be a week from now. If you have an urgent matter, I can pass on a message.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, ¡°No need, we¡¯ll talk when he returns.¡±


    The true intent of her visit was to get in direct contact with Zhang Yi. If he wasn¡¯t there, she had hoped he could introduce her to Old Patriarch Gu. As for reasons to meet, there were plenty.


    But now, she hadn¡¯t even seen the person she came for.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize left Yubao Square.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s disappointed expression, Qin Yize suggested, ¡°Since we¡¯re here without any particular plans, let¡¯s take a look around at other gemstone stores.¡±


    Perhaps one of them might have it, saving the trouble.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, murmuring an agreement, then followed Qin Yize towards a gemstone store right next to Yubao Square.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao walked, she looked up at the name of the gemstone store, called Jubao Pavilion, which had a sizable facade.


    She didn¡¯t expect to nearly bump into a young man coming her way.


    Fortunately, Qin Yize reacted quickly, pulling Gu Qiaoqiao aside, thus avoiding a full embrace of awkwardness.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cheeks flushed, and she smiled apologetically at the young man who was clearly startled.


    Unexpectedly, her gaze landed directly on a woman wearing a cheongsam standing beside the young man.


    The woman¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and she involuntarily exclaimed, ¡°Sister Yu,¡±


    Then her face turned pale as paper.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at her curiously; the woman had very fair skin and fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, appearing to be in her fifties.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t catch what she had shouted, but she could confirm that the woman must have been reminded of someone on seeing her.


    But since there was no collision, there was no need for an apology. Qin Yize¡¯s sharp gaze swept over the two people who were nearly clinging to Gu Qiaoqiao¡ªboth the old and the young felt eerie and annoying.

 Chapter 181 - 181 181 Could this person be a descendant of

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Could this person be a descendant of Lady Yu? Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Could this person be a descendant of Lady Yu? The woman was fine, quickly regaining her composure, while the young man she had almost bumped into, although having shifted his gaze away, was still involuntarily stealing glances at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Today, Gu Qiaoqiao was truly beautiful, in her ivory dress and white sandals, her calves straight and long, her figure graceful. Standing tall and elegant, especially her eyes, like clear springs, were soul-stirring.


    Her distinct temperament from other girls made her particularly eye-catching.


    Gu Qiaoqiao herself didn¡¯t realize it.


    Qin Yize, on the other hand, had known this for a long time; that¡¯s why he had been paying constant attention to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    It was also the reason he had managed to pull her back in time when she was about to collide with someone else.


    Qin Yize¡¯s hand, which had been on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s wrist, slid inconspicuously to her hand and clasped it naturally, then he coolly glanced at the young man with the slicked-back hair and androgynous appearance, and led Gu Qiaoqiao into Jubao Pavilion.


    It wasn¡¯t until their figures disappeared at the entrance of Jubao Pavilion that Ning Wanru withdrew her gaze.


    Indeed, this woman was Ning Wanru.


    Following her was her grandson and Gu Cheng¡¯s second son, known as the Second Young Master, Gu Jiansheng.


    Gu Jiansheng didn¡¯t have the greasiness that Qin Yize described.


    On the contrary, his features were fine and lovely, making him look a bit effeminate, but his tall and slender figure could still be considered that of a refined young gentleman.


    He bore a strong resemblance to Ning Wanru and was also her favorite grandson.


    Looking in the direction Gu Qiaoqiao had left, he murmured, ¡°Grandmother, that girl looks so pure, as if untouched by dust.¡±


    Ning Wanru, the old fox herself, didn¡¯t know how much willpower it had taken to stabilize her overwhelming emotions.


    Who was this girl?


    How could she look so much like Lady Yu?


    Fifty years had passed, and she had forgotten many people and many things, even the youthful appearance of Gu Qingfeng had blurred in her memory.


    But she had never forgotten Lady Yu.


    The ¡®Sister Yu¡¯ she had just referred to.


    The wife of Gu Qingfeng who seemed to be living in a jar of honey.


    Her gaze turned grim.


    A frightening thought crossed her mind.


    Could it be, this person was a descendant of Lady Yu?


    Was she Gu Kun¡¯s granddaughter?


    That Gu Qiaoqiao!


    She hadn¡¯t seen her photograph; if she had, she wouldn¡¯t have been so unprepared.


    She had been too careless.


    Ning Wanru cast a glance at the entrance of Yubao Square, then without a word, she hastened towards it.


    Seeing his grandmother leaving in a hurry, Gu Jiansheng quickly followed, supporting her arm. He seemed to think of something and asked curiously, ¡°Grandmother, just now you seemed to say something about a sister when you saw that girl. Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ning Wanru snapped sharply.


    Then she quickly entered Yubao Square.


    Startled by the scolding, Gu Jiansheng shrank his neck and didn¡¯t dare to ask further, hurrying to assist his grandmother toward the counter.


    After Ning Wanru inquired with the staff, she narrowed her eyes and, without saying a word, moved to the grape trellis at the back of the garden.


    Sitting on the stone bench, Ning Wanru calmly took a sip of tea and told Gu Jiansheng beside her, ¡°Go and call Steward Wu, let him come here immediately.¡±


    ¡°Right now, Grandmother?¡± Gu Jiansheng asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Go quickly,¡± Ning Wanru commanded again sharply.


    Gu Jiansheng asked no more, his grandmother was really strange today, her temperament so drastically different from the gentle and approachable demeanor she usually had.


    He walked briskly towards the exit.


    At this moment in Yubao Square, Zhang Yi had been sent on a business trip to Diannan, while Uncle Gu didn¡¯t concern himself with worldly affairs, living in the hospital with Gu Qingfeng, merely clinging to life.


    Her people were already acting as deputy managers in the Jade Mine, gradually usurping the manager¡¯s power.


    Even without a seal, even if Gu Qingfeng survived, the Gu Family was almost in her grasp.


    The next step was Gu Garden, filled with orchids.


    Once it was hers, she would uproot all the orchids there, and thus, there would no longer be any trace of Lady Yu in this world.


    If that were the case, she could die in peace.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s hand, gripping the teacup, trembled slightly¡ªinevitable, for it was her obsession. Fortunately, she was about to succeed.


    Steward Wu arrived promptly.


    Ning Wanru sent Gu Jiansheng to watch the door while she gave Steward Wu her instructions in a low voice.


    After a while, Steward Wu left to carry out his orders.


    Ning Wanru let out a quiet sigh; she had just confirmed through the staff that the girl was indeed the one who sold the nucleus carvings to Yubao Square.


    It was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Indeed, had she inherited the Gu Family¡¯s carving skills?


    She didn¡¯t know why Gu Qiaoqiao came to find Zhang Yi, but she couldn¡¯t let Gu Qingfeng see Gu Qiaoqiao.


    At that thought, Ning Wanru suddenly felt a surge of alarm, remembering Gu Qingfeng¡¯s critical illness.


    Could it be?


    Had he seen Gu Qiaoqiao?


    She clasped her hands together and paced anxiously beneath the grape trellis.


    She had just asked Steward Wu to send a few men to surveil Gu Qiaoqiao near the Qin Family¡¯s estate.


    She wanted to know what Gu Qiaoqiao was doing at Yubao Square.


    Now, it seemed somewhat dangerous.


    If Gu Qingfeng saw Gu Qiaoqiao and learned that she also bore the surname Gu, a simple investigation would uncover the secret, and wouldn¡¯t all her plans be washed away?


    Yet she could not act rashly.


    At this time, that family knew nothing.


    If she acted hastily and they discovered the truth, it would make things worse. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other people were manageable, but Gu Qiaoqiao was a ticking time bomb.


    Until she was destroyed, Ning Wanru¡¯s peace of mind was at stake.


    That had been her thought ever since seeing what Gu Qiaoqiao looked like.


    How could she destroy her safely and cleanly, without blood?


    Ning Wanru furrowed her brows, deep in troubled thought.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize had walked through the entire street of antique shops, finding nothing.


    Qin Yize drove Gu Qiaoqiao away.


    As they passed by a Western restaurant, Qin Yize stopped the car and turned to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Let¡¯s go have something to eat.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao snapped back to reality, checked the time, and realized it was already noon, a bit late to return.


    So, without any fuss, she followed Qin Yize out of the car.


    This was a restaurant owned by foreigners, and it did great business. However, there were hardly any ordinary citizens coming and going.


    Qin Yize thought that Gu Qiaoqiao herself had high culinary skills in Chinese cuisine¡ªapart from the meal cooked by Master Fong yesterday, which she enjoyed a lot, other meals seldom made her show such satisfaction.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao was not a fussy person.


    She was very adaptable.


    Still, today Qin Yize wanted to treat her to something different from the usual.


    The moment the two of them appeared in the restaurant, the eyes of the foreign waiter lit up.


    This was indeed the most attractive and well-matched young couple he had seen since coming to this country.


    To use an old Hua Country saying, they were ¡°a young man of talent with a beautiful lady, a match made in heaven!¡±

 Chapter 182 - 182 182 Can I Take That as a Compliment

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Can I Take That as a Compliment? Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Can I Take That as a Compliment? He enthusiastically led them to a dining spot with a nice view, then handed over the menu for Qin Yize to order.


    Having been together for several months, Qin Yize was naturally familiar with Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s tastes.


    He took the initiative and ordered a few dishes he knew Gu Qiaoqiao would like, then asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°There¡¯s cherry fruit, cream, and orange flavored ice cream¡­ Which flavor would you like?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, ¡°The orange one, please.¡±


    Qin Yize handed the menu to the waiter, conversed with him in fluent English, and then the waiter left with a somewhat complex look in his eyes.


    Soon, two plates of desserts and two glasses of apparently freshly squeezed orange juice were served.


    After the waiter left, Gu Qiaoqiao began to feel a bit uneasy.


    They had eaten countless meals together, but this was their first time alone in a restaurant outside.


    Especially since there were many young men and women like them around.


    From their looks, it was clear they were all lovers.


    And their situation seemed to have a bit of a dating feel to it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face blushed as she lowered her head to drink her orange juice.


    But before she drank much, a hand reached over from the opposite side, took away the orange juice in front of her, and said with a teasing smile, ¡°The dishes will arrive soon, how will you eat if you are full of juice?¡±


    With a tiny appetite just like a kitten¡¯s, after drinking a belly full of orange juice, was lunch still an option?


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, straightened up her back, and felt that Qin Yize was treating her like a child.


    This was not good.


    Based on the age she had lived to in her previous life, she was even older than Qin Yize before her.


    She coughed lightly and suddenly asked, ¡°When do you plan to go back to Border City?¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows relaxed, yet he was not surprised by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s question. He placed the orange juice on his left side and stared intently at the girl opposite him.


    In that moment, his heart seemed unusually settled, as if the surrounding noises had already faded away.


    It felt like the first time he had taken her out to eat.


    He remembered what Master Fong had secretly told him yesterday: have meals, watch movies.


    Next step, go to see a movie?


    But would Gu Qiaoqiao go?


    What if, just pretend to accidentally pass by?


    Seems not to work.


    The way home doesn¡¯t pass by a cinema, couldn¡¯t happen to pass by it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, seeing him just focusing on her without speaking, felt annoyed inside.


    What¡¯s there to look at.


    And yet watching so intently.


    She even thought about mimicking Qin Yize¡¯s words from last night to ask him back if she looked pretty.


    But she didn¡¯t have the cheek for it.


    Just as she was about to continue asking when he would be returning, Qin Yize spoke, ¡°I wanted to tell you last night, but I forgot. My work at the Border City Base has already finished ahead of schedule. Once your matters are settled, we will go back together to hand over the work.¡±


    This time, Gu Qiaoqiao was genuinely stunned. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What did he mean?


    Was Qin Yize being transferred?


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, Qin Yize continued, ¡°This time, I¡¯m directly transferred back to the headquarters of the Imperial Capital Base.¡±


    After meeting with Elder Shen, he knew that he still couldn¡¯t possibly return to take over the family business.


    In the end, he finally agreed to stay at the headquarters, but only for five years.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened her mouth, going back to the headquarters?


    That wasn¡¯t the case in her previous life.


    It seemed he also came back only after five years.


    Where exactly had things gone awry?


    But she couldn¡¯t leave.


    There lay Grandma Yu¡¯s unknown identity, as well as the Gold Jade Stone that had not been salvaged from Da Jiang.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated to speak, ¡°I still have some unfinished business there.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Qin Yize said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about Grandma Yu¡¯s matter. The simplest method is to have your father and Grandma Yu take a test, but it¡¯s too difficult to manage. I can do it, but I don¡¯t have the conditions, and currently, this matter is strictly regulated; without approval, hospitals won¡¯t conduct it. I am trying to figure something out. Also, we can leave only after clarifying this matter, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    He paused, then, in a good mood, curled up the corners of his mouth, ¡°As for whether or not there is a stone you like in Da Jiang, that¡¯s even easier, so you don¡¯t need to worry about these things.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected Qin Yize to be so considerate.


    She looked at Qin Yize earnestly and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Qin Yize replied nonchalantly.


    Yet the joy in his voice was still discernible.


    At that moment, a waiter came over with a tray.


    He then placed each dish on the table one by one.


    The Western dishes were plentiful, including a medium-rare grilled steak, cream of mushroom soup, and several other dishes that Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t name; but Qin Yize was considerate.


    While rearranging them, he subtly introduced the dishes and finally, with a sigh, said, ¡°They can¡¯t compare to your cooking, but it¡¯s nice to change things up occasionally.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, ¡°Should I take that as a compliment?¡±


    Qin Yize, his eyes twinkling with a smile, nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m praising you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gently laughed.


    Being around Qin Yize like this seemed to be getting more relaxing.


    Especially since she knew that maybe in her past life, it was Qin Yize who had again pulled her out from the depths, her mentality had indeed subtly changed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled with her eyes twinkling, generously saying, ¡°You go ahead and eat first.¡±


    She had truly never eaten Western food before.


    Qin Yize understood naturally and picked up his knife and fork.


    Gu Qiaoqiao naturally followed suit.


    Qin Yize found this to be the most comforting meal he had ever had outside; he passed the orange juice to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The two began to eat quietly.


    As for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow, it was not a topic to discuss in public.


    Each had a large piece of steak, and Qin Yize was surprised to find that not only was Gu Qiaoqiao quick to learn, but her knifework was also precise.


    The piece of beef on her plate was beautifully sliced with her knife.


    Perfectly square, just right for one bite.


    Not too much, not too little.


    So, Qin Yize unceremoniously handed over his uncut steak to Gu Qiaoqiao, saying, ¡°Please¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was initially astonished, then, realizing what he meant, looked at her knife and fork and then at Qin Yize, noting that her knife hadn¡¯t been used yet.


    Thus, she gladly helped Qin Yize cut his steak, yet whispered, ¡°I do it for convenience and fun, you see others, they eat and cut at the same time.¡±


    Qin Yize, not minding at all, laughed, ¡°Why bother about others? It¡¯s good as long as you are happy.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about it and agreed; there weren¡¯t so many rules after all, and so she continued to eat.


    After finishing the dishes, Gu Qiaoqiao began to eat her ice cream, head bowed.


    Qin Yize did not eat; he leisurely sipped his soup.


    After finishing his soup, he lazily leaned back in his chair, his expression serene as he looked out the window.


    Outside, pedestrians streamed by incessantly, and the road was still bustling with cars.


    This was not something he could see during his school days.


    The country had developed extremely rapidly in the past few years; however, with the rapid development, many problems had also arisen.


    Although he had been transferred back, the burden on him now was much heavier than it had been in Border City.

 Chapter 183 - 183 183 I have passed on the message its up to

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183: I have passed on the message, it¡¯s up to you whether to go or not. Chapter 183: Chapter 183: I have passed on the message, it¡¯s up to you whether to go or not. He withdrew his gaze, but when it unintentionally swept across Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cheeks, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    This girl had somehow gotten ice cream on the tip of her nose.


    He was puzzled, how did she manage that?


    Gu Qiaoqiao, still unaware, asked Qin Yize, ¡°Have you finished yours?¡±


    Qin Yize nodded indifferently, but said softly to Gu Qiaoqiao as she was about to stand up, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao, surprised, sat back down and looked at Qin Yize, puzzled.


    Qin Yize then picked up a napkin, bent down, and reached out to gently wipe the ice cream off the tip of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s nose, whispering, ¡°It¡¯s on your nose.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face turned red instantly.


    She wished she could dive under the table. Qin Yize was very close to her; even his breath seemed to caress her cheeks.


    At that moment, the air seemed to be imbued with a faint scent of bamboo.


    She got up in a flurry, nearly tipping over the chair beneath her.


    And the culprit even asked calmly, ¡°Your face is red, is it hot?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, quickly calmed herself, and seeing Qin Yize like this, felt she should get used to it for the time being.


    Otherwise, always being so flustered and panicky was a bit embarrassing.


    So she hurriedly shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s not hot, let¡¯s go.¡±


    After saying that, she glanced at Qin Yize again before walking out as if nothing had happened.


    By the time Qin Yize had paid the bill and came out, Gu Qiaoqiao had just realized that this meal must have cost quite a bit.


    What should she do?


    Should she give him the money back? Or should they split the bill?


    Then she felt she was being a bit petty. Paying him back for a meal: wasn¡¯t that a simple matter?


    She could always treat him another time.


    The two drove home.


    Qin Yize went to his study to make a phone call while Gu Qiaoqiao and Grandma Qin talked for a while before they both went for a nap.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t lie down, instead staring blankly at the neatly arranged Gold Jade Stones in the cardboard box.


    Should she wait for Zhang Yi to return?


    Or should she figure out how to go directly to see Elder Gu?


    Just then, Qin Yize came in through the door.


    He began speaking right away, ¡°Zhang Yi indeed went on a business trip to Diannan. Elder Gu is in the hospital. I heard his condition isn¡¯t good.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hospitalized?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Yize nodded, ¡°I heard that he had been in a vegetative state recently, and although he woke up, he is still on the brink of a life-threatening condition.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned deeply.


    Being on the brink of a life-threatening condition, they certainly wouldn¡¯t let someone visit him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the bed, staring at the Gold Jade Stones and zoning out.


    The Mysterious Dragon Box won¡¯t be opened?


    Forget it, she¡¯ll deal with it when they come across it again.


    As for Grandma Yu¡¯s matter, she needed to go home and ask her father in person.


    According to the timing, maybe by the time she got back, Grandma Yu might even remember it herself.


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao looked up at Qin Yize and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s leave it at that for now. We¡¯ll talk about it later.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Qin Yize nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll leave it at that for now, you rest.¡±


    Saying this, he walked out unhurriedly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped letting her thoughts wander everywhere.


    A solution will come when the path ends; they would deal with it then.


    The next day, Qin Yize left early in the morning.


    After thinking about it, Gu Qiaoqiao made a call to Luo Fan.


    This person often traveled everywhere, and she might not be able to find him, but unexpectedly, he was not at his company.


    His subordinate had gone to Stone Town.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was surprised, this guy seemed to have been to Stone Town several times already. Did he really like the local atmosphere there?


    Gu Qiaoqiao then made a call home.


    But nobody answered.


    It seemed there was nobody at home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put down the phone and planned to call again during lunch, but just as she had set it down, the telephone suddenly rang.


    It startled her.


    She quickly picked up and said, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Bai Yun, Gu Qiaoqiao. Were you looking for my uncle?¡± Bai Yun¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows, her heart skipped a beat, ¡°Who is your uncle?¡±


    ¡°My uncle is Zhang Yi.¡±


    ¡°He is your uncle?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked back.


    She remembered now. Bai Yun and Zhang Yi seemed to have a familial relation.


    ¡°Yes, Zhang Yi from Yubao Square is my uncle. Just now, a staff member called to say my uncle has just returned, but they didn¡¯t know how to contact you, so he asked me to pass on the message.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao went silent.


    She felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was.


    After a moment, she curled her lips into a smile, ¡°Then where should I find him?¡±


    ¡°Go to Yubao Square,¡± Bai Yun¡¯s voice carried a chill, ¡°I¡¯ve passed the message, it¡¯s up to you to go or not.¡±


    After saying that, she hung up before Gu Qiaoqiao could respond. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment and decided to make the trip.


    What if he really had come back.


    Besides, what could happen in broad daylight?


    After telling Grandma Qin, Gu Qiaoqiao boarded the bus.


    Soon, she arrived at Yubao Square.


    It was already ten o¡¯clock in the morning.


    The shop door was wide open, bustling with people.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked in casually.


    She looked around but couldn¡¯t see Zhang Yi.


    At that moment, a young man in a coffee-colored plaid shirt, looking surprised and delighted, approached her.


    ¡°Miss, is it you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head and saw a young man standing behind her. She did not recognize him, and he wasn¡¯t wearing the shop¡¯s uniform. Who was he?


    ¡°We met yesterday; you almost bumped into me¡­¡± Gu Jiansheng¡¯s eyes gleamed as he continued, ¡°What a coincidence to meet again today. Let me introduce myself, my name is Gu Jiansheng, I¡¯m the Old Patriarch¡¯s second grandson and also the Third Shopkeeper here¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned. She looked more closely and realized it really was the person from yesterday.


    She hadn¡¯t expected this person to be the Old Patriarch¡¯s grandson.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced around and politely asked, ¡°Manager Gu, may I ask where Shopkeeper Zhang is?¡±


    ¡°Are you looking for Zhang Yi?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    ¡°He is away on a business trip and hasn¡¯t returned,¡± Gu Jiansheng said smiling warmly, then continued enthusiastically, ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve known each other for quite a while now, but I still don¡¯t know your first name.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, ¡°My surname is Gu.¡±


    ¡°Oh, surname Gu?¡± Gu Jiansheng¡¯s arched brows lifted slightly, his voice tinged with irrepressible joy, ¡°So, we were one family five hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat speechless about this enthusiastic and talkative handsome man.


    Is he always this forward?


    Then, she frowned again. Since Zhang Yi hadn¡¯t come back, why had Bai Yun tricked her into coming here?


    Could it be that they wanted to knock her out and sell her off like in her previous life?

 Chapter 184 - 184 184 Theres Really None of This

    ?Chapter 184: Chapter 184 There¡¯s Really None of This! Chapter 184: Chapter 184 There¡¯s Really None of This! Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled coldly to herself.


    Wishful thinking!


    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak with Gu Jiansheng, whose eyes sparkled so eagerly before her. Instead, she shifted her clear gaze slightly and smiled, ¡°Since he¡¯s not here, then let¡¯s forget about it.¡±


    Without hesitation, she turned around and walked away.


    Gu Jiansheng panicked.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter the girl who¡¯d been on his mind since yesterday in his own shop.


    Even though he knew that the handsome man beside her might be her husband or boyfriend, he couldn¡¯t hide the flutter in his heart.


    He knew there were four words to describe what he was feeling.


    It was love at first sight.


    Yes, that¡¯s right. He found it laughable even to himself.


    But what could he do? It happened so unexpectedly.


    He had thought perhaps he¡¯d never see her again in his lifetime, and the memory would fade away with time. Who would have thought that after just one day, they would meet again?


    Could this be fate?


    He hurried forward a few steps, still smiling, ¡°Miss Gu, you must be looking for Zhang Yi for a reason. Can you tell me? If I could help you, wouldn¡¯t that be even better?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought to herself that this man was the Old Patriarch¡¯s grandson; perhaps he might know something about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Yet she didn¡¯t want others to know she needed the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    She decisively shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m sorry, I have to go.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, she continued towards the door.


    Gu Jiansheng, however, was unexpectedly persistent, ¡°Miss Gu, I guess you certainly want to buy something from Manager Zhang. I dare to say, what we have here, others may not have; what others have, we definitely have here.¡±


    That confident?


    Quite self-assured.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped in her tracks, arched an eyebrow, and asked, ¡°Are you saying that your place has the most comprehensive collection?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the idea,¡± Gu Jiansheng said with earnest conviction.


    ¡°I heard from my grandmother that the best jade in the world is called Imperial Green. She once said she saw a piece of Imperial Green weighing dozens of pounds, supposedly so green it almost seemed to ooze oil. Do you have that here?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao made this up off the top of her head.


    Gu Jiansheng took her seriously, blinked, and actually nodded, ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of a few dozen pounds; we certainly have that.¡±


    The staff members nearby almost stumbled and fell over.


    My dear second young master.


    ¡°Just a few dozen pounds,¡± you say¡ªas if it were mere pebbles.


    Found everywhere.


    A piece the size of a fist could already be the treasure of the shop.


    It¡¯s maddening. This second young master knows nothing about gemstones.


    I really don¡¯t understand how the Old Patriarch could have such a grandson.


    Watching Gu Jiansheng¡¯s questioning gaze, he glanced at the two patrons on the other side, absorbed in watching the carving, and eased his worries slightly.


    It¡¯s better when you don¡¯t speak. No one would know, and Yubao Square¡¯s reputation wouldn¡¯t suffer. But now that you¡¯ve opened your mouth, this is truly embarrassing.


    He forced a dry smile, ¡°Third Shopkeeper, we really don¡¯t have anything that weighs dozens of pounds.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s face turned a bit red. He stealthily glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and said with embarrassment, ¡°Actually, to be honest, I¡¯ve only been here for a few days. I haven¡¯t even started learning the ropes. But go ahead, name something else, and maybe we¡¯ll have it.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes flickered. What was Gu Jiansheng trying to do?


    She casually spoke again, ¡°All right, then do you have Red Spirit Jade Marrow here?¡±


    ¡°Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡± Gu Jiansheng blinked. Why did she keep asking about things he was unfamiliar with? He turned his head to continue looking at the same staff member, ¡°Do we have that?¡±


    ¡°We really don¡¯t have that one!¡± the staff member answered promptly.


    Moreover, his knowledge was quite expansive, nearly memorizing the variety of existing gemstones like the back of his hand, yet he had never heard of anything called Red Spirit Jade Marrow; thus, he guessed the young girl had made it up on the spot.


    Only a fool would take it seriously.


    The waiter¡¯s eyes shifted, could it be that this young master had taken a liking to that girl?


    Possibly.


    But everyone talked about him in private, saying he was very proud and aloof.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled faintly, regretfully saying, ¡°You see, I mentioned two, and neither was available.¡±


    After she finished, she didn¡¯t wait for Gu Jiansheng to speak but quickly walked away.


    This time, Gu Jiansheng didn¡¯t stop her.


    He just stood there dumbly, watching Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figure until it disappeared at the gate.


    Then, he slapped his head in annoyance; he had forgotten to ask for Miss Gu¡¯s phone number.


    After thinking it over, he thought that when Zhang Yi returned, she might come again, and it wouldn¡¯t be too late to ask for her number then.


    And in his mind, the thought of the Red Spirit Jade Marrow she had mentioned kept surfacing.


    Although he could never seem to remember these gemstone facts, he knew that Yubao Square had the most complete and extensive collection of gemstones.


    He thought, if he could find that Red Spirit Jade Marrow that Miss Gu spoke of, would it allow them to become friends?


    With this thought, he headed excitedly towards the back.


    At that moment, a middle-aged man wearing a peaked cap watched Gu Qiaoqiao walk towards the public bus and then glanced back at the gate of Yubao Square.


    He turned and headed towards a phone booth.


    Meanwhile, Ning Wanru from North Mountain Villa¡¯s complexion turned pale with anger.


    This Gu Qiaoqiao really couldn¡¯t stay put, having run off to Yubao Square again, and she had even spoken with Jiansheng for such a long time.


    This wretch!


    Just like Lady Yu.


    She ordered Steward Wu, ¡°Call Gu Jiansheng to me, immediately, right now!¡±


    Back in the back hall, Gu Jiansheng finally settled down to look through the gemstone materials his father had found for him.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t like the gemstone business at all.


    He had absolutely no interest in it.


    His dream since childhood was to become a photographer, to travel all over Da Jiang and capture images that nobody else could.


    Not to be stuck in an old, musty antique shop.


    But he had to take over Yubao Square; it was his father¡¯s absolute command.


    His elder brother has entered politics, and as the second son in the family, with his younger brother still being too young, this responsibility fell onto him.


    However, he didn¡¯t like his grandfather, who was lying in the hospital¡ª recalling a childhood memory at Gu Garden, he had found a jade carving on a table and tried to pick it up, curious. It turned out to be too heavy, he couldn¡¯t hold on, and it smashed to pieces on the floor.


    His grandfather responded by slapping him so hard he lost teeth.


    Ever since then, he had detested jade.


    However, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if he could help Miss Gu find that something called Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Before he managed to read a few pages, a waiter ran over, panting and urgently said, ¡°Second young master, Steward Wu from North Mountain Villa called, asking you to go to North Mountain Villa immediately, right now!¡±


    ¡°Immediately, right now?¡± Gu Jiansheng sprang to his feet.


    The waiter nodded vigorously.


    Could it be that his grandmother had an accident?


    With that thought, Gu Jiansheng hesitated no more and quickly ran out the front door.


    Soon, he was driving rapidly onwards.


    After breaking several traffic lights on his way to North Mountain Villa, upon seeing his still majestic and dignified grandmother, a sweaty, panting Gu Jiansheng froze and muttered, ¡°Grandmother, you¡¯re all right?¡±

 Chapter 185 - 185 185 This Disaster

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185 This Disaster! Chapter 185: Chapter 185 This Disaster! Bai Yun, initially furious, felt her anger partially extinguished when she saw the sorry state of Gu Jiansheng and heard his words.


    She stared at Gu Jiansheng, but her tone softened considerably as she directly asked, ¡°Why were you not earnestly learning things at the store today, and instead speaking with a girl of questionable character?¡±


    Gu Jiansheng sat on the sofa, took a sip of herbal tea, and raised an eyebrow with a smile, ¡°Grandma, you found out so quickly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± Ning Wanru sat on the sofa opposite him and asked sternly.


    ¡°What do you mean by a girl of questionable character? Grandma, you should recognize her. She¡¯s the girl who nearly bumped into me yesterday. She¡¯s spotless, and I really like her.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Ning Wanru suddenly raised her voice.


    Only Gu Cheng and her eldest grandson knew about her and Gu Qingfeng¡¯s grievances; she hadn¡¯t told anyone else.


    After all, it was their job to enjoy themselves, there was no need for them to know these things.


    Hence, Gu Jiansheng did not know the true identity of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°I said, I really like her.¡± Gu Jiansheng, always doted on by Ning Wanru, spoke carelessly in her presence. He walked over and sat beside Ning Wanru, acting coquettishly, ¡°Grandma, this is the first time I¡¯ve liked a girl so much. If the man yesterday was her brother, I want to pursue her to be my girlfriend. Grandma, you¡¯ll help me then, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Dream on, impossible!¡± Ning Wanru, infuriated, pushed Gu Jiansheng away and scolded fiercely, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, from now on you¡¯re not allowed to see her, and that man yesterday is her husband. You better give up on this, stay properly at Yubao Square, and strive to learn everything Zhang Yi knows.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng only heard the part that the man was her husband and seemed unable to believe it. ¡°Grandma, are you teasing me? Besides, how could you possibly know her situation so quickly, you must be lying to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, you should know what I¡¯m capable of. It¡¯s easy to investigate someone, especially since she knows Zhang Yi. So, I¡¯m seriously warning you, from now on, you are not to talk to her. If you dare to think about her or speak to her, I will break your legs, do you hear?¡±


    Ning Wanru threatened half-seriously and half-jokingly.


    Gu Jiansheng dejectedly hung his head.


    He didn¡¯t speak for a long while.


    Ning Wanru was nearly driven mad with anger.


    Just having met her once, and he¡¯s already taken with her.


    It seems she really needs to find a way to make her disappear.


    This little wench.


    She and her great grandma are cut from the same cloth.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sister, at such a young age, is already drawing Luo Fan to constantly visit their home.


    Luo Fan, who is supposed to be betrothed to her second granddaughter, Gu Yalan.


    She and the matriarch of the Luo Family had long agreed that Luo Fan and Gu Yalan would marry once Gu Yalan graduated from university.


    It appears she not only clashes with Lady Yu but also with those two wretches just as much.


    While she thought about how to ruin Gu Qiaoqiao and Qianqian, she showed no trace of it outwardly.


    She suppressed her anger, still dignified and elegant, and softened her voice, ¡°There are plenty of good girls out there. In the future, I will introduce you to even more beautiful and spotless girls, like Lin Qinghuan. She¡¯s beautiful, has a clean demeanor, and has studied abroad. You¡¯re well-matched.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng scoffed, a disdainful sneer curling at the corner of his mouth, ¡°How is she beautiful? Besides, she doesn¡¯t deserve the words ¡®spotlessly clean.¡¯ Grandma, you must be senile to say that.¡±


    As he spoke, Gu Jiansheng stood up and added, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re making a big deal out of nothing. I just have a slight impression of that girl, it¡¯s not worth all this fuss. My life is already controlled by you all. When it comes to which girl I like, I¡¯d really prefer you not to meddle anymore, otherwise, I truly might run away from home.¡±


    With that, Gu Jiansheng strode out.


    Ning Wanru, furious, swept all the teacups off the table onto the floor. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This curse upon the family!


    Gu Jiansheng, the most like her and her favorite child, had been spoiled since childhood, hardly ever talked back to her because of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s all that bitch Gu Qiaoqiao.¡±


    Knowing that Zhang Yi wasn¡¯t home, why did she still go there?


    If she hadn¡¯t gone, they wouldn¡¯t have met, right?


    She clenched her fists tightly, and after a moment, she sharply called for Steward Wu.


    At that very moment, Gu Jiansheng stood with one hand on his hip, the other annoyingly running through his hair.


    He had forgotten to ask Great Grandma about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    But maybe it would have been pointless to ask anyway.


    Great Grandma might not know.


    Grandpa?


    But Grandpa definitely knew.


    You might not score tens of kilograms of Imperial Green, but Red Spirit Jade Marrow shouldn¡¯t be that rare, right?


    He drove excitedly toward the hospital.


    But halfway there, he began to hesitate.


    Grandpa didn¡¯t like him, and he didn¡¯t like Grandpa. Unless necessary, he rarely visited him.


    But today, for the sake of that piece of jade, he had to tough it out and pay a visit, perhaps express some filial piety too, to keep the staff at Yubao Square from secretly despising him.


    No matter, he¡¯ll see when he gets there.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao soon arrived home, but she didn¡¯t enter the Qin Family¡¯s courtyard, instead she walked up to the Bai Family¡¯s main gate and started knocking loudly.


    Soon, the sound of sandals on the concrete was heard, and the door opened. Bai Yun saw it was Gu Qiaoqiao, and her initially calm face instantly turned cold and mockingly said, ¡°Oh, what a distinguished guest, too bad, my family doesn¡¯t welcome you¡­¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao rudely interjected, ditching Bai Yun¡¯s sarcastic tone, and directly asked, ¡°Why did you lie to me about your uncle Zhang Yi coming back when he never did?¡±


    Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Bai Yun, watching for any change in her facial expressions.


    Bai Yun was visibly taken aback. Her uncle hadn¡¯t come back?


    Then, as if remembering something, the corners of her mouth curled into a mocking smile, ¡°Perhaps the clerk at the store took a dislike to you and played a trick on you. Besides, nobody forced you to go. Who are you putting on this act of questioning for?¡±


    ¡°Was the person who called you male or female?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked.


    ¡°Of course he was male.¡±


    ¡°Wrong, I just came from there, and it was all girls on duty today,¡± said Gu Qiaoqiao without even blinking.


    With a look of calm disdain, Bai Yun replied, ¡°Then how am I supposed to know?¡±


    After giving Bai Yun a deep look, Gu Qiaoqiao turned and left.


    Bai Yun stared daggers at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s retreating back and cursed fiercely, ¡°Crazy bitch.¡±


    She then slammed the Bai family¡¯s main gate shut with a bang.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t go inside but strolled around to the small garden at the back.


    Shen Manru was average at cooking and housework, but she excelled at tending this little garden.


    At that moment, the garden burst with colorful blooms, vying for attention; purple and crimson mingled, with butterflies and dragonflies fluttering among the flowers.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat down on a wooden bench under an arbor, thinking about what had just happened. Bai Yun hadn¡¯t lied.

 Chapter 186 - 186 186 His Fondness

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186 His Fondness Chapter 186: Chapter 186 His Fondness Her obvious moment of pause made it clear that she too was unaware.


    So, who was that so-called staff member?


    Why had they deceived her into going to Yubao Square?


    Other than encountering an overly enthusiastic junior shopkeeper, she made it home safely.


    On the way, everything went smoothly; nothing unexpected happened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but she suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind her. She turned and saw that it was Qin Yize.


    How had he come back?


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao sitting in the chair, Qin Yize let out a sigh of relief; he had returned over an hour ago.


    But then he heard Grandma Qin say that Gu Qiaoqiao had gone to Yubao Square to look for Zhang Yi, with someone passing a message through Bai Yun to her.


    Qin Yize immediately felt that something was amiss because he was the only one who knew that Zhang Yi was not in the Imperial Capital at that time.


    He was at the Gu Family¡¯s jade mine in Diannan; even if he wanted to return, it would take two days by plane.


    So, the message was clearly a deception.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to question Bai Yun but drove straight to Yubao Square instead.


    After he arrived there, he learned that Gu Qiaoqiao had left when she found out that Zhang Yi was not there. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned around and hurried home. Upon arrival, he saw that the gate was open and that Dahei¡¯s dog food bowl had been moved to a different place, but he didn¡¯t see Gu Qiaoqiao inside the house.


    Grandma Qin said she hadn¡¯t come back.


    Qin Yize, with a hunch, headed straight for the backyard.


    And indeed, she was here.


    After that, Qin Yize didn¡¯t beat around the bush but directly asked, ¡°Did you go to Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bai Yun told me someone relayed a message that said Zhang Yi was back.¡±


    ¡°Did you believe it?¡± Qin Yize asked, his tone indifferent.


    Silly girl, are you that easy to deceive?


    Especially when it comes to Bai Yun¡¯s words, how can one simply believe them?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t quite believe it, but I had nothing else going on, so I decided to check it out. What if it was true? After all, the man is her uncle.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, but he also knew that his worries were quite unfounded.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao had almost been kidnapped, she couldn¡¯t be expected to stay indoors for the rest of her life.


    Seeing how calm she was, it was clear she also knew what to expect.


    After a moment of contemplation, Qin Yize softly asked, ¡°Was Bai Yun lying, or was it that so-called waiter?¡±


    ¡°It was the waiter who lied.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Gu Qiaoqiao said candidly.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Qin Yize frowned slightly and advised lightly, ¡°Learn from this experience. From now on, don¡¯t believe anything Bai Yun says, whether true or false.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s so wicked, how could I possibly believe her.¡±


    The young girl in front of him smiled radiantly, her clear eyes seeming to be filled with sunshine.


    Something stirred in Qin Yize¡¯s heart, and he reached out, unconsciously, to ruffle Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hair, his voice tender, ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t dodge; the thing is, Qin Yize¡¯s action looked graceful and unhurried, but it was actually quite quick.


    Her face felt warm.


    Calling her a good girl, he was, after all, only a few years older than her at the moment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, her face flushed, and protested, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my head anymore.¡±


    Without thinking, Qin Yize blurted out, ¡°Then where should I touch?¡±


    As soon as he said it, both of them froze.


    The air around them seemed to have stilled for a moment, with the scent of flowers wafting over, carrying a hint of ambiguity.


    Qin Yize¡¯s heart skipped a beat at his own words and wondered ¨C did he actually say something so rogue?


    But his reaction was much quicker than Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s, and his skin was thicker too. He simply fixed her with a serious gaze, hoping she would give him an answer.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave him an annoyed glare, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to touch anywhere.¡±


    It was only after she spoke that she realized it would have been better to not respond at all.


    She stopped talking to Qin Yize and, with a blushing face, fled in a hurry.


    Only after Gu Qiaoqiao had left did Qin Yize finally exhale a long breath.


    His tense shoulders relaxed.


    What to do?


    Every time he saw Gu Qiaoqiao, he wanted to coax her, to make her happy, to ruffle her hair, and even to pinch her cute little cheeks.


    Now, he had even uttered such rogue words.


    He realized that before, he had wanted to get close to Gu Qiaoqiao in spirit.


    He wanted to understand what she was thinking, to learn about her likes and habits, and to be close to her thoughts and feelings.


    But now, he wanted even more to physically touch her.


    What did this signify? The clever Qin Yize was well aware!


    Yet, he did not resist and felt quite pleased.


    Qin Yize entered the room with a spirited step.


    When he saw that graceful figure in the kitchen, the corners of his mouth curved upwards, and then he concealed the fervor in his eyes and headed to his study.


    He called a classmate who owned an antique shop, asking him to help look around their circle for someone who knew about Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    He had also visited the old master, who, aside from knowing that Gu Qingfeng had some, did not know of any others.


    Since he had nothing to do in the afternoon, what should he do with Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Thinking this, Qin Yize¡¯s heartbeat quickened a bit, so he swiftly stood in the sunlight in the study and performed a series of boxing moves.


    Only then did he suppress the restlessness in his heart.


    On a narrow path, the brave wins, but when it¡¯s time to bow, he will bow, especially when that person in front is Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Agreeing to the divorce, letting her be happy and free¡ªas if it were just to cheer her up.


    After mentally preparing himself, Qin Yize walked out of the study, once again returning to his usual reserved and composed demeanor.


    It was as if the boyish him from just before was someone else entirely.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stir-frying in the kitchen.


    The other three members of the Qin Family were not returning for lunch and since the weather was also a bit hot, Gu Qiaoqiao cooked just two green vegetable dishes. But knowing Qin Yize liked meat, she made him sweet and sour pork ribs and also prepared a cold Northern dish.


    The cold dish was simple, made with shredded cucumber, dried tofu, and mung bean noodles, mixed together with garlic and cilantro, then seasoned with salt, vinegar, and sesame oil.


    But one must absolutely not add green onions, otherwise the flavor would completely change.


    She cooked porridge for Grandma Qin and warmed a few small steamed buns, and lunch was ready.


    The three of them sat down at the dining table to eat.


    Grandma Qin felt very happy. Indeed, food tasted better when eaten with more people.


    More importantly, Ah Ze was finally about to be transferred back.


    His return naturally meant Qiaoqiao would come back too.


    The house would be lively again, and that was wonderful.


    She even had plans for what the two of them would do every day when Qiaoqiao returned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hardly made eye contact with Qin Yize, which was fine as his emotions were very restrained in public.


    Calm and unfathomable, it was impossible to see what he was thinking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that Qin Yize was only emotionally expressive and his expressions rich when he was alone with her, completely different from his current demeanor.


    Also, why did he always like to touch her head?


    Warnings didn¡¯t seem to work.

 Chapter 187 - 187 187 He Wouldnt Let Her Go

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187: He Wouldn¡¯t Let Her Go! Chapter 187: Chapter 187: He Wouldn¡¯t Let Her Go! It seemed that Qin Yize had forgotten that they were going to divorce later.


    Or perhaps, did he treat her as Qin Xiaoyu?


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneaked a glance at Qin Yize, but unexpectedly, as if sensing her look, he lifted his starry eyes and met Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze head-on.


    She was startled; it felt just like being caught red-handed while stealing. She quickly bowed her head and shoveled rice into her mouth.


    Unexpectedly, she choked on it shamefully.


    Gu Qiaoqiao covered her mouth and began to cough violently, then clumsily ran towards the restroom.


    Anxiously, Grandma Qin instructed Qin Yize, ¡°Quick, go check how your wife is doing?¡±


    Qin Yize obediently stood up and quickly walked towards the restroom.


    Wife?


    Those two words sounded pleasant.


    He reached Gu Qiaoqiao, who was continuously coughing while leaning on the washbasin, extended his hand, and gently patted her shoulder, teasing, ¡°No one is competing with you, how did you manage to choke while eating?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao angrily swatted the hand on her back and grumbled in a hoarse voice, ¡°Mind your own business.¡±


    Qin Yize chuckled softly.


    His hand mischievously landed again, continuing, ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao, with tears from coughing, no longer had the strength to fend off Qin Yize¡¯s hand.


    After she had almost stopped coughing, Qin Yize then poured her a glass of water. Gu Qiaoqiao drank half the glass in one breath, which made her feel much better.


    After washing her face, she hurried out of the restroom.


    Then she continued eating.


    This time, she kept honest and didn¡¯t look at Qin Yize across the table anymore.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes gleamed with a hint of amusement, no longer teasing Gu Qiaoqiao, instead continuing to attack the dish of sweet and sour spareribs.


    Grandma Qin was really relieved.


    Her grandson, who was always aloof, seemed quite decent when taking care of his wife.


    After dinner, without waiting for Grandma Qin to speak, Qin Yize proactively stood up and quickly began to clear the dishes off the table.


    Then he looked at his own white shirt and tied on the checkered apron.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found this to be the funniest scene she had witnessed.


    So she pulled Grandma Qin over, pointing out Qin Yize in the kitchen apron to her. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Subsequently, the two of them leaned together and burst into laughter.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was laughing like a blooming flower, and his lips slightly curled up.


    His dishwashing was swift, and he cleaned the kitchen as efficiently as a soldier doing chores.


    Clean and tidy, not a single error allowed.


    After washing his hands, Qin Yize strode toward the living room and said to the giggling little girl, ¡°Grandma should rest now.¡±


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, Grandma Qin surprisingly yawned knowingly, ¡°I am indeed a bit sleepy.¡±


    Saying so, she shook off Qin Yize¡¯s hand, ¡°No need to help me, go rest with your wife.¡±


    With that, she walked away on her own.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao was about to leave as well, Qin Yize stretched out his hand, stopping her, and softly asked, ¡°Tired?¡±


    What?


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened her mouth, her mind racing quickly. She thought, if she said she was tired, would Qin Yize then say, let¡¯s go to sleep?


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly shook her head, ¡°Not tired.¡±


    A hint of amusement flickered in Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, then he proposed, ¡°Then let me take you to a place, okay?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked, wide-eyed.


    It seemed like no matter how he responded, it wouldn¡¯t be quite right.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know once we get there. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Qin Yize had already taken the lead and walked out.


    After a few steps, he realized there was no sound behind him, turned around, and saw Gu Qiaoqiao standing in the center of the living room, pursing her lips and not moving.


    Her expression was somewhat stern.


    It seemed that her eyes were also filled with complex and guilty emotions.


    Qin Yize thought about it for a moment and understood everything.


    However, the situation they were in had been exacerbated by his own actions, so he bore a great deal of responsibility.


    They say it takes two to clap.


    If he, Qin Yize, hadn¡¯t walked so far ahead, his relationship with Gu Qiaoqiao would still be the same as before.


    Each minding their own business, without interfering with each other.


    But he had walked ahead.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s pace in retreating was not as fast as his advance, which had led to the situation they found themselves in today.


    But this silly girl must be feeling guilty.


    That¡¯s why she tried every way to compensate.


    She didn¡¯t even know the real value of her peace Buddha pendants and had given one to every family member.


    His senses had always been sharp.


    He noticed something unusual about the Wolf¡¯s Fang on the day of the car accident.


    He had calculated his own speed, but on that day, it was twice as fast as usual.


    Twice, what did that mean?


    It meant having twice the advantage over the enemy and twice the chance of survival.


    That was why he stopped Gu Qiaoqiao from taking out the Gold Jade Stone Carvings.


    He was worried that if they were seen by someone with bad intentions, it could bring danger to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    And indeed, he really needed to do something for her.


    Qin Yize was not a demanding person, but he was also not one to give up easily.


    Either way, it was worth a shot.


    If Gu Qiaoqiao had truly given up on him, he would naturally let go and give her freedom.


    So, the current situation really had nothing to do with her.


    It was he who didn¡¯t let her go!


    He walked towards her calmly and slightly lowered his gaze to look at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had beautiful eyes, and at that moment, her clear eyes, misted with a thin layer, reflected his figure like landscape and water, softening Qin Yize¡¯s heart. He said softly, ¡°What are you thinking about, what are you hesitating?¡±


    ¡°We¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was very conflicted, stuttering, not knowing how to start so as not to seem ungrateful.


    ¡°You mean our way of getting along is not good because we¡¯ll eventually divorce anyway. It¡¯s too entangled, and the accounts will be hard to settle later, right?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded her head.


    She felt a bit mean at the moment, wanting to know who was behind the scenes, which was why she had backtracked on agreeing to a divorce.


    She was taking advantage of Qin Yize¡¯s sense of responsibility and Grandma Qin¡¯s kindness.


    ¡°This is not good; I think it¡¯s unfair to you. What if you meet a girl you like? Do you have to get a divorce first? So, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°So you think we should just get divorced, then we owe nothing to each other?¡± Qin Yize interrupted Gu Qiaoqiao unceremoniously.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded again, ¡°That¡¯s just right, owing less.¡±


    A dark light flashed across Qin Yize¡¯s starry eyes as he suddenly smiled, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you should remember what I¡¯ve told you before, I will only marry once in my life, and as you know my personality, whether it¡¯s marrying once or divorcing once, it¡¯s my limit, so you really don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked hesitantly.


    Qin Yize nodded, ¡°Yes, besides, do you hope we become enemies after we divorce?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head vigorously; she could be strangers with Qin Yize in this life, but she would definitely not be enemies.


    Qin Yize continued to coax without betraying any emotion, ¡°Apart from that, our grandfathers were still friends to the death, what are you worried about?¡±

 Chapter 188 - 188 188 The Gears of Fate Get Caught on the

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188 The Gears of Fate Get Caught on the Node Again Chapter 188: Chapter 188 The Gears of Fate Get Caught on the Node Again Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Qin Yize, blinking a few times as though she thought what he said made a lot of sense.


    Although she didn¡¯t know about being ignorant and making the mistake first, she had also returned to the Qin Family a healthy body.


    It was like things were even now.


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was beginning to relax, Qin Yize stretched out his hand, gently took hers, and with a slight pull, led her towards the door to leave.


    As they walked, he said, ¡°I¡¯m taking you to a fun place.¡±


    His eyes and brows were relaxed, seemingly very pleased.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was guided into the car, and soon they drove out through the wide-open gate.


    Then, he got out of the car, locked the gate, returned to the car, and drove off towards the direction of East City.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked out the car window.


    This seemed to be going to the East City District.


    In the time of the Old Imperial Capital, there was always the saying about the east being rich and the west being noble, the south being base and the north being poor.


    But nowadays, times have changed, and every part of the Imperial Capital is a place of riches.


    However, if we were really to discuss it, East City District was still among the richest, with its profound heritage; there are many things it has that simply can¡¯t be compared.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, perhaps this was a height that many people could never touch in their whole lives.


    Only, she felt that they were getting further and further from the city center.


    Soon, Qin Yize stopped the car.


    He got out and opened the door for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao stood on the ground, she saw at a glance the words on the building across: Shooting Range. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize came over, standing beside Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned before about taking you to the shooting range, and since I happen to be free this afternoon, let¡¯s go have a look inside.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also intrigued.


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do.


    Besides, shooting seemed to be a lot more fun than shopping, eating, dancing, and drinking.


    Seeing the sparkle in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, Qin Yize smiled slightly. Without saying more, he led her towards the shooting range.


    After entering the main gate, Qin Yize handed a gold card to the doorman, who immediately became enthusiastic and led them into Hall No. 1.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was seeing the interior of the shooting range for the first time.


    The building looked simple and rustic, but inside it was lush with greenery, somewhat like the forests of Border City, surrounded by large transparent glass walls.


    The surrounding area was covered in green grass.


    Above the grass was the spectator seating.


    However, there weren¡¯t many people here at the moment.


    There was no competition, so the spectator seats were empty, with only about a dozen people engaged in shooting on the field.


    Qin Yize took Gu Qiaoqiao to a room on the east side, where a coach came over. Clearly very familiar with Qin Yize, the coach put a rifle and a magazine on the table in the room.


    Then, he curiously smiled at Gu Qiaoqiao, talked to Qin Yize for a while, and left in good spirits.


    Qin Yize loaded the rifle with bullets at breakneck speed.


    So fast that Gu Qiaoqiao almost saw afterimages.


    Afterwards, he said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I¡¯ll warm up with the rifle first, then let you have a go.¡±


    Then he fired at the target ahead.


    Ten bullets, a perfect score!


    Gu Qiaoqiao clapped her hands, ¡°Impressive.¡±


    Qin Yize smiled slightly and continued loading bullets.


    Just then, the sound of clapping came from behind them, followed by a somewhat greasy male voice, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Young Master Qin? Long time no see, I heard you were exiled to the borderlands?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao tensed up.


    She turned around abruptly.


    At a glance, she saw a man standing at the door. He was around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, wearing a floral shirt and white pants, with a plump figure.


    His face was equally greasy.


    His head shone greasily like a roasted pig¡¯s.


    The gears of destiny had jammed once again at a crucial node.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hands quietly clenched together, as if all the people she knew from her past life had prematurely stepped into her presence.


    It was just that their methods of entering the scene were different.


    This man was the employer who had tried to defile her.


    His name was Zhao Xiaoming.


    In her previous life, she had been a nanny in his house. At first, it was alright, but later he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    Gu Qiaoqiao vividly remembered how, after failing to get his way, he and his wife beat her up while hurling disgusting insults at her, calling her a cheap slut.


    At this moment, she truly felt the animosity that flared when enemies met.


    Only the other party was unaware of it.


    Qin Yize blocked Zhao Xiaoming¡¯s gaze towards Gu Qiaoqiao without a trace of emotion, his previously soft features now cold as snow. He said lightly, ¡°You don¡¯t even qualify to be banished to the frontier.¡±


    The people behind him snickered.


    Everyone knew that Zhao Xiaoming had always wanted to join the army, but because he was too fat and, despite having connections and money at home, he was still rejected.


    He had been rejected for three consecutive years.


    Until Zhao Xiaoming finally gave up.


    He and Qin Yize were also adversaries, having once led the youths from the West City District and East City District, respectively, in a street brawl during their younger days.


    Naturally, in the end, Qin Yize caught Zhao Xiaoming and beat him severely until he was unrecognizable, and only then did he stop.


    After that, a feud was born.


    In recent years, the Zhao family took advantage of their connections and favorable policies to become the wealthiest family in the East City District.


    Thus, after behaving himself for a few years, Zhao Xiaoming started to get cocky again.


    Moreover, Qin Yize rarely stayed in the Imperial Capital during these two years, which made Zhao Xiaoming even more brazen.


    At this moment, his face slightly reddened with anger, cursing in his heart that Qin Yize was the worst brat; he had never won a verbal spat with him.


    He always said things that hit where it hurt.


    Fuming, he said, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a few years, and your tongue has gotten even sharper.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes twinkled with mirth as he replied with a half-smile, ¡°Hmm, indeed, we haven¡¯t seen each other for years, and your fat layers have thickened by two rounds.¡±


    Having said that, he no longer paid attention to Zhao Xiaoming, but pulled Gu Qiaoqiao over to teach her how to use this new type of specialized shooting rifle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her gaze slightly, her expression unchanged, hiding all her emotions very well.


    Thanks to her experiences over the past few months, she had become even calmer when facing situations.


    She listened carefully to Qin Yize¡¯s explanations.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that Zhao Xiaoming hadn¡¯t left, and instead stepped to the other side of Qin Yize, provokingly saying, ¡°Qin Yize, how about we have a competition?¡±


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t even look at him and said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared to compete with me, aren¡¯t you? Afraid of losing to me in front of your woman?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes flashed.


    She was surprised; this fool actually wanted to compete with Qin Yize?


    But what she didn¡¯t know was that Zhao Xiaoming¡¯s shooting talent was not bad.


    He was only a little behind Qin Yize.


    The two had competed before, and of course, Qin Yize had won in the end, but Zhao Xiaoming had only scored eight rings less than him.


    That¡¯s why Zhao Xiaoming dared to challenge Qin Yize.


    Besides, Qin Yize had once been in the Special Preparation Team, with excellent shooting skills. It didn¡¯t matter to him if he lost, but if he won, that would be quite impressive.


    Qin Yize initially didn¡¯t bother to engage with him.


    But this guy didn¡¯t know when to quit.


    Finally turning his head, he looked coldly at the obnoxious Zhao Xiaoming, ¡°Scram!¡±


    Crisp and merciless, leaving no room for sentiment.

 Chapter 189 - 189 189 Does Young Master Qin Have This

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Does Young Master Qin Have This? Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Does Young Master Qin Have This? Zhao Xiaoming¡¯s chest heaved with rage, as if he was breathing in and out, and it took a long while before he seemed to find his voice again.


    He turned and walked away.


    This place was filled with the wealthy and the noble, not just any ordinary venue, and Qin Yize was incredibly popular here.


    If a real conflict had ensued, the few rotten friends he had brought today would have definitely been at a disadvantage.


    So, he could only leave with resentment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao leaned forward from in front of Qin Yize, smiling slightly, ¡°Why use a cleaver to kill a chicken? Ah Ze, teach me how to use a gun, and I¡¯ll compete with him.¡±


    The clear young girl¡¯s voice echoed across the rough shooting range, startling everyone.


    Those few people looked at Gu Qiaoqiao as if she was a fool.


    And Qin Yize was swayed by that call of ¡®Ah Ze.¡¯


    It turned out those two words, coming from Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mouth, sounded so pleasant.


    For a moment, he was somewhat infatuated.


    But upon meeting Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sly gaze, he suddenly came back to his senses.


    And instantly understood.


    Zhao Xiaoming had already stopped in his tracks, looking incredulously at the young girl by Qin Yize¡¯s side.


    What did she mean?


    She wanted to compete with him?


    But she wanted Qin Yize to teach her how to use a gun first.


    Where did this foolish girl come from?


    How could she not realise the immensity of heaven and earth?


    Although she was pretty and looked lively, it turned out she was an idiot.


    However, he immediately found it amusing.


    He raised his eyebrows toward Qin Yize, ¡°Your woman wants to compete with me, what do you say?¡±


    He thought Qin Yize would scold the girl for her foolishness, but unexpectedly, Qin Yize tenderly ruffled the girl¡¯s hair and said softly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Thus, the shooting range in the Eastern District of the Imperial Capital boiled over with excitement.


    The people who were playing in this shooting range today, all came to this fifty-meter range upon hearing the news.


    The usually empty stands now seated a large crowd of people.


    And some people from the shooting community began to rush over after receiving the news.


    This was big news.


    The wife of Young Master Qin from the West City District was actually going to challenge Zhao Xiaoming, the number two ace shooter of the East City District shooting range.


    Of course, the number one shooter was Qin Yize.


    Moreover, it was heard that the girl didn¡¯t even know how to shoot, and there, Qin Yize was patiently teaching her.


    Learning to shoot on the spot?


    Was Young Master Qin really that indulgent with women?


    Although losing wouldn¡¯t be embarrassing, it also wouldn¡¯t be something to be proud of.


    And this Zhao Xiaoming was a real villain.


    If he won, who knew how he would boast about it.


    Those who were close to Qin Yize all came to persuade him, but Qin Yize was concentrating on teaching Gu Qiaoqiao, unmoved.


    When Chu Chengfeng hurried over, Gu Qiaoqiao and Zhao Xiaoming had already taken their positions at the fifty-meter range.


    Qin Yize stood by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s side, loading her bullets.


    Zhao Xiaoming also had someone standing by his side, but that person was a coach from the range.


    Chu Chengfeng was anxious, ¡°Ah Ze, you¡¯re going along with her nonsense. Stop the competition now. Zhao Xiaoming is a mean-spirited man. If he wins, he will spread it all over the Imperial Capital, and whatever he says will not be suitable for the public eye, as foul as can be.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked her eyes but didn¡¯t say a word.


    She believed that.


    Zhao Xiaoming was indeed a despicable and shameless petty man.


    Finally, Qin Yize decided to look at Chu Chengfeng, smiling slightly, ¡°When have you ever seen me act foolishly?¡±


    Chu Chengfeng was startled; true, he had never seen Qin Yize acting foolishly from childhood to adulthood.


    And at that moment, the referee¡¯s whistle blew.


    The stands were packed with a sea of people, probably half of the shooting circle in the Imperial Capital had come.


    Some brought friends along.


    Meanwhile, Lin Qinghuan sat in the audience with her classmates. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had approached Qin Yize earlier to greet him, but seeing the two of them with heads bowed, one teaching and the other learning, in an intimate whispering manner, she turned and left.


    With her expression as usual, she returned to her seat and chatted gleefully with her female classmates as if nothing had happened.


    The two girls chattered away, guessing who would win or lose.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took her designated position while Qin Yize silently retreated to a distance of five steps away.


    But it was at this moment that Zhao Xiaoming suddenly waved his hand and shouted loudly, ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    Everyone was taken aback.


    Could it be that this guy had a change of heart and decided not to embarrass the girl?


    Could he be that kind?


    Besides, they¡¯d better not back out, as they¡¯d all placed bets in private.


    Even though the amounts were small, not playing would dampen spirits.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Zhao Xiaoming, a trace of disgust and hatred flickered across her eyes before vanishing without a trace.


    She calmly awaited this beast to speak.


    Zhao Xiaoming walked over but looked at Qin Yize, ¡°Young Master Qin, just competing is boring.¡±


    ¡°And what do you suggest?¡± Qin Yize asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, speaking deliberately slow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet on something. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t everyone¡¯s trip here be a waste?¡±


    ¡°So what do you propose we bet on?¡±


    ¡°A strip bet?¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a wave of murderous intent surged, and Qin Yize¡¯s expression turned as cold as an ancient glacial abyss, his stare predatory, his aura instantly shifting like a cheetah ready to pounce on its prey.


    The air of authority he exerted, without even showing anger, came with an innate presence.


    Zhao Xiaoming was frightened into taking two steps back before he steadied himself.


    If he hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, then Qin Yize had looked at him as if he were looking at a dead person.


    He swallowed nervously.


    Qin Yize¡¯s voice then rose eerily cold, ¡°I have no interest in seeing your stinking flesh.¡±


    After speaking, he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, his tone becoming gentle, ¡°What would you like to bet on?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about it, ignored Zhao Xiaoming, and said to Qin Yize, ¡°If I win, he kneels on the ground and calls me ¡®Ancestor¡¯ three times, then slaps himself hard ten times. If I lose, he can set the terms.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoming frowned; the person he respected the most was his own ancestor, but how could he possibly lose to a girl?


    A girl holding a gun for the first time, no less.


    ¡°If I lose, I accept your terms, if you lose, no other demands, just kiss me three times,¡± Zhao Xiaoming said, breaking into a hearty laugh after speaking.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded readily.


    At this time, Qin Yize also laughed, but his smile was unfathomable.


    The referee announced the terms of the wager to everyone in the audience.


    The crowd there started to boil over once again.


    This was not only about winning or losing but also about the stakes.


    The day had not been wasted.


    Chu Chengfeng had also placed a bet, as had his good buddies.


    Although it was a foregone conclusion that they would lose, they gritted their teeth and supported Qin Yize.


    And Lin Qinghuan had also bet on ten hands.


    Then she smiled and got ready to watch the competition.


    Once it quieted down, the referee finally called the start of the match.


    Qin Yize and the coach withdrew once more to a distance beyond five steps.


    The rules of the competition had been set in advance: a hundred rounds of ammunition, counted in ten rounds.


    And they changed the game.


    They adopted a turn-based shooting style, one shot each person.

 Chapter 190 - 190 190 She is always one step ahead of Zhao

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190: She is always one step ahead of Zhao Xiaoming! Chapter 190: Chapter 190: She is always one step ahead of Zhao Xiaoming! The difficulty had risen once again.


    After all, consecutive shooting had its advantages for maintaining performance, and it also offered a psychological edge.


    Once you shoot, you know the other person¡¯s score right away; if it¡¯s lower, that¡¯s still manageable, but if it¡¯s higher, the other person naturally feels the pressure.


    But, that was exactly the cunning part of the game.


    Gu Qiaoqiao agreed nonchalantly.


    This made Qin Yize¡¯s buddies cover their faces, feeling that today might be Qin Yize¡¯s most embarrassing day, and the harshest on their wallets.


    But there was no helping it, who made Qin Yize so indulgent with his wife!


    The competition had begun.


    It had to be said that Zhao Xiaoming was in top form.


    After all, he was facing such a weak opponent.


    He didn¡¯t care how others cursed him as a despicable villain, as long as he could embarrass Qin Yize. They could curse all they want; it didn¡¯t bother him.


    Thus, a relaxed Zhao Xiaoming casually shot a perfect ten.


    His cronies erupted into cheers in the stands.


    They were subsequently met with contempt from many people.


    But those people had even thicker skins and didn¡¯t care at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao held the gun, found the most comfortable position, and then Qin Yize¡¯s friends covered their faces in despair. They wondered if she was posing for a photo. Could she actually shoot in that position?


    But then they realized that even if the stance was correct, she couldn¡¯t shoot accurately anyway, so fundamentally there was no difference.


    And so, they simmered down.


    All of them just blankly watched the fifty-meter range.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize, and with his nod, she offered a slight smile.


    Aiming at the target, she pulled the trigger.


    A direct hit.


    Ten points.


    When the score was announced, the entire stands fell silent.


    It seemed as if you could hear a pin drop.


    Everyone looked at the girl on the field with eyes full of shock.


    Her luck must be incredibly good.


    Was it even possible to score a ten with such shooting?


    Then, a smirking Zhao Xiaoming fired his second shot, scoring eight points.


    Following that, Gu Qiaoqiao shot a nine. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just one point higher than an eight!


    Qin Yize¡¯s smile was serene.


    He thought to himself, this fool dares to challenge Gu Qiaoqiao in precision. That¡¯s like performing axemanship in front of Lu Ban¡¯s workshop.


    I¡¯ll play you to your doom!


    Zhao Xiaoming finally took it seriously and shot his third round, scoring nine points.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed suit, scoring a ten.


    The crowd on the stands dropped their jaws in amazement.


    The first time might be luck, the second time, also luck, but the third time can no longer be just luck.


    And as the referee¡¯s announcement echoed time and time again, some smart and quick-witted people finally understood.


    The girl was doing it on purpose!


    If Zhao Xiaoming scored a ten, she was sure to follow with a ten.


    If Zhao Xiaoming scored an eight, she would score a nine.


    If Zhao Xiaoming got a five, she would get a six.


    Except for tens, she always scored one point more than Zhao Xiaoming!


    Zhao Xiaoming also noticed.


    So he became flustered, uneasy, and his form suffered.


    This wasn¡¯t a shooting newbie, this was a progenitor of shooters!


    Soon, only the last ten shots remained.


    Zhao Xiaoming¡¯s hand trembled, and he scored a mere one point.


    Afterward, he fixated on Gu Qiaoqiao with a death glare.


    And then came the joyful voice of the referee announcing the score, ¡°Two rings!¡±


    He was furious. With a careless shot, he intended to miss on purpose, to see how Gu Qiaoqiao could possibly follow.


    ¡°One ring.¡±


    The entire audience burst into loud laughter.


    There was no need to shoot the remaining eight bullets, as the outcome had already been decided.


    Still, the earnest referee insisted that they finish.


    It continued like this.


    Always one ring more than him.


    Soon after, the competition ended.


    Everyone stood up, and applause erupted like thunder.


    Gu Qiaoqiao bowed politely to the grandstand, her smile curving her eyes into crescents.


    Chu Chengfeng stumbled down the range.


    The normally unruly man was utterly disconcerted.


    He seemed to forget Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gender and status for a moment and was about to rush forward to give her a big hug.


    But he was sent flying by a kick from Qin Yize.


    Meanwhile, those good brothers came down from the stands and ran over to Gu Qiaoqiao. These scions of wealthy circles looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with admiration and fervor in their eyes.


    If Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shots had all been perfect tens, they might not have been so excited.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shooting style showed them that shooting could be played like this.


    How could they not be completely convinced?


    This was what true marksmanship looked like, hitting exactly where aimed.


    And most importantly, they all made a tidy sum today.


    All thanks to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s efforts.


    Originally, they felt that Gu Qiaoqiao was not good enough for Qin Yize, but now they thought that Qin Yize was incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful and capable girl like her.


    One of the coaches here was nearly green with envy.


    He glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, then hurried toward the office upstairs.


    Lin Qinghuan stood in the stands, her eyes deep and expression inscrutable. After a long while, she forced a smile and walked toward the field.


    At this moment, Zhao Xiaoming resembled a defeated rooster, his face gray, his mood downcast, and his eyes dull as he watched the girl opposite him, who was looking at him with a slightly cold smile.


    It felt like a dream. How could the competition, which he was 100% sure to win, end so embarrassingly?


    Was this for real?


    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Yize walked over and calmly ordered him to honor the bet that he seemed to snap out of it.


    But there was no escape. Qin Yize¡¯s friends watched him intently like tigers eyeing their prey.


    And then, with a swift kick from Chu Chengfeng, he thudded to his knees on the ground.


    Adressing Gu Qiaoqiao with difficulty, he said, ¡°Third aunt¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips bore a cool smile as she looked down at Zhao Xiaoming kneeling before her, her gaze passing a boundless sternness.


    As she watched him raise his hand and start slapping his own face forcefully, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s resentment slowly dissipated.


    Her cool gaze on him, thinking, you finally got what you deserved, you beast!


    Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Imperial Capital Hospital, Gu Jiansheng, after psyching himself up for two hours, finally got out of the car and walked in.


    He arrived outside the private ward and then saw Uncle Gu about to push the door open.


    Uncle Gu glanced at him with indifference and said nothing. Of all of Gu Cheng¡¯s sons, this one was the least shrewd.


    And the one the Old Patriarch disliked the most.


    Because when he was younger, he had shattered a jade carving of significant meaning.


    ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Uncle Gu asked blandly as he raised his eyelids.


    Having no real abilities, Yubao Square would surely be swallowed up by Jubao Pavilion within half a year under his management.


    Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng certainly wouldn¡¯t mind.


    He wasn¡¯t a true successor of the Old Patriarch; how could he possibly take good care of the Gu Family¡¯s assets?


    And there was Gu Kun, now laid up in the hospital.


    Still lying there.


    At this moment, Uncle Gu was too distracted to divide his attention, but according to his observations, he suspected that Gu Kun¡¯s condition was feigned.


    But by the time he had figured this out, Gu Kun had already lapsed into unconsciousness and couldn¡¯t even speak, so nothing could be asked.


    Uncle Gu felt that he and Gu Qingfeng had underestimated their opponent.


    That¡¯s why he did not immediately drive out Gu Jiansheng but instead asked him his purpose.

 Chapter 191 - 191 191 How Did He Know About the Red Spirit

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191: How Did He Know About the Red Spirit Jade Marrow? Chapter 191: Chapter 191: How Did He Know About the Red Spirit Jade Marrow? Gu Jiansheng swallowed hard and, with stiff resolve, said, ¡°I just came to see how Grandfather is¡­¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°To ask about something,¡± Gu Jiansheng added hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s really just to seek advice.¡±


    Uncle Gu looked at Gu Jiansheng, did not express any opinion, but opened the door and entered the sickroom. He soon came out and said to Gu Jiansheng, ¡°The Old Patriarch allows you to enter. Remember, do not stay long and do not say anything that will upset your grandfather.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng quickly agreed.


    He then followed Uncle Gu into the sickroom.


    The sickroom was in excellent condition, elegant and clean, with a faint smell of disinfectant and green potted plants everywhere.


    They went through the living room to enter the sickroom.


    At first glance, he saw a lean old man half-reclining on the hospital bed, seemingly lost in thought.


    He realized it had been more than half a year since he had seen him last.


    His eyes were sunken, and he looked frighteningly thin.


    However, he seemed to be in fairly good spirits.


    He carefully approached the bed, set the fruit basket and fresh flowers aside, and softly called out, ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng squinted his eyes to look over, and after a long pause, said, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Came to see if he was dead?


    These days he had not seen anyone, but just now Uncle Gu had said that Gu Jiansheng¡¯s car had been parked at the hospital entrance for two hours.


    Gu Jiansheng had been afraid of him since he was a child and rarely visited him.


    Not to mention that in their eyes, he was now a dying man at death¡¯s door.


    Why had he come?


    Regardless of his reasons, they were certainly different from those of others.


    That¡¯s why he agreed to see him.


    Gu Jiansheng sat on the chair, glanced briefly at the Old Patriarch, then lowered his head in panic, inwardly cursing his lack of courage.


    An old man on his deathbed was heaven and earth apart from the fierce lion of a man he¡¯d been over a decade ago.


    Yet, he was still a bit afraid of him.


    After a moment, he began awkwardly, ¡°Grandfather, are you feeling any better?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gu Qingfeng responded indifferently.


    Uncle Gu¡¯s voice, deep and serious, reminded him, ¡°Second Young Master, if you have something to say, say it. The Old Patriarch needs to rest soon.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng hastily looked up and said anxiously, ¡°Grandfather, I just wanted to ask if you know where I can find Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes suddenly widened.


    He stared intently at Gu Jiansheng.


    Uncle Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stepped forward to support Elder Gu, giving him a meaningful look.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze slowly cleared, and he exhaled deeply, asking faintly, ¡°Why do you ask this? Do you want it, or is there a client who made a reservation?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Gu Jiansheng did not mention Qiaoqiao but said, ¡°I just overheard someone mention it. The shop assistants didn¡¯t know, and I couldn¡¯t find any information after searching for a long time, so I thought of asking if Grandfather knew anything.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng looked steadily at Gu Jiansheng for a moment, then shook his head and said softly, ¡°I do not know.¡±


    After that, he said wearily, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng quickly stood up, muttered a few words, and left the sickroom as if fleeing.


    Once he had left, Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and he grabbed Uncle Gu¡¯s wrist, asking in a low voice, ¡°How did he know about Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Uncle Gu shook his head and gently patted Elder Gu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will check on it right away.¡±


    After speaking, he made sure Gu Qingfeng was leaning against the pillow before he stepped out into the living room.


    Gu Qingfeng leaned against the pillow. However, he did not feel as tired as he had said he was¡ªhis condition was better than it had been a few days ago.


    He was very clear about it in his heart.


    Living another year or even longer was completely no problem.


    Yet, at the bottom of his heart, it was like a tumultuous overturning of the seas and rivers.


    Red Spirit Jade Marrow, he had it. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was also handed down by his ancestors.


    It was said to have been found in the study of the ancestor who left behind the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    It was only the size of a baby¡¯s fist.


    On the desk, there was only this item, accompanied by a piece of paper with ¡®Red Spirit Jade Marrow¡¯ written on it.


    Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have known to call the red, translucent stone Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Thereafter, the Clan Leader had kept this stone together with the Mysterious Dragon Box, passed down through generations.


    Time later proved that there might be only this one piece of Red Spirit Jade Marrow in the world.


    Because nobody knew about this thing.


    Let alone having seen it.


    So, later on, they were stored separately.


    So, it did not disappear along with the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    Gu Qingfeng held the Jade Pendant in his hand, his mind spinning rapidly.


    Suddenly, Uncle Gu entered, and upon catching Gu Qingfeng¡¯s urgent gaze, said, ¡°It¡¯s said that the Second Young Master took a fancy to a girl, but that girl was originally looking for Zhang Yi. However, Zhang Yi was not in. Instead, she got entangled by the Second Young Master who made a boastful claim. Naively, the girl asked if there was Imperial Green in tens of kilograms, and also if there was any Red Spirit Jade Marrow. Naturally, none of those were available, so the girl left.¡±


    While saying this, Uncle Gu lowered his voice and continued, ¡°That girl is the owner of this nucleus carving you¡¯re wearing, Gu Qiaoqiao. She just came back the day before yesterday.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled.


    He murmured, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, Gu Qiaoqiao¡­ How does she know about Red Spirit Jade Marrow? Could it have been Old Man Qin who told her?¡±


    ¡°The only outsider who knows about Red Spirit Jade Marrow is Old Master Qin,¡± Uncle Gu whispered.


    Gu Qingfeng muttered, ¡°It must have been Old Master Qin who told his great-grandson, and then his great-grandson told his wife. This Old Man Qin, really getting senile.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she found out accidentally,¡± Uncle Gu tried to explain.


    ¡°Forget it, how much longer can I live, let it be known if it¡¯s known,¡± Gu Qingfeng said resignedly.


    ¡°Taking it easy is the right approach. Old Man Qin might have mentioned it unintentionally, or maybe he is trying to make amends with you through this issue. Besides, it doesn¡¯t seem certain that Gu Qiaoqiao knows the item is in your possession,¡± Uncle Gu suggested.


    Gu Qingfeng nodded thoughtfully, then asked, ¡°When can I see that child? I need to thank her ¨C her nucleus carving saved my life.¡±


    Uncle Gu glanced at Gu Qingfeng¡¯s leg, ¡°Your leg still can¡¯t function normally. Shall we prepare a wheelchair?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s brow furrowed as he said to Uncle Gu, ¡°Call Zhang Yi and tell him to come back immediately. Then, call Old Man Qin and say I am going to visit his house¡­¡±


    Uncle Gu nodded, helping Gu Qingfeng to lie down, ¡°Okay, but you have to undergo a check-up soon and then have injections and medication. The earliest we can meet Old Master Qin would be tomorrow.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was someone who had come back from The Ghost Gate. Originally out of oil and flickering flame, he had still been saved by the nucleus carving.


    Although he survived, he was still recorded as a serious patient in the hospital, requiring daily checks and medication.


    Lying there, he talked to himself, ¡°Decades have passed, let bygones be bygones.¡±


    Yes, let it all pass.


    Even if Gu Garden were complete, those who should not return still didn¡¯t.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s behavior, abilities, and resemblance to the Gu Family¡¯s ancestors were almost uncanny, which made him suspicious.

 Chapter 192 - 192 192 Qin Yizes Conjecture

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Qin Yize¡¯s Conjecture Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Qin Yize¡¯s Conjecture But he was not able to move easily, so he couldn¡¯t go directly to the Qin Family, he could only go to look for Old Man Qin.


    Tomorrow, maybe he would see Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize had played until late before they went home.


    They quietly entered the yard, then quietly went into their room.


    Then they closed the door.


    They exchanged a glance, took a look at the bathroom, and Qin Yize went into the room to get a set of pajamas before heading to the living room bathroom.


    While Gu Qiaoqiao went to the small bathroom.


    They had a crazy day.


    But it was also very happy and satisfying.


    It turned out that revenge was such a thrilling thing.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao had showered and came out, she saw that Qin Yize had already bathed, with his hair still half wet, writing something in the study.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the doorway and said softly, ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Qin Yize responded indifferently, his eyebrows furrowed, looking very serious.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t disturb him.


    She quietly went into the bedroom.


    But Qin Yize, with his eyebrows still tightly knit, read through the registered letter he had received that afternoon from start to finish again.


    It was the follow-up from the investigation he had entrusted someone to conduct concerning Sun Chuxia.


    Before she left the Imperial Capital, she had actually met with the Second Lady of Yubao Square.


    These two people had no reason to meet.


    But they had indeed met.


    It was Gu Cheng who had taken her.


    Holding the letter, Qin Yize began to ponder.


    After a while, Qin Yize picked up a pen and started to write down everything he knew.


    Old Patriarch Gu, who owned the Mysterious Dragon Box, Grandma Yu, who wore a photo of Grandpa Gu from his youth, the two fake officers who wanted to stage Gu Tianfeng¡¯s suicide.


    The Second Lady connected to Sun Chuxia and her son from the Old Patriarch Gu¡¯s family.


    The Old Patriarch who owned the Red Spirit Jade Marrow that could open the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    The Second Lady?


    What about his main wife?


    Alive or dead?


    In the Gu Family, it was a secret, and everyone was tight-lipped about it.


    Even Old Grand Master Qin wasn¡¯t clear about the matter of Elder Gu Qingfeng¡¯s main wife, and within Elder Gu Qingfeng¡¯s family, apart from a few close confidants, almost no one knew.


    The secrecy was well-maintained.


    And Gu Cheng was Ning Wanru¡¯s son, there was no doubt about that.


    So, did Elder Gu Qingfeng and the main wife have children?


    If they did, where was this child?


    The fact that this child had not been mentioned by anyone to date might be related to Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng.


    If the child wasn¡¯t from the same father, it¡¯d naturally be preferred that they be eternally forgotten.


    Therefore, all people knew was that the Old Patriarch had a son, and that was Gu Cheng.


    If Elder Gu Qingfeng and the main wife had a son at a normal age and he was born naturally, the child would be about the same age as Grandpa Gu by now.


    Qin Yize suddenly stood up, a dreadful speculation formed in his mind.


    Perhaps, Grandpa Gu was the biological son of Old Patriarch Gu!


    Then, there would be a reason that could explain Gu Tianfeng¡¯s demise.


    Qin Yize walked towards Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedroom but stopped halfway.


    He turned around, left the room, and went to the main study.


    By this time, everyone in the Qin Family had gone to sleep.


    Qin Yize quietly closed the door of the study, picked up the phone, and dialed a confidential number.


    After being transferred through two service desks, the call was connected.


    A man¡¯s voice of surprise came through, ¡°It¡¯s so late, what do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°Do you have information on the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°Yubao Square, Elder Gu Qingfeng?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about his situation.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Several minutes later, Qin Yize solemnly hung up the phone.


    He gently rubbed his forehead.


    Qin Yize hadn¡¯t expected that his son would actually be found.


    Named Gu Kun, he not only had the First Lady¡¯s jade pendant but also a paternity test result from an authoritative foreign institution.


    He was indeed Gu Qingfeng¡¯s son.


    It was just that Gu Qingfeng had become critically ill and fallen into a vegetative state shortly after being recognized, only recently regaining consciousness.


    That¡¯s why the news had not been announced publicly.


    Moreover, it seemed that the old man¡¯s health was probably even worse than Gu Qingfeng¡¯s, so the news was kept secret.


    Apart from the Gu family, no one else really knew.


    And Gu Cheng couldn¡¯t have wished for a better outcome.


    Thus, without intending to keep it secret, the secrecy was remarkably well maintained.


    It truly was a long story.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze was inscrutable.


    According to the available information, there was no relation between Grandpa Gu and the Old Patriarch Gu. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But was Sun Chuxia¡¯s visit to the North Mountain Villa really just a casual visit?


    Hence, the last link lay in Grandma Yu¡¯s photograph.


    Was the other man in the group photo Gu Qingfeng?


    Gu Qiaoqiao had seen the photo, and now the task was to find a photo of Gu Qingfeng from his younger days before proceeding any further.


    Qin Yize returned to his room, approached Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s bedroom door, and softly knocked.


    Soon after, Gu Qiaoqiao, wearing a white nightgown, half-opened the door from inside.


    The little girl was quite impressive today.


    Naturally somewhat excited.


    Therefore, she certainly wouldn¡¯t be sleeping.


    Sure enough, her eyes were bright and sparkling.


    But now that he knew, he would tell her about it first thing.


    After listening to Qin Yize¡¯s calm narration, Gu Qiaoqiao was initially a bit slow to respond.


    She sat on the bed, her mind momentarily stagnant, and then gradually returned to normal.


    The Old Patriarch Gu had a son who had been lost, but now the son had been found.


    It was just that it hadn¡¯t been publicly declared.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought of her grandfather, who indeed did not seem to have the demeanor of a wealthy family in the Imperial Capital.


    He was just a country old man who liked to carry a hoe and work the fields.


    His hobby was carving.


    Yet, that Gu Kun¡¯s son, he was a famous carver in Diannan.


    Then why had Sun Chuxia been in contact with the Second Lady of the Old Patriarch Gu?


    After the contact, she went to Stone Town, and then framed her father, almost causing him to die in the icy river water.


    Were these things related?


    And what about the photo?


    Gu Qiaoqiao murmured, ¡°What if the man in that photo is Gu Qingfeng?¡±


    ¡°If so, there are two possibilities. The first is that the young man in Grandma Yu¡¯s photo merely looks similar to Grandpa Gu.¡±


    After all, similar-looking strangers do exist.


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked urgently, ¡°And the second?¡±


    ¡°The second is that Gu Kun is an impostor,¡± Qin Yize said in a grave voice.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked drily.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning we¡¯ll go to the Great Grandfather¡¯s house. He said there should be a photo of him with Gu Qingfeng, but he doesn¡¯t know where it was placed. We¡¯ll look for it together.¡±


    It was the best approach.


    It was already the early morning hours.


    After telling Gu Qiaoqiao a few words, Qin Yize left.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat surreal.


    Lying in bed, she pondered for a long time but couldn¡¯t come to any conclusions.


    Could she and the Yubao Square be related?


    Was it possible?


    Remembering her experiences in her past life, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face turned cold and somber.


    Maybe she would know everything by tomorrow.


    She tossed and turned until dawn.


    After a hasty breakfast, Qin Yize drove Gu Qiaoqiao towards the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard where Old Man Qin lived.

 Chapter 193 - 193 193 This is Grandpas handwriting

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193 This is Grandpa¡¯s handwriting! Chapter 193: Chapter 193 This is Grandpa¡¯s handwriting! Throughout the journey, both people were very silent. Before getting confirmation, Gu Qiaoqiao did not want to discuss the matter with Qin Yize.


    And Qin Yize was just quietly driving the car.


    The security at the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard let the car and its occupants pass without any difficulty upon seeing them.


    Old Grand Master Qin was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard. Seeing the two enter, he stopped with a cheerful smile and walked toward them.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed her restless thoughts and greeted the old grand master with a smile.


    Old Grand Master Qin was in high spirits and looking well.


    When he saw the two of them, the smile on his face deepened.


    Qin Yize did not tell the old grand master about the possible relation between Gu Qiaoqiao and Old Patriarch Gu, simply mentioning in an offhand manner that he wanted to see if there were any photographs of Gu Qingfeng.


    And Old Grand Master Qin naturally did not know about the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    He was only aware that Gu Qiaoqiao wanted to carve something out of Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    At that moment, Old Master Qin did not ask anything else but directly told the two, ¡°The items are in the attic upstairs, but I don¡¯t know which box they¡¯re in. Go and look for them. Have lunch here; Xiao Yuan heard that Qiaoqiao was coming and went out to buy groceries early in the morning.¡±


    Speaking of which, Old Grand Master Qin paused and said in a grave voice, ¡°Old Patriarch Gu said he¡¯d come in the afternoon, so you can meet him then.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and exchanged a glance with Qin Yize, then smiled and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She then followed Qin Yize into the house.


    On the attic, there lay many cardboard boxes; although the place was spartan, it was very tidy.


    Qin Yize sat down on the floor, then passed a small stool to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Without speaking further, the two of them each started to open a cardboard box and began searching.


    The window of the attic was already open, with a fresh and cool morning breeze blowing in from the outside, bringing a hint of chill to the slightly stuffy attic.


    Besides the sound of shuffling, there was nothing else.


    When they opened the fifth cardboard box, Qin Yize¡¯s hand paused; he took a photo, looked at it, and handed it to Gu Qiaoqiao, saying in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s this one, take a look.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly put down what she was holding and took the photo eagerly.


    It was a black and white photo.


    There were two men in it.


    They appeared to be around fifty years old.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared intently at the two men in the photo. One was wearing a sharp suit; that had to be Old Grand Master Qin.


    The other man was dressed in a Sun Yat-sen suit, with an aged face, deep-set eyes, and so thin he seemed almost to be skin and bones.


    He had a beard that was longer than his chin.


    He looked at least ten years older than Old Grand Master Qin.


    In the bottom corner, there were a few words: Qin Shang and Gu Qingfeng in commemorative photo.


    The date was June 3, 1950.


    He bore no resemblance whatsoever to the young and handsome man Gu Qiaoqiao had seen in the other photo.


    Gu Qiaoqiao examined the photo for a long time, while Qin Yize kept an eye on her expression.


    She put down the photo.


    Shaking her head, she said softly, ¡°There¡¯s no resemblance.¡±


    Qin Yize took the photo back and looked at it. ¡°There¡¯s a big age gap; naturally, appearances change over time.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded noncommittally.


    ¡°When the old patriarch comes this afternoon, you can ask him directly about the Red Spirit Jade Marrow,¡± Qin Yize suggested.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said somewhat apologetically, ¡°Will this not affect the relationship between the great grandfather and the old patriarch?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t. They haven¡¯t been in contact for many years, and this incident with the Red Spirit Jade Marrow has renewed their friendship, which is a good thing. Besides, it was agreed by the great grandfather, so what are you worried about?¡±


    Old Grand Master Qin told Qin Yize there was no need to beat around the bush¡ªhe could just go to Yubao Square and ask for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    He, too, wished to mend his relationship with Gu Qingfeng through this matter.


    At their age, how much longer could they live?


    Thus, the grudges of the past had long been let go by both parties; it was just a matter of not having a pretext.


    The original intention was for Zhang Yi to pass the message to Old Patriarch Gu¡¯s ears. However, it seemed that the seemingly casual conversation between Gu Qiaoqiao and Gu Jiansheng had the same effect.


    Sitting on the stool, Gu Qiaoqiao asked Qin Yize, ¡°Is there only this one photo?¡±


    Qin Yize nodded, ¡°Great Grandfather said there is only this one, and they definitely don¡¯t have a group photo from when they were young, because they met at this age, when they were almost fifty.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hummed softly and was about to speak when she suddenly heard Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s urgent voice from downstairs, ¡°Ah Ze, come out with me quickly, Old Man Gu has had a car accident.¡±


    Qin Yize sprang to his feet.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also startled.


    ¡°You stay here, wait for me to come back,¡± Qin Yize said before hurrying downstairs.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed him down, but the downstairs was empty.


    How could she match the military-like speed of those two?


    Then she heard the sound of a car starting.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the door, only catching a glimpse of the car turning a corner.


    Quietness returned to the place once again. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Yuan hadn¡¯t come back from buying groceries yet.


    She was all alone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows, lost in thought for a while, wondering how a car accident could happen?


    It seemed to prove the saying, ¡°The sky is unpredictable, and so is human fortune.¡±


    She was somewhat worried, as she had heard that the Old Patriarch was over eighty years old.


    A man of good fortune will always have natural protection; he should be fine, Gu Qiaoqiao thought, and then she went back to the attic.


    She began to put away the items she had taken out earlier one by one, and then arranged the boxes again.


    After tidying up, Gu Qiaoqiao descended from the attic.


    After all, this was Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s home, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to stay in the attic.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat in the living room for a while, feeling a bit bored.


    She didn¡¯t want to watch TV either.


    So she got up and began to stroll leisurely around the house.


    Old Grand Master Qin lived simply, and the furnishings in the house were different from those in the Qin Family Old Residence.


    Although rudimentary, the calligraphy on the walls and the displays in Duobao Pavilion were probably very valuable.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked them over one by one.


    To her amusement, she found that Old Grand Master Qin had more than a dozen smoking pipes.


    There were wooden ones, jadeite ones, glass ones¡ªthe variety was quite complete.


    After looking around for a while, Gu Qiaoqiao headed towards the bookcase in the north side of the room.


    The bookcase was in the living room, probably for the convenience of reading.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly walked over; there were many books on history and the military.


    There were also various essays.


    But suddenly, Gu Qiaoqiao paused at the side of the bookcase.


    Amongst the many history books, there was unexpectedly a Complete Gemstone Atlas.


    Curious, Gu Qiaoqiao casually pulled out the book.


    The cover was made of thick leather paper.


    The same six words were written on it.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a casual glance, but upon seeing the handwriting on the cover, she stiffened.


    It was Grandfather¡¯s handwriting!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s breathing quickened; she didn¡¯t even have time to look at the content of the book, as her trembling hands rapidly flipped the pages.


    Right up to the last page.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was average in her studies, but she wrote excellent brush calligraphy.


    It was something Grandfather had forced her to learn since she was little.


    Without rice paper, she would write on newspapers.


    From the first stroke to the last, until Gu Qiaoqiao had fully mastered his brush calligraphy.

 Chapter 194 - 194 194 The Belated Truth (1)

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194: The Belated Truth (1) Chapter 194: Chapter 194: The Belated Truth (1) No matter the past or present life, ten years is such a long time.


    How could Gu Qiaoqiao not recognize her grandfather¡¯s handwriting?


    It was a handwritten manuscript.


    The strokes were still somewhat immature.


    Similar to her own when she was fifteen.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes blurred, her heart thudding as if someone was hammering away at it. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt weak and sat down on the floor.


    Then she took a deep breath, pinched the inside of her thigh, and forced herself to calm down.


    She glanced at the door, which was quiet now.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her head and began to read from the first page.


    The characters were written vertically, making it somewhat difficult to read, but she eagerly devoured every word.


    It was knowledge about gemstones, excerpted by her grandfather from other books.


    It was comprehensive, and it even included diagrams of the gemstones.


    One look at the diagrams and she knew they were drawn by her grandfather.


    For one of them, he had drawn it for her before, teaching her that such a gemstone, if possessed, would bring fortune to the owner.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao reached the end, she suddenly gripped the corner of a page tightly.


    This had nothing to do with gemstones.


    It was a random note written by her grandfather after he had finished.


    ¡°There are countless jade stones in the world, and this may be one of them. Only a jade of spirit can be made into an Organ Box, which cannot be opened by force but requires a secret method to unlock. My lifelong wish is to master the art of the mechanism and open the object my father cherished, seeking its secret is enough, strive and strive.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao narrowed her eyes slightly. Organ Box, the item her father cherished ¡ª could it be the Mysterious Dragon Box in her grandfather¡¯s hands?


    It must be.


    Otherwise, what else could it be?


    And the reason why the name Mysterious Dragon Box wasn¡¯t mentioned here was because it was inconvenient to write about.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned the pages to the back.


    Blank¡­


    Turning one more page, she was at the last one, which read: The cuckoo usurps the nest of another, human hearts are perilous.


    Below it was the signature, Hermit.


    Hermit, Hermit!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face paled, that was her grandfather¡¯s pseudonym.


    It was also the mark he used when carving.


    This book was written by her grandfather.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, leaning on the bookcase.


    She let out a long breath.


    And held the book tightly to her chest.


    In this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was stone-cold and her heart was in turmoil.


    But then her phone rang, snapping Gu Qiaoqiao back to reality, and she hurried to the coffee table to answer it.


    It was Qin Yize¡¯s voice, clear and melodious as a mountain spring splashing on rocks, ¡°I will be with the Great Grandfather at the hospital at noon. You and Xiao Yuan go ahead and eat lunch. I¡¯ll be back in the afternoon.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused for a moment, then spoke up in a hoarse voice, ¡°How is Old Patriarch Gu doing?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, just suffered some minor injuries. It¡¯s just that the son he just acknowledged has died, from a cerebral hemorrhage¡­¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back in the afternoon,¡± Qin Yize said, trying to comfort her gently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked in an unusually calm voice, ¡°Is Great Grandfather there with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    Soon, Old Grand Master Qin¡¯s robust voice came through, ¡°Qiaoqiao, what do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Great Grandfather, I just found a gemstone catalogue on your bookshelf. Where did you buy it?¡±


    Old Lady Qin obviously paused, then slapped her forehead, ¡°You mean that handwritten copy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Great Grandfather,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice was gentle and yet serene.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t bought; it was given to me by Gu Qingfeng. Once, when I wanted to learn how to appraise gemstones, he found that book for me. He said it was copied by his son Gu Kun when he was in his teens. It¡¯s very comprehensive. Later, when we fell out, the book just stayed with me.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand held the phone receiver tightly, but her voice remained calm, ¡°Great Grandfather, may I take a look at it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Qiaoqiao, you can pick whichever book you like, no need to be polite with your great grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, Great Grandfather, then you go ahead with your business.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, just stay at home; we will be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao agreed.


    After the line was disconnected, she also mechanically placed the receiver down.


    Looking at the book in her hands, her eyes reddened, wanting to cry but with not a single tear coming out; her eyes dry and sore.


    She blinked her eyes.


    Without even looking at the photos, linking one thing to another, she was certain¡ªher Grandfather was Gu Kun.


    He was the son of Gu Qingfeng!


    The Gu Kun who had just passed away was an impostor.


    And Grandfather had changed his name to Gu Dashan because in his childhood his nickname was ¡°Mountain Hermit.¡±


    Mountain Hermit.


    Add a horizontal stroke to the character for ¡°person¡± and it becomes the character for ¡°big¡±; there was a reason behind calling him Gu Dashan.


    Gu Qingfeng also had a Second Lady.


    The Second Lady now lived in the North Mountain Villa with a son named Gu Cheng, ten years younger than Grandfather.


    Sun Chuxia had seen the Second Lady before leaving the Imperial Capital!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression hardened; without hesitation, she took her shoulder bag and gingerly placed the book inside.


    She glanced at a rectangular box, similar to a lighter, inside her bag.


    It was something Qin Yize had picked up last night on the way home, from an inconspicuous and dark little shop.


    In fact, it was a miniature shooting weapon for self-defense with a switch.


    It contained ten bullets made from ground stones.


    Its range was a hundred meters.


    But it was disguised as a lighter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pressed the lighter, then strode towards the door.


    But at the entrance, she ran into Xiao Yuan who had just returned from buying groceries.


    Gu Qiaoqiao told her that Old Patriarch and Qin Yize were both at the hospital, she had something urgent and needed to leave first.


    Xiao Yuan was extremely disappointed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao apologized, assuring her that she would surely come back after a few days when things had settled down.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao hurried away.


    When she reached the main road, she hailed a taxi and headed towards the North Mountain Villa District.


    The distance from here to the North Mountain Villa wasn¡¯t far, and Gu Qiaoqiao was unusually calm today.


    In the past, she was muddle-headed because she knew nothing.


    When something happened, she would guess wildly.


    But now, she had a direction.


    However, she still had one last question that wasn¡¯t yet confirmed; Gu Qiaoqiao did not indulge in wild conjectures any longer. She needed to stay clear-headed to deal with whatever came next.


    The car stopped at the entrance to the North Mountain Villa District.


    Vehicles from outside were not allowed in.


    The security guard at the gate stopped them directly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car with confidence, put on her sunglasses, and smiled sweetly at the guard. As he got distracted, she walked past him as if no one else was there.


    The area here was actually quite spacious.


    It was a newly built affluent area in recent years.


    It featured convenient transportation and beautiful scenery.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows as she looked into the distance, noticing that there were quite a number of people coming and going.


    She walked a bit further, until she saw an old lady selling ice cream from a cart. Gu Qiaoqiao approached, bought an ice cream, and after paying, she asked the old lady with a beaming smile, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I want to ask you about someone.¡±

 Chapter 195 - 195 195 The Late Truth (2)

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195 The Late Truth (2) Chapter 195: Chapter 195 The Late Truth (2) Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s smile was extraordinarily affable, and Grandma Qin clearly had a good impression of her, chuckling as she asked, ¡°Who do you want to inquire about? I¡¯m familiar with almost every household here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the Second Lady of Yubao Square¡¯s Old Patriarch,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said casually.


    Grandma Qin sized up Gu Qiaoqiao and pursed her lips, ¡°Is it that Ning Wanru¡¯s family, the old demoness?¡±


    An old demoness?


    Clearly, Grandma Qin didn¡¯t have a very good impression of Ning Wanru.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°Exactly, exactly.¡±


    ¡°What do you want with her?¡±


    ¡°I work at Yubao Square, and her grandson wants to fire me. I thought about speaking to his grandma to plead my case, as you know, it¡¯s not easy to find jobs these days. I¡¯ve got to try, if nothing else works, then it can¡¯t be helped,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao explained.


    Upon hearing this, Grandma Qin quickly pointed out the direction to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°It¡¯s by the side of that lake, in the most beautiful house over there.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded her thanks and hurried towards the lakeside.


    Grandma Qin continued pushing her cart forward.


    Soon, Gu Qiaoqiao was standing on the opposite shore of the lake.


    On the other side of the shore was a dazzlingly opulent villa.


    It was almost like something out of a movie.


    Perhaps it was all fate.


    A woman emerged from the villa, fanning herself, with someone holding a floral umbrella next to her. She leisurely made her way to the lakeshore and sat down under a pavilion.


    A breeze passed by.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes widened painfully as she stared intensely at the woman. After a while, the woman turned her head.


    Gu Qiaoqiao covered her mouth.


    She quickly hid behind a tree, then crouched down, biting her lips tightly.


    She had seen this person before.


    The woman who was walking with Gu Jiansheng that day. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She looked very young for an old lady.


    An idea flashed through Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind, and she suddenly remembered what that woman had said upon seeing her that day¡­


    Lady Yu!


    Yes, she¡¯d blurted out ¡°Lady Yu.¡±


    Lady Yu?


    Who could that be?


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered deeply. She bore a striking resemblance to the woman in the photos with Grandma Yu, and Ning Wanru had called her Lady Yu.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t need to compare the photo anymore to confirm that the woman in the photo was indeed her Great Grandma Lady Yu, and the man must be a young Gu Qingfeng.


    And naturally, the boy was her own grandfather.


    Later, the span between her grandfather¡¯s wedding photo and this photo was not large, about three years, so Gu Qiaoqiao recognized her grandfather at a glance.


    As for not recognizing Gu Qingfeng, it was due to the great age difference; one was merely in his thirties, while the other was already well into his seventies.


    Even holding the photo, one might not have noticed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao peeked out from behind the tree, while Ning Wanru was still enjoying the sunny, leisurely life of a lady of leisure.


    Gu Qiaoqiao once again cast a stern glance in that direction and quietly left.


    She then took a taxi to Gu Garden.


    The gates were tightly closed, not a sound to be heard.


    Indeed, what noise could there be?


    Everyone was at the hospital.


    The fake Gu Kun had died, and that other Gu Qingfeng had been in a car accident.


    Obviously, no one would be here.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gazed at the gate; this was the place where her grandfather was born and raised.


    As she looked, her eyes moistened.


    When Grandpa left home, he must have been quite young, right? Why did he leave home?


    What about Great Grandma?


    Was it Grandma Yu, or perhaps Grandma Yu was Great Grandma¡¯s friend or maid?


    And Gu Qingfeng?


    The son had left home, and yet he hadn¡¯t gone to find him, letting him die in a foreign land.


    Second Lady, Gu Cheng!


    Gu Qingfeng must be the most heartless man in the world who indulges his concubine and destroys his wife, forgetting all favors and betraying loyalty.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep look towards Gu Garden, then boarded the taxi again and headed to Yubao Square.


    The quaint and elegant Yubao Square, now radiating splendid and noble brilliance, stood at the most conspicuous part of Antique Street.


    By then, the sun had already set.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had visited three places, circling around a large part of Imperial Capital City.


    She hadn¡¯t eaten all day.


    Hiding beneath an advertisement board next to a large tree, she stared fixedly at the entrance of Yubao Square.


    Eventually, the sky turned completely dark.


    The neon lights flickered on one after another.


    Drops and drips, like stars falling to the Mortal World.


    In the ocean of light, the bustle and noise of the Imperial Capital were reflected.


    The Imperial Capital at night was even more beautiful than during the day.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched Gu Jiansheng leave the building, saw his spirited demeanor, saw him get into an expensive car, watched as he drove away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao still stared intently at that entrance.


    She watched the employees lock up, watched them ride bicycles home from work.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was covered in tears, her eyes filled with hatred, her heart brimming with sorrow!


    In the night, Yubao Square looked like a Demon with a gaping mouth, swallowing her family members from her previous life, one by one.


    By this moment today, Gu Qiaoqiao understood everything.


    Bai Yun and Choo Lan didn¡¯t have the capability or motive to cause the extinction of her family.


    Only Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng did.


    In her previous life, this mother and son teamed up first to place an order for human traffickers to sell her off, then called her father to set off to find her at night, only to blow up his car halfway.


    Just like the jeep blown up in this lifetime.


    Then they tricked her brother to Imperial Capital, deceiving him that she was sold by the Qin Family, leading her impulsive naive brother to believe it and subsequently wound Qin Xiaoyu with a knife.


    With these successive shocks, how could their mother remain unaffected? Perhaps her severe illness was also their doing.


    And her sister¡¯s borrowing of five thousand yuan from Kang Shan, she finally understood the situation.


    Eventually, Grandma Qin passed away, Xiao Yu was hospitalized, and the Old Grand Master of the Qin Family fell ill and never recovered.


    By then, she and the Qin Family had become sworn enemies.


    Nobody else was there to help her anymore.


    She and her brother lived barely clinging to life.


    But in the end, they still did not let them go.


    Her brother¡¯s death must have been their doing.


    And after losing all her relatives, how could she possibly continue to live?


    Thus, she jumped off the cliff.


    She died, and Gu Kun¡¯s descendants were no more.


    Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng had the thorns in their eyes removed, all without a drop of blood on their hands!


    Why were they so vicious, so cruel?


    Those five members of the Gu Family were so innocent.


    Living quietly in the countryside, they were almost aloof from the world and didn¡¯t even know whose descendants they were.


    The grandfather, he never spoke of it.


    Perhaps the grandfather had his secrets, so they never knew, not even imagining it.


    They knew nothing.


    Yet, they didn¡¯t spare them.


    The unsuspecting Members of the Gu Family died one after another.


    The Gu Family of her previous life died so unjustly.


    To think that they died at the hands of the Imperial Capital City Members of the Gu Family.


    Then, did Gu Qingfeng know?


    Was he also one of the accomplices!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was somber, even if he wasn¡¯t an accomplice, a man who favored the Second Lady and drove away his own son was no good either.

 Chapter 196 - 196 196 Ridiculous Ive Hated You for Two

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Ridiculous, I¡¯ve Hated You for Two Lifetimes! Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Ridiculous, I¡¯ve Hated You for Two Lifetimes! Regarding this great grandfather she had never met, Gu Qiaoqiao also harbored hatred.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned her stiff body when she suddenly heard a man shouting loudly, ¡°Sister-in-law, sister-in-law over there!¡±


    It was Chu Chengfeng¡¯s voice.


    Right after the words fell, a tall and upright figure strode over from an angle.


    His picturesque features were filled with violent anger, and he approached Gu Qiaoqiao within a few steps, seemingly about to scold her, but when he saw Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s complexion, his thin lips tightly pursed.


    Behind him was Chu Chengfeng, shouting loudly, ¡°Sister-in-law, you scared Ah Ze to death, everyone is looking for you now¡­¡±


    It was already past nine o¡¯clock at night.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face was pale, her normally rosy lips now colorless and seemingly chapped.


    Qin Yize turned to the Chu Chengfeng behind him and said, ¡°Tell the brothers to stop searching, I¡¯ll treat everyone to a meal another day.¡±


    ¡°Ah Ze, you being this polite, we will feel unhappy,¡± Chu Chengfeng pushed Qin Yize and winked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law must have lost her way, let¡¯s hurry and bring sister-in-law home.¡±


    Nowadays, Gu Qiaoqiao was not only seen as Qin Yize¡¯s wife in their eyes, but she was also a legend in the shooting circle.


    However, Qin Yize, not waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak, although his features remained grim, seemed much milder. He took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand and headed towards the other side of the road.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave Chu Chengfeng an apologetic smile, and Chu Chengfeng smiled back, waving his hand nonchalantly.


    Her cool hand held in his warm one, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if she gained a bit of strength.


    Soon they reached Qin Yize¡¯s jeep, and Gu Qiaoqiao stopped.


    She slowly looked up at Qin Yize under the dim yellow streetlight, his tall and straight body like a pine tree, exuding a clear and flowing presence like the breeze of March. Despite the gloom outside, he seemed like a bright moonlight in this boundless night.


    At this moment, his picturesque features were filled with unmistakable concern.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart throbbed, and she began with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Really sorry.


    Qin Yize, I¡¯m sorry!


    In past and present lives, I not only hated the wrong person but also implicated you all.


    If it weren¡¯t for me marrying into the Qin family, Grandma Qin, who was in good health, wouldn¡¯t have left the world so soon, and the old man wouldn¡¯t have fallen ill.


    Xiao Yu wouldn¡¯t have been unable to even attend university, turning timid and weak.


    It was my fault, I implicated all of you.


    Ridiculously, I even hated you for two lifetimes!


    I¡¯m sorry, Qin Yize, really sorry!


    Rest assured.


    Last life¡¯s feud between the Qin family and Gu family, she would seek vengeance!


    Isn¡¯t it about winning without fighting?


    She can do it too!


    Isn¡¯t everyone coveting the Gu family¡¯s enormous fortune?


    Then, let them lose everything. She will make them taste all the pain she endured in her last life.


    She will not let anyone off!


    Also, this life¡¯s vengeance for her father, if it weren¡¯t for her blessed fate from Heaven, having received the ability to save her life through Spiritual Energy, even if she had been reborn, it would not change her father¡¯s wrongful death.


    Her father died, her mother would certainly be hugely impacted, half of the Gu family would collapse.


    Their first step also succeeded.


    The most tragic part is, they didn¡¯t even know why they encountered this sudden disaster.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes filled with tears, yet she forcefully held them back.


    From now on, she had no right to shed tears!


    Qin Yize stared at the somewhat disheveled young girl in front of him, who seemed to have wandered around much of the Imperial Capital that day.


    He glanced enigmatically back towards the direction of Yubao Square without speaking, then opened the car door, shoved Gu Qiaoqiao inside, also got into the car, turned the steering wheel, and drove towards the Qin family¡¯s direction.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat in the car, turning her head again to look in the direction of Yubao Square under the night sky, gradually becoming more distant.


    Until it was no longer visible.


    Her expression was extremely weary.


    Like a tightly drawn bow.


    After all, the events of the day had been too shocking for her.


    She hadn¡¯t even had a bite to eat or a sip of water.


    Her head also ached, and she tiredly closed her eyes.


    Qin Yize had originally wanted to chat with Gu Qiaoqiao, to ask what was wrong.


    But seeing her like this, he closed his mouth. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the driving jeep, Qin Yize¡¯s dark deep eyes occasionally flashed past a neon light, making the night appear even more blurred.


    Even the longest roads eventually come to an end.


    Qin Yize slowly stopped the car and turned to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, who had her head tilted.


    Her eyes were half-open, her curled eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings, seemingly vibrating into one¡¯s soul.


    Making the heart itch.


    At that moment, Qin Yize could not bear to look away, nor did he dare to speak¡­


    Feeling Qin Yize¡¯s gaze, Gu Qiaoqiao slowly opened her eyes.


    The redness in her somewhat swollen eyes passed a trace of bewilderment.


    She looked vulnerable at that moment.


    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± her voice was low, hoarse from not speaking for a long time.


    Qin Yize¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he paused briefly before softly saying, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao instantly became alert and responsive, her gaze suddenly sharpened, then quickly hid it away.


    After a while, she spoke to the silent Qin Yize, ¡°Your guess was right.¡±


    Qin Yize, seemingly unsurprised, tightened his grip on the steering wheel and asked hoarsely, ¡°Is there something in that book?¡±


    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s Grandfather¡¯s handwriting, I recognize it, and there¡¯s his note at the back¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao handed the book to Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize looked at it, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and handed it back to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Are you planning to go directly to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head.


    ¡°Get out of the car, we can talk about this later,¡± Qin Yize spoke softly.


    Without hesitating further, Gu Qiaoqiao opened the car door efficiently, and Qin Yize also got out of the car after her.


    At that time, the Qin Family home was still brightly lit, clearly, everyone was waiting for her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had left the military compound that morning and it had been almost ten hours since then.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed Qin Yize into the living room.


    Grandma Qin was the first to come over, grasping Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, and a heart that had been lodged in her throat finally settled.


    ¡°Did you get lost, or did you get on the wrong car?¡± Then glaring at Qin Yize, ¡°This was only Qiaoqiao¡¯s second time going to that part of the military compound, and you let her stay there alone. We were lucky to find her, otherwise¡­¡±


    Grandma Qin didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but she shuddered at the thought.


    The Imperial Capital was vast, filled with all sorts of people, she dared not contemplate the consequences.


    Qin Yize did not argue, remaining silent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly caught Grandma Qin¡¯s arm and said hoarsely, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry, no one is to blame, I got on the wrong car myself, and then got anxious, which made me wander further and further away.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, as long as you¡¯re back, that¡¯s good. Come, let¡¯s go eat, you must be starving.¡±


    With that, Grandma Qin pulled Gu Qiaoqiao towards the dining room.

 Chapter 197 - 197 197 Gu Qingfeng Must Survive

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Gu Qingfeng Must Survive Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Gu Qingfeng Must Survive At this time, Shen Manru saw that Gu Qiaoqiao had come back and quickly went to the kitchen.


    Qin Xiaoyu flew out of her room, chattering excitedly, ¡°Sister-in-law, did you get lost?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, her voice soft, ¡°Mm, Xiao Yu, I did get lost.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised; it seemed that this was the first time her sister-in-law had spoken to her so tenderly in a while.


    And she had even called her Xiao Yu so gently.


    She giggled, squinting her eyes, ¡°Wait until I¡¯m on summer break, I¡¯ll take you out and show you how not to get lost.¡±


    ¡°Mm, then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, Xiao Yu.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice carried an almost imperceptible guilt.


    Qin Yize sat at the dining table, his gaze calm as he observed Gu Qiaoqiao.


    This little girl had changed again.


    She seemed like a sword waiting to be unsheathed, radiating a glow no one could understand.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Shen Manru and Grandma Qin brought out the food, and Gu Qiaoqiao, indeed hungry, began to eat.


    Qin Xuan asked a few questions and, seeing that nothing was wrong, followed Shen Manru back to their room.


    After all, it was already past ten at night.


    Grandma Qin and Qin Xiaoyu also went to rest.


    In the dining room, only Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize remained, quietly eating their meal.


    In her heart, Gu Qiaoqiao thought that after dinner, she would have a good talk with Qin Yize. With Qin Yize¡¯s intelligence, he might have a better way to deal with those two vipers.


    In any case, she wasn¡¯t going to let them off.


    But unexpectedly, at that moment, there was a sudden knock at the door. Qin Yize was taken aback, then put down his chopsticks and quickly walked towards the front door.


    Who could it be at this late hour?


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked outside too, only to find that in the blink of an eye, Qin Yize had strode back in.


    Then he quickly went to their room and when he came out, he was already changed into a new upper garment.


    Qin Yize had a solemn expression as Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly stood up, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s an urgent mission. We¡¯ll talk about your matter when I return. Please don¡¯t do anything rash.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded without hesitation; she couldn¡¯t let him leave with worries.


    Qin Yize still felt unease, and continued, ¡°¡­If there¡¯s really a problem, you can go find Chu Chengfeng.¡±


    ¡°Mm, don¡¯t worry, I know.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao agreed readily. She wanted to say some words of caution, but felt it might be inappropriate.


    It was just like any other mission.


    In less than a minute, Qin Yize gave Gu Qiaoqiao a deep look and decisively turned to leave.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed but only caught sight of the car¡¯s taillights before they disappeared.


    Their speed was something she couldn¡¯t match.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had no appetite left. She locked the door, cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, and returned to her room.


    After taking a bath, Gu Qiaoqiao lay on the soft bed with no hint of sleepiness.


    Today marked the most important turning point in her past and present lives.


    She had learned the truth about her family¡¯s murder.


    And that truth filled her with bone-deep hatred.


    There was no joy in discovering that she was a descendant of the Imperial Treasure Chest.


    There was only the destructive hatred.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression was cold, but her heart still couldn¡¯t settle.


    Owing to the intervention of the police and the military, Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng had no choice but to temporarily back off.


    But given their ruthlessness, how could they possibly let her family off the hook? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What about the relatives in Stone Town?


    Should she tell her father that he is the legitimate grandson of the Old Patriarch of the Imperial Capital¡¯s Imperial Treasure Chest?


    But this matter hadn¡¯t been fully confirmed yet, and Gu Qingfeng was still in the hospital.


    Whether he recognized them couldn¡¯t be ascertained.


    After all, until the day she died in her previous life, she had received no news of Gu Qingfeng.


    Perhaps, he has never even known of their existence.


    Perhaps, he had tacitly consented to all of this.


    The human heart is unfathomable!


    He could not have met with an accident.


    If Gu Qingfeng died, their family would never have the chance to reveal the truth and clear up everything.


    Therefore, first and foremost, Gu Qingfeng had to stay alive.


    Not just alive, but he needed to live well and healthily.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly sat up from bed, her feet bare as she went to the small study.


    Her carving knife was something she took with her wherever she went.


    So, she found an olive pit and began carving.


    She had given all she had previously carved to Qin Xuan, Shen Manru, and Qin Xiaoyu.


    Only one remained, but she also needed to give that away.


    Therefore, she had to carve another one.


    Her speed now was about the same as when she first started carving.


    By the time daylight had broken, a peace Buddha pendant was completed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tied the peace Buddha with a string and placed it in a small square paper box, then she checked the time¡ªit was already four o¡¯clock in the morning.


    She still felt no desire to sleep.


    However, looking at the girl in the mirror, she discovered a slight change.


    It seemed as if there was a hint of malevolent energy between her brows, but as her gaze shifted, it appeared to be accompanied by a sense of composure and tranquility.


    Those who had faced death tended to regard life and death with equanimity.


    She was not afraid, but she had to find a way to protect her family.


    Therefore, the time had come for her to take action.


    The first stop would be the hospital where Gu Qingfeng was.


    Gu Qiaoqiao carefully went over these things again in her mind before she headed to the kitchen.


    The Qin Family¡¯s breakfast that morning was exceptionally rich, with freshly prepared soup dumplings, milk-flavored small steamed buns, chive pancakes, and thick millet porridge.


    There were four kinds of cold dishes.


    To the uninformed, it might seem as though Gu Qiaoqiao had gone to several breakfast shops.


    But all of it was made by Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Delicious and delectable¡ªit was worlds apart from what any breakfast shop could offer.


    Gu Qiaoqiao prepared this breakfast with a sense of compensation.


    Qin Xiaoyu ate until she burped contentedly.


    She pulled at Gu Qiaoqiao, acting coquettishly, yet not forgetting to express her gratitude, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve worked hard, the breakfast you made is so delicious¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, reached out and gently patted Xiao Yu¡¯s head, speaking softly, ¡°If you like it, I can make it for you every day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, really.¡±


    Qin Xiaoyu happily hugged Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    After saying that, she let go of Gu Qiaoqiao and skipped off to school, cheerful as can be.


    Grandma Qin looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t spoil that little girl too much, making breakfast every day is too tiring, Grandma can¡¯t let you do it all alone.¡±


    Shen Manru showed no displeasure at Grandma Qin¡¯s words because when she first married into the family, it had always been Grandma Qin who prepared three meals a day.


    She only needed to wash the dishes, not worrying about anything else.


    It was only in the past few years when Grandma Qin¡¯s legs had developed rheumatism that she took over the cooking duties in the kitchen.


    Compared to Gu Qiaoqiao, she was far from equal.


    She also said with a smile, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you don¡¯t need to get up to make breakfast in the morning, you should sleep more if you can. Young people should cherish their sleep. Don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just making some food, I¡¯m really not tired,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao also emphasized with a cheery laugh.

 Chapter 198 - 198 198 The Old Patriarch Gu Indeed Has Good

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198 The Old Patriarch Gu Indeed Has Good Fortune Chapter 198: Chapter 198 The Old Patriarch Gu Indeed Has Good Fortune Grandma Qin looked at her family at the dining table with satisfaction, thinking that once Ah Ze returned, it would be even more perfect.


    Qin Xuan was also very pleased as he went to work with his wife.


    Qiaoqiao accompanied Grandma Qin for a stroll and then told her that she¡¯d go to buy some carving materials, so she wouldn¡¯t come back for lunch but would return in the afternoon.


    Grandma Qin, concerned, gave her several reminders before Qiaoqiao left.


    She boarded a public bus.


    Inside her shoulder bag was Old Mr. Luo¡¯s business card.


    Once she heard from Luo Fan that they were old acquaintances with Yubao Square.


    After transferring buses, Qiaoqiao arrived in front of a towering skyscraper.


    She couldn¡¯t necessarily see Gu Qingfeng directly, but she could use someone else¡¯s connection to try.


    It was possible through Old Grand Master Qin, but she couldn¡¯t quite explain to him yet about gifting the peace Buddha pendant to Gu Qingfeng.


    So, Elder Luo was the best candidate.


    Because he understood the value of her carved pieces the best.


    With Elder Luo¡¯s personal business card, Qiaoqiao had a smooth time meeting with Luo Zhenyu.


    The old man, seeing Qiaoqiao, hurriedly greeted her with joy and brought her pastries, candies, and orange juice as if she were a child.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, I heard you came back, and I was thinking, you little girl, have you forgotten about me already, or should I wait to visit you instead?¡±


    Luo Zhenyu chastised Qiaoqiao gently.


    Qiaoqiao felt somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Grandpa Luo, I¡¯m really sorry. Next time I return, I¡¯ll definitely visit you first.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Luo Zhenyu laughed, ¡°Little girl, you must have a reason for coming this time, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa Luo, I need your help today.¡±


    As she spoke, Qiaoqiao explained her request, ¡°Grandpa Luo, I want to ask you to accompany me to the hospital. The Old Patriarch of Yubao Square has a gemstone that I need, and he was in a car accident yesterday. I want to seize this opportunity to give him a peace Buddha pendant and improve our relationship.¡±


    While speaking, Qiaoqiao opened her shoulder bag and handed another peace Buddha pendant to Elder Luo, saying, ¡°This was carved a few months ago; I intended to give it to you once I returned to the capital. I believe you understand the secret within without my explanation, Grandpa Luo.¡±


    Luo Zhenyu was taken aback; he truly didn¡¯t expect that Qiaoqiao had prepared one for him as well.


    He knew the value of the peace Buddha pendant so understood it should come by fate.


    It didn¡¯t matter to him that Luo Fan had one, and he didn¡¯t.


    Because he had already accepted Qiaoqiao¡¯s favor.


    He shouldn¡¯t get greedy anyway.


    Yet, to his surprise, the little girl had already prepared one for him as well.


    Luo Zhenyu was moved.


    But he didn¡¯t decline it.


    Qiaoqiao was treating him like family.


    So he couldn¡¯t wait to put on the peace Buddha pendant.


    In the scorching summer, a cool sensation suddenly enveloped him.


    This gave Luo Zhenyu a sudden lift in spirit.


    Without asking any unnecessary questions, he directly had his driver take him and Qiaoqiao to the hospital.


    On the way there, he sighed, ¡°Old Patriarch Gu has had a spell of bad luck lately, never leaving the hospital, with two brushes with death and one car accident. Ah, with old age, we can¡¯t be sure if he can pull through this time.¡±


    ¡°He definitely can,¡± Qiaoqiao patted the box and smiled at Luo Zhenyu, ¡°Please believe me, Grandpa Luo.¡±


    Luo Zhenyu nodded his head too, ¡°Old Patriarch has good fortune, last time he woke up from a vegetative state, it was your nucleus carving that saved his life.¡±


    ¡°Nucleus carving?¡± Qiaoqiao was taken aback for a moment, ¡°Which nucleus carving?¡±


    ¡°The one you carved¡ª¡¯A light boat has crossed ten thousand heavy mountains.¡¯ It was bought by Luo Fan, then I gave it to him. He should still be wearing it now.¡±


    Qiaoqiao hummed softly, her expression calm, but her heart was rolling with emotions that no one else could know.


    Old Patriarch Gu indeed had good fortune.


    His descendants saved him by a twist of fate, yet he indirectly caused the demise of his entire family. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Don¡¯t speak of any so-called difficulties; if he truly cared for his descendants, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed the Second Lady and Gu Cheng to harm his entire family.


    In truth, at the heart of the matter, it was because Gu Qingfeng trusted the Second Lady and Gu Cheng too much, or perhaps he held not even the slightest suspicion, most importantly, he must have indulgently permitted them on purpose or otherwise.


    And so, there was the unrestrained audacity in both the past and present lives.


    If one could choose their life, Qiaoqiao would rather her great grandfather be a beggar than the Patriarch of Yubao Square.


    She had no desire for such things.


    She thought, actually from her past life¡¯s perspective, with her father¡¯s aloof character, if he knew his own father might have been kicked out of the house, he might not even acknowledge Gu Qingfeng.


    And Gu Tianfeng wouldn¡¯t feel a trace of envy for the Gu family¡¯s vast wealth.


    This, she could guarantee.


    But those people measured her father¡¯s noble character with their filthy hearts.


    They caused his tragic death, his body not even found intact.


    Not a single person in his family survived.


    This deep-seated hatred couldn¡¯t be settled by just making them lose everything.


    Qiaoqiao concealed the malevolent energy in her eyes and smiled at Luo Zhenyu, ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence, but this is even better.¡±


    After the peace Buddha pendant saved her father¡¯s life, its spiritual energy had diminished a lot, but it had formed a deep connection with her father, so it couldn¡¯t be easily discarded.


    Qiaoqiao then re-carved a few characters, making the peace Buddha pendant once again filled with fortune and spiritual energy.


    Luo Zhenyu touched the area over his heart and nodded at Qiaoqiao earnestly.


    Soon, they arrived at the hospital.


    Qiaoqiao followed behind Old Mr. Luo toward the VIP ward upstairs.


    Although she had braced herself psychologically, her heart still raced with unease.


    Hopefully, he would be alright.


    She had also prepared herself that perhaps Ning Wanru or Gu Cheng might be there; she had already thought of how to confront them.


    Sometimes, taking the initiative was much better than passively taking hits.


    Yet, she didn¡¯t expect to be stopped at the entrance of the corridor.


    They were Uncle Gu¡¯s subordinates.


    Uncle Gu had given a strict order, forbidding anyone from entering.


    He had to enforce it.


    Luo Zhenyu didn¡¯t know what had happened but sensed something was off.


    However, since they couldn¡¯t get in, there was no point in making it hard for the security guards.


    But he likewise didn¡¯t feel safe handing the peace Buddha pendant to the security guard.


    Qiaoqiao felt the same.


    Just then, the phone at the security guard¡¯s desk at the entrance rang.


    It was Uncle Gu, checking in on his post.


    Luo Zhenyu spoke with Uncle Gu.


    Two minutes later, Luo Zhenyu handed the box to another security guard who had hurried over.


    Qiaoqiao was somewhat disappointed.


    But there was nothing she could do.


    With Gu Qingfeng in a coma, Uncle Gu naturally wouldn¡¯t leave his side.


    However, according to Uncle Gu, he would wake up soon since he¡¯d only suffered minor injuries this time.


    As for the coma, it was the old Patriarch, who had been arrogant and domineering all his life, being angered by a series of setbacks.

 Chapter 199 - 199 199 Returning to Yubao Square

    ?Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Returning to Yubao Square Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Returning to Yubao Square Gu Qiaoqiao turned to take another look at the direction of the ward. She would be coming back soon.


    Gu Qiaoqiao followed Old Mr. Luo and left.


    Meanwhile, Uncle Gu opened the paper box and saw a peace Buddha pendant inside that seemed to faintly radiate a luminescence.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and took off the nucleus carving, replacing it with the new pendant.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, huh?


    Why did that little girl carve an amulet for the Old Patriarch?


    Could it be for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow in the Old Patriarch¡¯s possession?


    What does she want the Red Spirit Jade Marrow for?


    Uncle Gu¡¯s brow furrowed, and a sense of defeat rose in his heart.


    Indeed, times had truly changed.


    He and the Old Patriarch had actually been hit by a big truck in broad daylight.


    Fortunately, they only sustained minor injuries.


    And the truck driver, who was driving while fatigued, not only didn¡¯t flee but also helped them carry the Old Master into the ambulance.


    And he even said he¡¯d accept his punishment willingly.


    Not to mention Uncle Gu, even Qin Yize didn¡¯t notice anything amiss about him.


    But, wasn¡¯t this too coincidental?


    And in the recent few months, there had been far too many such coincidences.


    So many that Uncle Gu felt somewhat scared.


    If it really was Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng behind this, they were too terrifying.


    When had they grown to the point of killing people so imperceptibly?


    Uncle Gu looked at the Old Patriarch¡¯s emaciated cheeks, not knowing how the Old Patriarch would face this unbearable truth upon waking.


    But, face it he must, and he also needed to find out for sure whether it was them or not.


    There was also Gu Kun¡¯s death to consider.


    Uncle Gu felt like he¡¯d aged a decade in an instant.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was standing in front of the doors to Yubao Square again.


    In her shoulder bag was another item.


    It was the Gold Jade Stone Carving.


    She had specially treated this Gold Jade Stone earlier in the morning.


    She knew people with dark intentions carried an aura of black energy, so this stone would reflect that black energy back at them.


    Moreover, it would reflect it back with interest.


    Since heaven had gifted her such a defy-the-heavens ability, all she had to do was use it openly and justly.


    She wouldn¡¯t harm anyone.


    However, the Gold Jade Stone could act as her proxy to punish the villains for the time being.


    A cold smile flickered across Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, then she concealed it well and walked into Yubao Square¡¯s doors with a composed manner.


    She saw Gu Jiansheng¡¯s car at the entrance.


    So, when she saw Gu Jiansheng approaching with a radiant smile, her heart felt no surprise at all.


    However, Gu Jiansheng was very surprised.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to see Gu Qiaoqiao again. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then he felt somewhat sheepish, as he hadn¡¯t been able to find either of the two items Gu Qiaoqiao had mentioned.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped in front of him, gazing intently, and realized that he indeed bore a striking resemblance to Ning Wanru.


    Suppressing the disgust in her eyes, Gu Qiaoqiao offered a faint smile, ¡°Third Shopkeeper, has your Second Shopkeeper come back yet?¡±


    Gu Jiansheng shook his head with a smile, speaking gently, ¡°He hasn¡¯t come back. What exactly do you need him for? Am I unable to receive you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Gu Jiansheng, appearing hesitant and even furrowing her brow.


    Seeing an opportunity, Gu Jiansheng quickly said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Shall we go to the reception room to talk?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked around, speaking with a hint of difficulty, ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s wait for Zhang Yi to come back to discuss it. You might not have the decision-making authority for this matter.¡±


    ¡°What can I not decide on? I am the Third Shopkeeper here; I have the authority,¡± Gu Jiansheng said with a flush creeping into his cheeks.


    Feeling belittled by Gu Qiaoqiao, he took it as a blow to his pride.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to sell a piece that I¡¯ve carved myself,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao finally spoke up.


    Gu Jiansheng was truly taken aback this time.


    He was unaware of the nucleus carving Gu Qiaoqiao had sold to Yubao Square.


    Therefore, he also hadn¡¯t expected the young lady before him to have the ability to carve.


    No matter the quality of the carving, the mere ability to do it was impressive.


    At that moment, a sense of respect welled up in Gu Jiansheng¡¯s heart.


    His voice became much more solemn as he earnestly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the reception room. I¡¯ll take a look at your work, and we have professional masters in the store to appraise it.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She then followed Gu Jiansheng to the reception room behind the counter.


    She had been there once before.


    It was like a small living room.


    The decor was charmingly antique.


    However, on the Eight Immortals table on the other side, there was surprisingly a high-end camera.


    There were also some photographic equipment.


    Clearly, Gu Jiansheng had turned this into his photography studio.


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s attire seemed ordinary, but was actually all designer brands.


    It must have been the same in her previous life.


    They had lived in wealth and splendor from a young age, enjoying everything that her younger brother and sister had never experienced.


    Yet, those who had never enjoyed such wealth and honor, ended up losing their lives due to the very opulence that seemed to belong to them as well.


    She thought that no matter what she did, it seemed impossible to quell the hatred in her heart.


    However, Gu Jiansheng was completely oblivious to this. He apologetically moved the equipment to one side and then invited Gu Qiaoqiao to have a seat, ¡°May I see Miss Gu¡¯s work?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao presented the Gold Jade Stone without any reservation.


    This time, she had brought ¡°Roc Spreading Its Wings.¡±


    A piece of gold had still been carved into the sun.


    The pale blue jade had been sculpted into the sky.


    A chunk of dark brown stone was just right for carving a majestic eagle spreading its wings.


    The eagle seemed to carry an aura of slaughter and appeared as if it would break free from this realm and soar beyond the clouds.


    Gu Jiansheng was stunned.


    He didn¡¯t understand jade or antiques, but that didn¡¯t mean he lacked appreciation.


    Add to that his love for photography and fine arts, so he instantly fell in love with such a masterpiece from the bottom of his heart.


    Handling it with extreme care, for the first time in his life, Gu Jiansheng began to scrutinize the sculpture meticulously.


    It was as if the eagle would come to life and go for your eyes if it was observed any longer.


    The thought gave Gu Jiansheng a start.


    Yet such an exquisite piece of Jade Carving was indeed rare in this day and age.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was in no hurry, leisurely waiting aside while occasionally glancing around at the d¨¦cor.


    After a while, Gu Jiansheng gingerly placed the Jade Sculpture back on the table.


    Then, looking up at Gu Qiaoqiao, he said seriously, ¡°Miss Gu, your work is truly unparalleled and a wonder to behold.¡±


    The waiter who rushed over to serve tea couldn¡¯t help twitching at the corner of his mouth.


    He thought to himself, this silly boy, you can¡¯t talk like that.


    If the other party heard this, wouldn¡¯t they demand an exorbitant price?


    After serving the two of them iced tea, he took another glance at the Jade Sculpture.


    He had to admit internally that the Jade Carving was indeed of exceptional beauty.


    It was also the first time he had come across such extraordinary craftsmanship since he¡¯d been introduced to jade.


    Yubao Square had dozens of jade carving masters, but none possessed such skill.

 Chapter 200 - 200 200 Also the Operating Capital of Yubao

    ?Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Also the Operating Capital of Yubao Square for Half a Year Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Also the Operating Capital of Yubao Square for Half a Year However, it couldn¡¯t have been this young girl who carved it. With her young age and lack of extensive experience and knowledge, she wouldn¡¯t be able to carve such a masterpiece.


    Such work must belong to a family member of hers.


    Perhaps they found it inconvenient to come forward.


    Or maybe they let her step in because they saw that the Second Young Master had taken a liking to the young girl.


    The young man speculated wildly but still glanced over several more times before he walked away.


    In his heart, he also thought, if he acquired this jade carving, it would probably become the finest piece among jade carvings.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao heard what Gu Jiansheng said, she couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Of course, the things I carve are naturally the best.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng gave a thumbs up, ¡°You have the right to be proud.¡± Then he glanced at the jade carving and asked, ¡°How much does Miss Gu intend to sell it for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao pondered for a moment and then smiled, ¡°I think my jade carving is only deserving of Yubao Square.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s mouth split into a big smile, ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re absolutely right, only Yubao Square is worthy of Miss Gu¡¯s work.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Two hundred thousand,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stretched out her hand, and raised two fingers, smiling radiantly as she gestured.


    Gu Jiansheng downed a gulp of tea but nearly choked. He bulged his eyes and struggled to swallow several times before he managed to calm down and asked in disbelief, ¡°Miss Gu, are you sure you didn¡¯t misspeak? You meant twenty thousand, right?¡±


    Two hundred thousand?


    Does Miss Gu even understand what two hundred thousand means?


    That¡¯s the equivalent of over thirty years of salary for a bureau-level official in the Imperial Capital, twenty wealthy families.


    It¡¯s also half a year¡¯s worth of working capital for Yubao Square.


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke calmly, ¡°Two hundred thousand, not twenty thousand. The pronunciation of these numbers should be different, and besides, I have other matters this afternoon, I can¡¯t haggle here with you. If it¡¯s a deal, then it¡¯s a deal. If not, I¡¯ll look for another buyer. I can unapologetically say, that in this world, only I have my Gold Jade Stone Carving.¡±


    Having said this, she took the Gold Jade Stone Carving and placed it in front of herself.


    Then she said with a teasing smile, ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t make the decision, yet you insisted on looking¡­¡±


    Her voice was coquettish, containing a hint of mockery and reprimand, causing Gu Jiansheng¡¯s face to flush red in an instant.


    He dared not look at Gu Qiaoqiao but looked at the Gold Jade Stone Carving instead, stammering, ¡°Two hundred thousand is too large a sum, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t make it hard for you. But my jade carving won¡¯t go for less than two hundred thousand, no bargaining.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stood up with a smile, wrapped the Gold Jade Stone Carving in velvety cloth, and casually put it into her shoulder bag, ¡°I¡¯m off to Jubao Pavilion, goodbye.¡±


    To Jubao Pavilion?


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s eyes darkened.


    The main steward of Jubao Pavilion often mocked him, saying he was all show on the outside, but empty on the inside like a glazed pillow full of bran¡­


    Now that Gu Qiaoqiao was taking her piece to Jubao Pavilion, even with his mediocre expertise, he knew it was no ordinary item. The head steward of Jubao Pavilion would realize it even more.


    Even if it costs two hundred thousand to acquire, it could perhaps be sold for a million.


    Those wealthy individuals from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are a dime a dozen. Just last month, he heard they sold a jade carving and earned a hundred thousand just by flipping it.


    If it were bought by him, and then he found out that he had hesitated to buy, wouldn¡¯t he be laughing his teeth off?


    But actually, that¡¯s not important.


    What¡¯s important is, from now on Gu Qiaoqiao might not come here again.


    Then, he would never see her again.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao walked towards the exit of the reception room, her actions decisive.


    She seemed not at all worried that selling her item at such a high price might deter potential buyers.


    Perhaps that¡¯s the demeanor of a true master.


    Gu Jiansheng hurriedly called out to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Miss Gu, wait a moment.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not stop but continued walking forward.


    Something wasn¡¯t right.


    Normally, after hearing what Gu Jiansheng had said, shouldn¡¯t the girl have stopped, then haggled with him a bit?


    Gu Jiansheng became anxious.


    With quick steps, he caught up to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop? Let¡¯s discuss this.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t decide on your own, why should I stop? I already told you I have other things to do this afternoon,¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao seemed a bit impatient as she spoke.


    Gu Jiansheng was left speechless and had to stop in his tracks.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate and continued walking forward.


    Gu Jiansheng felt an agony like never before.


    As he watched Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figure about to step out of the Yubao Square¡¯s grand entrance, Gu Jiansheng felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and blurted out, ¡°I can decide, I agree!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood at the doorway, looked back at the seemingly excited Gu Jiansheng, and with disbelief, she asked, ¡°You can decide?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Jiansheng quickly stepped in front of Gu Qiaoqiao and nodded earnestly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao still looked hesitant as she regarded him, and only after a few moments did she say, ¡°I don¡¯t buy on credit.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile.


    After saying it out loud, he felt much better.


    Things also became much smoother naturally.


    He invited Gu Qiaoqiao into the reception room once again.


    Then, with an efficiency he had never shown before, Gu Jiansheng withdrew one hundred thousand yuan from his passbook, and had the accountant at Yubao Square take out another hundred thousand yuan, handing the total amount to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    There was a savings institution right on Antique Street.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, carrying a cloth bag, deposited the money.


    She smiled at Gu Jiansheng, ¡°Cash and goods cleared, it¡¯s too late for regrets.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng smiled, his eyes sparkling in the sunshine, his grin full of sincerity, ¡°Although I¡¯m not very skilled, I do know a saying, ¡®you get what you pay for.¡¯


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯m relieved,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao put her passbook in her shoulder bag, hooked the corner of her mouth, and turned to leave.


    Gu Jiansheng caught up in a few steps, said bravely, ¡°We¡¯re somewhat acquainted now, I¡¯d like to invite Miss Gu for a meal, I wonder if I could have the honor.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, my husband doesn¡¯t really like my dining with strangers,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao declined bluntly.


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s face stiffened, then he laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head, ¡°Sorry, I was too presumptuous.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave a slight smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± With that, she walked towards another side of Antique Street.


    This time, Gu Jiansheng did not speak again.


    Instead, he quietly watched as Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s figure disappeared into the crowd.


    For some reason, it was really strange; amidst the bustling crowd, he could still spot her graceful silhouette at a glance.


    Unfortunately, Luo Fu already had a husband¡­


    His friend was right, why couldn¡¯t they find good girls? Because all the good girls were already taken by someone else.


    He stood there dazed for a long while before he remembered the Jade Sculpture. Gu Jiansheng headed towards Yubao Square, full of eagerness.


    The nearby gemstone shops somehow got wind of the matter.


    So, with a mix of Schadenfreude and a desire to kick someone when they¡¯re down, they came to Yubao Square.


    This time, Gu Jiansheng did not hide anything.


    Having acquired a treasure, naturally, he wanted to show it to everyone.

 Chapter 201 - 201 201 Why Does She Take Away Two Hundred

    ?Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Why Does She Take Away Two Hundred Thousand Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Why Does She Take Away Two Hundred Thousand Moreover, they ran a store, so he still understood this principle.


    Therefore, the not-so-small guest room around the Eight Immortals table was filled with people.


    When Gu Jiansheng brought out the Gold Jade Stone Carving, everyone¡¯s eyes straightened in an instant.


    Because without any expectations and just watching for fun, seeing such an exquisite Jade Carving, how could they not be dumbfounded?


    An experienced old shopkeeper carefully held the Jade Carving in his hand, taking up a magnifying glass to inspect it closely.


    Yet, he discovered that the entire Jade Sculpture had almost no flaws.


    Under the magnifying glass, the eagle¡¯s feathers were incredibly clear, the texture was delicate, and indistinguishable from real feathers.


    Most importantly, the sun in the sky was actually a gold nugget!


    This was a rare piece of Gold Jade Stone.


    The quality of the gold was average, the quality of the jade was also average, but the carving craftsmanship was astonishing, when these three perfectly combined together.


    It became an unparalleled masterpiece.


    The old shopkeeper put down the Gold Jade Stone Carving, feeling inexplicably reluctant to let it go.


    It wasn¡¯t the finest jade, but it was extremely comforting to touch.


    It seemed it could calm one¡¯s restless mood gradually.


    This was a treasure.


    Gu Jiansheng, that foolish boy, had silly fortune.


    Two hundred thousand!


    It was expensive.


    But it was worth it!


    Looking at the proud Gu Jiansheng, he couldn¡¯t possibly bring himself to speak ill of the Jade Carving.


    He thought, this exquisite Jade Carving had spirit; if he spoke against his heart, the Jade Carving might be upset.


    The old shopkeeper spoke up, ¡°Foolish boy, willing to sell it or not, I offer two hundred and ten thousand.¡±


    After others had looked at it, they all gave up their jestful attitude.


    It¡¯s a marvel!


    That was their unanimous conclusion.


    Gu Jiansheng, hearing the old shopkeeper¡¯s words and seeing everyone¡¯s expressions, couldn¡¯t have been prouder.


    He raised his head and flatly refused, ¡°No amount of money will make me part with it, this is the treasure of Yubao Square!¡±


    The others left with regret.


    And Gu Jiansheng was more excited and thrilled than ever.


    He walked back and forth in the room, unsure how to calm his emotions.


    He thought, even his grandfather seeing this Jade Carving, would not speak poorly of it.


    With the old shopkeeper¡¯s words, this was the finest Jade Carving.


    Probably this entire street could not find a Jade Sculpture, no, a Gold Jade Stone, carved so beautifully.


    At this moment, Gu Jiansheng truly realized the value of this Gold Jade Stone.


    Ning Wanru on a whim went shopping today, so she didn¡¯t receive the call from the internal line of Yubao Square in time.


    Then, without any hindrance, Gu Jiansheng successfully purchased the Jade Carving.


    He spent two hundred thousand!


    Out of which, one hundred thousand had been gradually given by her over the years.


    The other hundred thousand was the working capital of Yubao Square.


    The most unbearable thing was that the girl who sold the Gold Jade Stone Carving and took away two hundred thousand was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao!


    That wretch!


    How could she take away two hundred thousand? That money was hers and her son¡¯s.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shouldn¡¯t take a single penny.


    Ning Wanru trembled with anger.


    She had Steward Wu drive, heading straight for Yubao Square, while also notifying Gu Cheng, who was handling Gu Kun¡¯s affairs at the hospital, to head to Yubao Square immediately.


    Unfilial son!


    He¡¯s completely outrageous!


    All the way there, Ning Wanru¡¯s face was gloomy, as dark as the storm clouds in the sky.


    They quickly reached the entrance of Yubao Square.


    And Gu Cheng had just arrived as well.


    They exchanged a glance, and Gu Cheng clenched his teeth, striding vigorously towards Yubao Square.


    Inside the reception room, Gu Jiansheng was still admiring the Gold Jade Stone Carving.


    This time, he used a magnifying glass.


    He hadn¡¯t used it before, but after he did, he discovered endless mysteries.


    And what Gu Cheng and Ning Wanru saw when they entered was this scene.


    The scene was painfully glaring.


    Seeing his grandmother and father walk in, Gu Jiansheng was taken aback but knew that he couldn¡¯t keep this from them.


    However, today he felt unusually confident.


    Because the Gold Jade Stone Carving he acquired had been recognized by the display cabinets on this street.


    He held the Gold Jade Stone Carving with a beaming face, handing it to Gu Cheng as if presenting a treasure, ¡°Dad, take a look, I¡¯ve got a treasure.¡±


    Smack!


    A crisp sound!


    Gu Cheng¡¯s face turned livid as he slapped Gu Jiansheng¡¯s smiling, pale cheek.


    Gu Jiansheng was stunned.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s expression was dark and menacing as she scolded, ¡°You fool, I told you not to contact that wretched person. Why didn¡¯t you listen, and why did you spend so much money on this junk?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Jiansheng placed the Gold Jade Stone Carving on the table, touched his aching cheek, and said hoarsely, ¡°You hit me without even looking? The old shopkeeper of Jubao Pavilion offered 210,000 to buy this Gold Jade Stone Carving and you still call it junk?¡±


    Ning Wanru trembled with rage, yet she and Gu Jiansheng couldn¡¯t reveal the truth.


    This child had a pure heart. If he knew that Qiaoqiao was a descendant of Gu Qingfeng, he might help that detestable girl recognize her relatives.


    However, seeing this Gold Jade Stone Carving, Ning Wanru felt as if a huge stone was blocking her heart.


    She stared intently at the Gold Jade Stone Carving and suddenly stepped forward to grab it.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Jiansheng instinctively protected the Gold Jade Stone Carving, his eyes turning somewhat bloodshot, ¡°This is 200,000, and 100,000 of it is mine.¡±


    Ning Wanru trembled with rage, the mention of the 200,000 exacerbated the pain as if it was cutting into her flesh.


    She looked at the fuming Gu Cheng and cursed, ¡°You fool, look at the wonderful son you¡¯ve raised, who dares to oppose me.¡±


    Gu Cheng looked at his son, stepped forward, held down the Gold Jade Stone Carving in Gu Jiansheng¡¯s arms, and, suppressing his anger, said, ¡°Jiansheng, let go, let your grandmother and I take a good look.¡±


    These words seemed squeezed out between clenched teeth.


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s cheek burned with pain, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    It was as if the person who had just hit him was a stranger.


    How could it possibly be his father?


    The only one who hit him was that dark-faced grandfather.


    He protected the Gold Jade Stone Carving in his arms without loosening his grip.


    Ning Wanru, seeing her most beloved grandson Gu Jiansheng protect the trash carved by that detestable Qiaoqiao, felt a boundless rage rise in her heart.


    If Qiaoqiao were here, she thought, she would kill her.


    What a regret.


    If she had dealt with her sooner, none of these troubles would exist today.


    Ning Wanru took a deep breath, softened her tone, ¡°Jiansheng, let me take a look at that jade carving, don¡¯t worry, for something that cost 200,000, your grandmother and father wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to destroy it.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng looked at the two people in front of him, placed the Gold Jade Stone Carving on the Eight Immortals table, but one hand still covered his face. Although he didn¡¯t blame his father for hitting him, his eyes were full of sadness.


    He lowered his head, said nothing.


    Ning Wanru picked up the Gold Jade Stone Carving, resisting the urge to smash it as she looked it over.


    Her lips twitched.

 Chapter 202 - 202 202 The Sky Over the Imperial Capital is

    ?Chapter 202: Chapter 202: The Sky Over the Imperial Capital is Changing Chapter 202: Chapter 202: The Sky Over the Imperial Capital is Changing If the old man knew about Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s existence and her carving skills, he would probably cry and say that the Gu Family had a successor.


    A successor?


    Ning Wanru gave a cold smile. Who knew how long she could live? In the end, there might be no successor after all.


    She signaled Gu Cheng with her eyes. Gu Cheng took the Gold Jade Stone Carving, glanced at it, then stared at his son with a grim expression and lowered his voice, ¡°Let¡¯s end this matter here today. If that woman comes again, just drive her out of Yubao Square¡¯s gates. She¡¯s not welcome here.¡±


    After that, he placed the Gold Jade Stone Carving into the briefcase he had brought, and then pointed at Gu Jiansheng, ¡°Wait until we¡¯re home tonight, I¡¯ll settle accounts with you.¡±


    Gu Jiansheng was about to step forward and take back the Gold Jade Stone Carving, but Ning Wanru¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. After a long while, she came up to Gu Jiansheng, looked at his face, glared fiercely at Gu Cheng, and then said softly to Gu Jiansheng, ¡°Jiansheng, just remember, your father and I won¡¯t harm you. So, listen to us. Don¡¯t accept anything from Gu Qiaoqiao from now on. Remember, Yubao Square does not welcome her!¡±


    Gu Jiansheng looked at the people before him and muttered, ¡°Why? You ought to give me a reason.¡±


    A reason?


    What reason could they give him? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Wanru sighed, ¡°Jiansheng, there will be a chance for Grandma to tell you about this in the future. But remember to listen to Grandma, or she will be unhappy.¡± Her tender words carried a subtle threat.


    Gu Jiansheng pursed his lips and said nothing.


    Yet his eyes revealed a trace of doubt.


    Apparently, Grandma was very hostile toward Gu Qiaoqiao.


    But they had never met; where did this hostility come from?


    Without waiting for Gu Jiansheng to speak, Ning Wanru had already turned and walked away.


    Gu Cheng followed her.


    Gu Jiansheng slowly sat down on a chair, stroked his cheek that Gu Cheng had hit, and sat angrily.


    This made no sense!


    This was the second time Ning Wanru had lashed out at him because of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Thus, it was clear that the always gentle and noble Grandma definitely had a grudge against Gu Qiaoqiao.


    But obviously, Gu Qiaoqiao did not know Grandma.


    Yet Grandma knew her.


    Gu Jiansheng¡¯s eyes gradually grew deeper.


    Meanwhile, Ning Wanru in the car stared intently at the Gold Jade Stone Carving, wanting to smash it, yet feeling it was too big a loss.


    This was twenty thousand yuan.


    If smashed, there would really be nothing left.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s expression was gloomy, her teeth clenched in hatred.


    But this damned jade carving couldn¡¯t return to Jiansheng¡¯s hands.


    She could only take it back to the villa.


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao was walking towards the bus. The sky was growing overcast, and clouds seemed to be silently rolling in.


    A breeze sprang up.


    The air around her subtly turned humid and stuffy.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked up.


    It seemed the sky of the Imperial Capital was about to change.


    She smiled slightly, her clear eyes shifting, and waved down a taxi, heading in the direction of the Qin family.


    If she wasn¡¯t wrong, the Gold Jade Stone Carving had already stirred up a storm.


    Ning Wanru would definitely not allow Gu Jiansheng to keep the piece she had carved.


    But since the jade carving was bought for twenty thousand yuan, Ning Wanru, being greedy, would be reluctant to destroy it.


    So, it must have ended up back at the North Mountain Villa.


    Not only would it be brought back to the villa, but it would also be placed somewhere she could constantly see it, to figure out her next move against her.


    Plus, even if it wasn¡¯t kept close by, as long as it was brought back to the villa where she lived, that would be enough.


    It¡¯s said that jade cultivates the person as much as the person cultivates the jade.


    When people no longer cherish jade, jade will no longer cherish people either!


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never experimented with this, but she knew in her heart that it wouldn¡¯t take long for Ning Wanru¡¯s graceful and elegant mask to be torn apart.


    Another point was that this matter would definitely reach Gu Qingfeng¡¯s ears.


    Gu Qiaoqiao believed that by no later than tomorrow morning, Gu Qingfeng would definitely send someone to pick her up to the hospital.


    Being invited and going on one¡¯s own initiative had entirely different meanings.


    It would also mean losing a lot of early opportunities.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car, went to the nearest market, bought lots of delicious food, and then carried these items back to the Qin Family.


    She now considered herself to have some assets.


    The lavish dinner that Gu Qiaoqiao prepared stunned the four members of the Qin family.


    Stir-fried prawns, steamed swallow fish, roasted beef steak, along with several stir-fried vegetables, each dish was comparable to those served in grand hotels, and perhaps even better.


    When they found out that Gu Qiaoqiao had sold a Gold Jade Stone Carving for twenty thousand yuan, Qin Xuan was indeed startled.


    It was not envy or covetousness, but admiration.


    At such a young age, to have made so much money from one skill alone.


    It was impossible not to respect her.


    Meanwhile, Grandma Qin felt regret that Qin Yize wasn¡¯t at home.


    He was missing out on all these delicious dishes.


    Only after Gu Qiaoqiao repeatedly promised that she would make an even more sumptuous meal when Qin Yize came back did she cheer up.


    By this time, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed to have quietly integrated into the Qin family.


    As the night deepened, Gu Qiaoqiao dismissed all her thoughts, looked at the Mysterious Dragon Box on the table, pondered for a moment, and then put it away.


    After tidying up her belongings and washing up, she lay down on the bed and felt tired.


    She stopped thinking chaotically and fell into a deep sleep.


    In the hospital, Gu Qingfeng awoke in the middle of the night due to the stimulating warm and cool sensations on his chest.


    The face of the awakened Gu Qingfeng was darker than ever.


    His eyes were slightly narrowed, as if concentrating on some unknown storm brewing within.


    Had he become old?


    Was he now seen as a feeble, useless old man?


    Even if that were the case, what could be done about it?


    One should know that a centipede does not topple over even in death!


    When Uncle Gu saw that Gu Qingfeng was awake, he hurriedly informed him about Luo Zhenyu and Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s visit.


    And about Gu Qiaoqiao selling a work to Yubao Square for two hundred thousand yuan that morning.


    Gu Qingfeng touched his chest, no wonder he felt less stifled when he was angry.


    Gu Qiaoqiao?


    That girl with an extraordinarily astonishing talent for carving.


    Uncle Gu then spoke solemnly, ¡°Gu Kun¡¯s funeral has already been handled, and his son has taken Gu Kun back to their hometown, stating they want to bury his parents together.¡±


    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Uncle Gu paused, then continued, ¡°I handed him twenty thousand yuan, told him that the house in Imperial Capital and the master position at Yubao Square are still reserved for him.¡±


    ¡°Good, you did the right thing,¡± Gu Qingfeng glanced at Uncle Gu, ¡°That boy is too cunning, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t get much out of him, but we don¡¯t need to ask any further, nor should we investigate¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Uncle Gu asked, surprised.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡®Where there is a will to blame, an excuse will be found¡¯?¡± Gu Qingfeng¡¯s voice carried a chill.


    ¡°Old Patriarch, what do you mean?¡± Uncle Gu asked, stunned.


    ¡°No need to investigate, no need for evidence, nothing can stand in the way of me, Gu Qingfeng, reclaiming what I want,¡± his voice was fierce.


    Uncle Gu nodded in understanding, ¡°Old Patriarch, I agree with your view. What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning you drive personally to pick up Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±

 Chapter 203 - 203 203 Could it be this child is his

    ?Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Could it be, this child is his descendant? Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Could it be, this child is his descendant? At this point, Gu Qingfeng paused.


    Looking at the exquisitely carved nucleus carving, a flash of admiration crossed Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes.


    Presumably, that two-hundred-thousand Gold Jade Stone Carving was even more exquisite.


    Why was Ning Wanru so beside herself with anger?


    Gu Cheng had actually raised his hand against Gu Jiansheng.


    In fact, by all logic, this was Gu Qingfeng¡¯s money; she had no reason to feel distressed about it.


    The most appropriate response should have been to applaud and cheer.


    However, the outcome was quite the opposite.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think more deeply about it.


    Uncle Gu nodded, ¡°Alright, I will go first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    The early morning of the following day.


    It was a Thursday.


    Uncle Gu knocked on the Qin Family¡¯s grand door.


    Once inside the living room, Uncle Gu began with a smile, ¡°The Old Patriarch has awakened and heard about the Gold Jade Stone Carving incident. He wants to bring Qiaoqiao over to ask about it. Rest assured, Grandma, once we¡¯ve asked her, we¡¯ll send the child right back.¡±


    Grandma Qin glanced at Qiaoqiao, wondering in her heart if they were having second thoughts.


    Two hundred thousand, after all.


    She herself had been taken aback when she heard it.


    At this thought, Grandma Qin¡¯s complexion soured, but Uncle Gu hurriedly said, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not a matter of going back on our word. The Old Patriarch also appreciates talent. To have such accomplishments at such a young age, her future is boundless.¡±


    That was more like it.


    Grandma Qin agreed.


    Throughout this time, Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t spoken a word, simply listening with a smile.


    Grandma Qin, however, reminded them to go early and return early, since it was, after all, a hospital; staying too long was not good.


    Qiaoqiao followed Uncle Gu to the car.


    Uncle Gu drove steadily, gently asking Qiaoqiao about the carving along the way.


    Qiaoqiao answered openly and freely.


    Soon, the car arrived at the hospital entrance.


    Qiaoqiao looked up at the hospital gates, and sure enough, she was back again.


    The two of them got out of the car.


    Afterward, Uncle Gu led Qiaoqiao through another side of the hospital to the VIP passageway.


    As their silhouettes vanished behind that door, two figures emerged from behind a telephone booth at the side of the hospital.


    They exchanged glances, and then one of them entered the telephone booth.


    Uncle Gu led Qiaoqiao upstairs.


    They walked into the VIP suite.


    Passing through the living room, they arrived at the door of the sickroom.


    At this moment, Qiaoqiao stood in front of the sickroom door with a calm expression, but her hands hanging at her sides were tightly clenched.


    Uncle Gu gently pushed the door open.


    Qiaoqiao wore a light aqua-colored dress with a V-neckline that day, her hair tied back to reveal her fair neck and delicate features.


    Her gaze immediately fell upon an elderly figure sitting up in bed, his features gaunt and aged.


    The instant he saw her, it was just as Qiaoqiao had imagined.


    His eyes widened, his breathing quickened!


    His eyes were full of shock and disbelief.


    Qiaoqiao took a few steps forward.


    She clearly saw Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hands trembling.


    His bloodless lips were quivering too, mumbling words that only he could comprehend.


    Uncle Gu had not seen Lady Yu and naturally didn¡¯t know of Qiaoqiao¡¯s striking resemblance to Lady Yu in her youth.


    The last time Gu Qingfeng had seen Lady Yu, she was still in her twenties.


    Just a few years older than the present Qiaoqiao.


    This was why Gu Qingfeng was so shocked.


    Qiaoqiao?


    So it turned out that the girl he saw that day at Yubao Square was Qiaoqiao.


    The nucleus carvings he had made, the peace Buddha pendant he had given to him, and the Gold Jade Stone Carvings sold to Yubao Square.


    All had come from the hands of the girl before him, smiling with a glint in her eye.


    And she bore such a striking resemblance to Lady Yu.


    Although Uncle Gu didn¡¯t know what had happened, seeing the expression on Gu Qingfeng¡¯s face, he became much more cautious.


    Uncle Gu walked over, helped Gu Qingfeng up, and said softly, ¡°This child is Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao?¡± Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hoarse voice echoed in the hospital room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°My name is Gu Qiaoqiao.¡±


    ¡°What was your grandfather¡¯s name?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked urgently.


    ¡°Gu Dashan.¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng asked hesitantly.


    ¡°He has passed away,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said solemnly.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze fixed on Gu Qiaoqiao, clutching the jade pendant in his hand tighter; upon hearing of Gu Dashan¡¯s death, for some reason, a pang of pain arose in his heart.


    It was a feeling he had never experienced before.


    His voice trembling once again, he said, ¡°Thank you for your nucleus carving, it saved my life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s your good fortune,¡± she said calmly, neither happy nor sad.


    She didn¡¯t even know how she could remain so calm.


    Gu Qingfeng, on the other hand, was much more agitated.


    Looking at the face in front of him, which resembled Lady Yu so closely, a bold thought arose in his mind.


    Could it be that this child was his descendent?


    Gu Qingfeng, holding the jade pendant, gripped it again and then said abruptly, ¡°Child, you resemble someone very much.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked casually.


    ¡°My wife,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh? I resemble your wife very much?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyebrows slightly but shook her head, ¡°I saw your wife once outside Yubao Square, and we don¡¯t look alike.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression stiffened.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao continued with a smile, ¡°But when she saw me, her expression was the same as yours when you saw me.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression became stern, ¡°You¡¯ve met before.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After a moment, Gu Qingfeng spoke with difficulty, ¡°You resemble my first wife.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled playfully, ¡°Old Patriarch, your wives are truly numerous.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s face reddened with embarrassment.


    It took him a while before he mumbled, ¡°Child, what does your father do?¡±


    ¡°My father teaches at a school.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ good, Teaching is good¡­¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qingfeng didn¡¯t know what else to ask.


    He even dared not look at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, bowing his head and stroking the jade pendant in his hand before speaking again after a long pause, ¡°Qiaoqiao, may I call you Qiaoqiao?¡±


    ¡°Sure, my elders like calling me that.¡±


    ¡°I would like to ask you, Qiaoqiao, what do you want the Red Spirit Jade Marrow for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips curved into a slow smile as she countered, ¡°Old Patriarch, do you know where there is Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng stared intensely at the face that bore such a close resemblance to Lady Yu, his heart surging with emotion.


    Ever since Gu Qiaoqiao entered, his heart, weathered by the vicissitudes of life, never settled.


    Initially, before Gu Qiaoqiao arrived, he had been holding onto a sense of unfathomable anticipation.


    But upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, he truly couldn¡¯t remain calm anymore.


    Yet with all these things coming together at once, he recalled Gu Kun¡¯s death and his own car accident.


    Now, Gu Kun¡¯s funeral had just been taken care of.


    He had just awakened from his coma.


    And here, suddenly, was Gu Qiaoqiao, a girl who bore such a strong resemblance to Lady Yu.


    If Gu Dashan was his son, then this child would be his great-granddaughter.


    She possessed unparalleled carving skills and talent.

 Chapter 204 - 204 204 Gu Qingfeng is Truly Great

    ?Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Gu Qingfeng is Truly Great Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Gu Qingfeng is Truly Great The things she carved out were extremely similar to those made by the ancestors of the Gu Family, as the legend goes.


    Perhaps there was no need to check anything else to prove she was a descendant.


    But how could he broach the subject with this child?


    Gu Qingfeng took a moment to consider, then said, ¡°I know where to find Red Spirit Jade Marrow.¡±


    ¡°You know?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked in surprise.


    Gu Qingfeng thought to himself, hadn¡¯t Old Man Qin already told her about it? Why did she seem so surprised now?


    What was really going on?


    Gu Qingfeng nodded, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    ¡°I have it.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked earnestly at Gu Qingfeng, bit her lower lip, and said softly, ¡°I wonder if you, Elder, would be willing to part with it?¡±


    ¡°Do you know that this Red Spirit Jade Marrow is my family heirloom, meant to be passed down to my descendants?¡±


    ¡°I know, but, Old Patriarch, I have a piece of news, can I perhaps exchange it for that?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao spoke word by word.


    ¡°You have news?¡± Gu Qingfeng frowned, and after a few moments, asked seriously, ¡°What news might that be?¡±


    ¡°Old Patriarch, do you know that during the Republic of China era, many people liked to carry pocket watches?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng felt a thump in his chest as he stared fixedly at Gu Qiaoqiao, nodding, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then do you know about pocket watches made from jade?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s body trembled, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao again. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Made from jade, the pocket watch.


    In the Imperial Capital during the Republic of China era, there was only one.


    He had made it himself.


    As a 30th birthday gift for his wife, Lady Yu.


    It was fashioned as an Organ Box.


    Only he and Lady Yu knew how to open it.


    Inside was a photograph of him, Lady Yu, and their child Kunkun¡ª the only one of its kind.


    Most importantly, that Jade Pocket Watch had always hung around Lady Yu¡¯s neck, disappearing with her.


    The Jade Pendant, too, was one of Lady Yu¡¯s beloved possessions, yet it wasn¡¯t worn around her neck but tied around her waist.


    That¡¯s why he later became suspicious of Gu Kun.


    Gu Kun looked at the smiling girl across from him and muttered, ¡°I know, but there¡¯s only one piece.¡±


    ¡°I saw it on someone¡¯s neck once. Inside was a photograph. The woman in the picture looks a lot like me, and the man looks like you in your thirties, but the person was an old lady, around eighty years old. However, she¡¯s lost her memory and knows nothing.¡±


    Uncle Gu hurriedly supported the shaking and excited Gu Qingfeng as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a complex gaze.


    What, exactly, does this child know¡ªor not know¡­


    After saying all this, Gu Qiaoqiao looked intently at Gu Qingfeng, ¡°May I exchange this information for your Red Spirit Jade Marrow?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng clutched the bedsheet beneath him tightly, and after a long while, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao almost fiercely and hoarsely said, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you where she is until I have the Red Spirit Jade Marrow in hand, and until you have the ability to protect her completely. But rest assured, she¡¯s still alive.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in your hometown, isn¡¯t she?¡± Gu Qingfeng suddenly roared, unable to control his emotions.


    Gu Qiaoqiao calmly shook her head, ¡°No, she¡¯s not. I just met her.¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, what exactly do you know?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked in a low voice, somewhat out of control.


    ¡°I know a little more than you do.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, what do you want the Red Spirit Jade Marrow for?¡± he asked, taking a deep breath and softening his voice.


    ¡°It has its uses, naturally.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, you¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng began, and then paused for a moment. After a few breaths, he suddenly spoke again, ¡°Tell me where she is, and I will give you the Red Spirit Jade Marrow right now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s thousands of miles from here, and you can hardly walk. How are you going to see her?¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, do you know who that old woman is to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, she just muttered about having seen me somewhere before, so I can¡¯t make a judgment.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stated, word by word.


    ¡°She said she had seen you?¡± Gu Qingfeng¡¯s voice rose slightly.


    ¡°Yes, she said I looked familiar to her, I think it might be related to my appearance.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes turned a hint of bloodshot. Today¡¯s surprises had come one after another, and if it had been his former self, he definitely couldn¡¯t have coped.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, his lips trembling as he spoke, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, why did you bring up the jade pocket watch? Where did you see the photo of me when I was young?¡±


    ¡°Because there is a picture of you inside the jade pocket watch, as for how I saw your picture from your youth, that I really can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Who else is in the photo?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked with a hoarse voice.


    ¡°A young man.¡±


    ¡°Do you recognize him?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s trembling hand seized Uncle Gu, ¡°Go get the photo of Kunkun.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Is there actually a photo of Grandpa here?


    Unexpectedly, Uncle Gu brought over a photo of Gu Kun when he was five years old.


    But still, one could vaguely make out Grandpa¡¯s shadow in it.


    Holding the photo, Gu Qiaoqiao looked it over repeatedly for a long time before finally nodding, ¡°It¡¯s about eighty percent similar.¡±


    That¡¯s it.


    Uncle Gu looked at Gu Qingfeng with a pleased glance, excitedly saying, ¡°Old Patriarch, is the First Lady still alive?¡±


    ¡°It might be her, or it might not. We can only be sure after seeing the person herself.¡± Gu Qingfeng had finally come back to his senses by now.


    With complex emotions in his eyes, he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao. What else does this child know?


    He then asked, ¡°Who¡¯s in her family?¡±


    ¡°Only an adopted daughter, they depend on each other for life.¡±


    ¡°What about her other family members?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that.¡±


    No other family?


    That¡¯s not right. If she really is Lady Yu, she should have left with Kunkun, should have stayed with Kunkun, so why would she have an adopted daughter?


    He suddenly asked, ¡°Qiaoqiao, the young man in the photo, you really don¡¯t recognize him?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t recognize him.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said without even blinking.


    ¡°Really don¡¯t recognize him?¡± He asked again, unwilling to give up.


    ¡°Hmm, I really don¡¯t.¡± After Gu Qiaoqiao finished, she shifted her gaze slightly, ¡°That young man is your son, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is it Gu Cheng?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s Gu Kun.¡± Gu Qingfeng paused before continuing to say, ¡°Gu Cheng is the Second Lady¡¯s son; he is my adopted son.¡±


    What?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was abruptly stunned.


    Could it be, Gu Cheng isn¡¯t Gu Qingfeng¡¯s biological son?


    So, in her previous life, their entire family was killed by a concubine and adopted son with not a single blood relation to them?


    Gu Qingfeng is truly magnanimous.


    He raised someone else¡¯s son, only for them to end up causing the death of his own biological son and his entire family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Gu Qingfeng, waves of hatred surging in her heart.


    She thought, it wasn¡¯t that she was biased, it was indeed Gu Qingfeng who had brought the wolf into the house.


    And then he did nothing, allowing that concubine and adopted son to create havoc.

 Chapter 205 - 205 205 Youve Come Really Late

    ?Chapter 205: Chapter 205: You¡¯ve Come Really Late Chapter 205: Chapter 205: You¡¯ve Come Really Late She had entrusted Chu Chengfeng yesterday to investigate Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng; she thought that she would not reveal the truth until she had made the final confirmation.


    If she spoke out, she would become the great-granddaughter of the person before her, the granddaughter of Gu Cheng, the niece of Gu Jiansheng!


    Such relationships were too disgusting.


    She did not want them.


    If she really were to return to the Gu Family, it had to be a Gu Family without Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng.


    And the old man before her, who couldn¡¯t even protect himself, how could he possibly keep his entire family safe.


    In name, he was the Old Patriarch of the Gu Family, but his power was far less than Ning Wanru¡¯s.


    At the very least, it was Ning Wanru who had discovered their entire family first.


    And he could only lie in the hospital, incapable of any action, once he wanted to do something, with just one move from the opponent, he would be left with no ability to fight back.


    From the recent events, it was clear that his capabilities were far less than Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng.


    Therefore, Gu Qiaoqiao simply did not trust him.


    It was better to maintain the status quo for the time being, and then to attract the attention of Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng on herself.


    That way, it would also make it easier for her to act.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hid the thoughts in her eyes and said with a semi-smile, ¡°So, you have an adoptive son, but why does no one know you have a biological son? Where is he?¡±


    After saying that, Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly spoke up again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Old Patriarch, this is your private matter, I was presumptuous. I hope you won¡¯t blame me.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze was complex as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. You are my life-saving benefactor, whatever you say is not too much. But that was something from fifty years ago.¡±


    As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng did not wait for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak and continued, ¡°Fifty years ago, my son and I argued, and in a fit of rage, I said the words ¡®I will not care for you in life nor bury you in death,¡¯ and then the next day, Kunkun and his mother left home and have been gone until now.¡±


    ¡°¡®I will not care for you in life nor bury you in death,¡¯ those are indeed harsh words,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao commented seriously, then asked again, ¡°Haven¡¯t you looked for them?¡±


    ¡°I did, starting from the third year after they left,¡± Gu Qingfeng suddenly said with little confidence.


    He used to think he was very reasonable, but at this moment, he suddenly realized how foolish he had been.


    Why did it take so long for him to start looking.


    A touch of coldness surfaced in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes. It took two years to start looking?


    This heart, quite large indeed.


    To put it bluntly, heartless enough.


    In typical families, one would start searching the very day someone went missing.


    Yet this person could wait for two years!


    Although she didn¡¯t know what exactly happened back then.


    But no matter what happened, Gu Qingfeng was alive and well, Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng were also alive and well, Yubao Square was equally unscathed.


    So, whatever Grandpa had done back then did not bring harm to these people. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then what reason did he have to hate his own son and wife?


    Could it be that he and his mistress were the true love!


    Could it be that Grandpa scolded him for favoring the mistress and destroying his wife, which is why he ended up being kicked out of the house?


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never had a good impression of the man before her; it seemed it was not prejudice or resentment.


    There really was a reason.


    Gu Qiaoqiao fell silent for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°You began your search quite late. Normally, if a family member goes missing, they would be sought after all over the streets by the next day at the latest. So, you missed the best opportunity, and then you missed fifty years.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng had actually known for a long time that he was wrong.


    But he stubbornly insisted, insisting he was not wrong, insisting that he had sufficient reasons for his actions.


    Because only by doing so, could he manage to live on, or else, he would have wished to kill himself.


    However, today, being straightforwardly pointed out by Gu Qiaoqiao like this, even the last shred of shame was gone.


    All his indecency and mistakes were exposed.


    All of a sudden, he clenched his fists fiercely, then pounded them heavily on the bed, his eyes bloodshot, about to split, and his aged and hoarse voice filled with self-blame and pain, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, it¡¯s all my fault. If I had gone to look for them the next day, how could it be fifty years since our last meeting¡­ it¡¯s all my fault, I deserve to die¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s sudden loss of composure startled Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She quickly went forward, grabbing Gu Qingfeng¡¯s arm, speaking urgently, ¡°Old Patriarch, please don¡¯t get agitated. I was just speaking carelessly, please don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hated him, but he was still her relative; how could she possibly watch him die?


    Uncle Gu also supported Gu Qingfeng¡¯s other arm, speaking urgently, ¡°Old Patriarch, the doctor said you can¡¯t get agitated, please don¡¯t hurry, what¡¯s past is past, talking about it now is pointless. What¡¯s important is the present and the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Old Patriarch, you must try to accept it. If the person I mentioned is indeed your wife, wouldn¡¯t it be¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused here, wanting to say a reuniting of the whole family.


    But the grandfather had died.


    They could never reunite as a complete family again.


    This was a regret that could never be made up for.


    She suppressed the tears in her eyes and shifted the conversation lightly, ¡°¡­wouldn¡¯t it be a good thing? So, you must take good care of yourself and recover. When you can be discharged, I¡¯ll take you to that old lady. However, you must be prepared with the Red Spirit Jade Marrow¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng slowly lifted his head, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao, and after a long while, he said, ¡°If you tell me your purpose, I can give it to you right now.¡±


    No matter if this child was his descendant, if she really had news about Lady Yu, it was worth a piece of Red Spirit Jade Marrow.


    Moreover, looking at a face that resembled so much of Lady Yu¡¯s, a sense of inexplicable kinship rose in Gu Qingfeng¡¯s heart.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and gently shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the specific purpose, but I can tell you that it¡¯s for carving a small object.¡±


    She would not confess that she held the Mysterious Dragon Box in her hands.


    This old man couldn¡¯t even protect himself.


    If those coveting the Mysterious Dragon Box knew, she would face another layer of danger.


    So, she wasn¡¯t going to tell him.


    Gu Qingfeng fell silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh, looking at the sly Gu Qiaoqiao; he didn¡¯t know why, but his once anxious heart seemed to slowly settle down.


    This child, she had a plan.


    If she won¡¯t say, then so be it.


    However, Gu Qingfeng still said calmly, ¡°I will give you the Red Spirit Jade Marrow when I see the person you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Hearing this, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t mind it too much.


    The secret of the Mysterious Dragon Box should be the Gu Family¡¯s secret. If she were to open it now, and there was something incredible inside, and Gu Qingfeng, in a moment of confusion, shared it with Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng, she would be infuriated.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Gu Qingfeng and put on her peace Buddha pendant; after enduring so many blows, she was still unharmed.

 Chapter 206 - 206 206 Cigarette Rosy Clouds Jadeite and

    ?Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Cigarette, Rosy Clouds, Jadeite and Wooden Key Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Cigarette, Rosy Clouds, Jadeite and Wooden Key It must be said, the power of this peace Buddha pendant is truly great.


    The head of the Qin Family is indeed a lucky man.


    And this good fortune came from the descendants of the son he had driven out of his house.


    One wonders what his feelings will be once he knows the truth.


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly began to speak, her smile brimming, ¡°Old Patriarch, seeing that you are in good spirits, I feel relieved. I must be going now. Take care of yourself. As soon as you¡¯re discharged, we¡¯ll set out.¡±


    Having said that, Gu Qiaoqiao was about to walk out of the ward.


    Gu Qingfeng hurriedly stopped Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, wait a moment.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao halted her steps and looked back at Gu Qingfeng with surprise.


    What does this mean, has he had a change of heart?


    Gu Qingfeng, looking a bit flushed from his haste, said to Uncle Gu, ¡°Go get my tobacco-colored Jadeite and the wooden key.¡±


    Uncle Gu was startled; that tobacco-colored Jadeite was the prized possession of the Old Patriarch, and that wooden key was a pass to enter the Jade Carving Workshop behind Yubao Square.


    Gu Jiansheng did not have one.


    Thus, even if he had entered Yubao Square, it was only a storefront.


    The real Jade Carving Workshop was still in the hands of the Old Patriarch.


    However, lately, the Old Patriarch had the will but not the strength, which left Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng to show off their power within Yubao Square.


    But today, unexpectedly, the old man was also going to give these two beloved items to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Could it be that the Old Patriarch¡¯s thoughts were similar to what he had just guessed, that Gu Dashan might be Gu Kun?


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, his own great-granddaughter.


    His legitimate great-granddaughter!


    He strode into the study next door.


    Picking up the items the Old Patriarch had mentioned, he handed them to Gu Qingfeng.


    Gu Qingfeng then beckoned to Gu Qiaoqiao with a gentle and loving voice, ¡°Come here, Qiaoqiao.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated only briefly before walking over confidently, smiling at Gu Qingfeng, ¡°Old Patriarch, what do you need me for?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng passed a paper box to Gu Qiaoqiao, and then a large wooden key, ¡°Inside this paper box is a tobacco-colored Jadeite, which I discovered deep in the Jade Mine thirty years ago. Today I give it to you. And this wooden key¡ªit¡¯s a pass into the Jade Carving Workshop. With it, you can see for yourself how the master craftsmen carve the Jade Carvings.¡±


    ¡°The Jade Carving Workshop?¡± asked Gu Qiaoqiao in surprise. ¡°Is it in Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s on another street in Antique Street. If you want to go, call Uncle Gu to take you. There¡¯s a master who has followed me for fifty years. Even though your skills now surpass theirs, there is a saying that one should learn as long as one lives. They always have something you can learn from.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the two items in her hand, her eyes full of suspicion as she turned towards Gu Qingfeng. Why would he give her such important items? Had he guessed something?


    But if he had guessed, why not speak of it?


    Could there be something unspeakable?


    That shouldn¡¯t be the case.


    Looking at Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression, there was no probing, only gentleness and affection.


    He truly wanted to give her these two items.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened the box, and a piece of Jadeite, as beautiful as clouds dyed by the sunset, appeared before her.


    As big as a baby¡¯s fist, it shimmered with a dazzling light that made one¡¯s heart tremble.


    Indeed, it was a top-grade jade.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gently caressed it, feeling a breath that intimately connected with her fingertips silently spreading.


    Gu Qiaoqiao closed the box; one must not refuse a gift from an elder.


    She picked up the wooden key; in fact, the most valuable item should be the wooden key.


    With this, I can freely enter and leave the Jade Carving Workshop.


    I¡¯ve never heard of the Jade Carving Workshop before, but seeing the Old Patriarch being so cautious about it, I guess that place must be very important.


    The Jade Carving Workshop, just by the name, you can tell what it does, and I¡¯m quite interested in that.


    Gu Qiaoqiao accepted the two items graciously and carefully put them in her bag, then said softly to Gu Qingfeng, ¡°Then I¡¯ll accept these without hesitation, thank you.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng nodded gently but spoke up again, ¡°Qiaoqiao, can you come to visit me when you¡¯re free?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback.


    She nodded immediately, ¡°Of course, as long as you don¡¯t find me bothersome.¡±


    ¡°How could I? I¡¯d be delighted,¡± Gu Qingfeng hurriedly explained.


    Uncle Gu drove Gu Qiaoqiao home again. On the way, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Qiaoqiao, that old lady you mentioned, has she lost her memory, or is she ill?¡±


    ¡°Her health is indeed not great, but I heard from Aunt Zhao that when she saw her as a child, she already couldn¡¯t remember her own family.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhao?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s an orphan picked up by the elderly lady. They have depended on each other for decades. She¡¯s a very good person, kind at heart, and she takes very good care of Grandma Yu.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uncle Gu let out a quiet sigh of relief.


    No matter who that person is, perhaps they could find clues about the Second Lady.


    But had the Second Lady and the young master become separated?


    Otherwise, why weren¡¯t they together?


    Or perhaps, the young master was actually with the Second Lady, and Grandma Yu was merely an outsider who had a Jade Pocket Watch that belonged to the Second Lady.


    Uncle Gu hid his thoughts and said gently, ¡°The elderly lady has turned misfortune into a blessing.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied noncommittally.


    If Grandma Yu truly was her Great Grandma, how could this be considered turning misfortune into a blessing?


    If she hadn¡¯t left, she wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer so much even with the Gu family¡¯s wealth and privilege.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneered at this thought.


    But Uncle Gu was a good person.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and stayed quiet.


    Uncle Gu made sure Gu Qiaoqiao got home safely.


    He was very careful the whole way.


    Gu Qiaoqiao noticed this and couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could the Old Patriarch¡¯s car accident really have been deliberately caused?


    Sigh, was Gu Qingfeng experiencing the miseries of old heroes?


    She then felt that the Old Patriarch had shot himself in the foot, reaping what he sowed.


    If he hadn¡¯t taken a Second Lady, none of these events would have happened.


    And to make the once supremely wealthy owner of Yubao Square marry a woman carrying another man¡¯s child, that Ning Wanru must be quite something.


    So, there are causes and effects, it¡¯s also kind of a cyclical retribution, isn¡¯t it?


    When they reached the entrance to the Qin Family estate, Uncle Gu stopped the car. Gu Qiaoqiao got out, and Uncle Gu said affectionately, ¡°Qiaoqiao, when you want to go to Yubao Square, just give me a call. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Uncle Gu.¡±


    ¡°Go inside, or Old Madam Qin will start worrying.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao waved at Uncle Gu with a smile, pressed her bag, and watched Uncle Gu¡¯s car drive off until it disappeared from view. Then she turned and entered the Qin Family¡¯s courtyard.

 Chapter 207 - 207 207 I Regret It

    ?Chapter 207: Chapter 207 I Regret It Chapter 207: Chapter 207 I Regret It When Uncle Gu drove back, he found that Gu Qingfeng¡¯s mental state seemed much better than it had in the morning.


    There was a spark in his eyes that wasn¡¯t there usually.


    Uncle Gu was pleased.


    He took a seat on the chair and poured a glass of water for Gu Qingfeng.


    Gu Qingfeng took the glass, looked at his old partner, and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°If Gu Qiaoqiao is indeed the descendant of the young master, our Gu Family finally has someone to carry on the legacy,¡± Uncle Gu said with relief.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Qingfeng nodded, ¡°Just now I was thinking, Gu Dashan might really be my Kunkun. Look, Kunkun¡¯s nickname is ¡®Mountain Man,¡¯ and if you add one stroke to the character for ¡®man,¡¯ it becomes ¡®big.¡¯ Therefore, he renamed himself Gu Dashan.¡±


    Uncle Gu was taken aback and felt deeply saddened upon further thought.


    Gu Qingfeng continued with a mournful voice, ¡°But he¡¯s already dead, died before me, so I¡¯d rather believe that Gu Qiaoqiao has no relation to me at all.¡±


    No relation, which also indirectly proved that his son was still alive.


    ¡°Old Patriarch, don¡¯t overthink this. Once you¡¯re feeling better, we will go out and investigate it ourselves. This time we¡¯ll be prepared. Whoever dares to stop us will taste our methods,¡± said Uncle Gu, his calm demeanor hiding a fierce resolve.


    A tiger doesn¡¯t show its might and is mistaken for a sick cat?


    ¡°How is the Zhang Yi issue being handled?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s already taken care of. That deputy mine manager really took a fall this time. There are too many people wanting to settle scores with him. I reckon he won¡¯t dare show his face in Diannan for the next ten years, and the rest of the small fry, fearing involvement, have trickled away¡­¡±


    The Jade Mine had been thoroughly dealt with.


    What remained was for our own people to manage it properly.


    ¡°Good,¡± Gu Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction, then continued, ¡°Once Zhang Yi is back, we¡¯ll start liquidating assets and mortgage the North Mountain Villa and Yubao Square to the bank to finance the investment into the Hetian Jade Mine in Xinjiang.¡±


    Aren¡¯t the mines in Xinjiang¡¯s Hetian known as a bottomless pit?


    Uncle Gu naturally knew of the place. Exploiting it would require significant manpower, physical resources, and financial investment.


    And whether they could find high-quality jade stones still depended on luck.


    Upon further consideration, Uncle Gu understood the key point.


    He nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright, once he returns, we¡¯ll proceed with the plan.¡±


    It was only at this moment that Uncle Gu realized how important it was to have all the property deeds in his own hands.


    If Ning Wanru hadn¡¯t been so greedy and hadn¡¯t revealed her wild ambitions so early, perhaps the Old Patriarch would have left the villa to her before he died.


    What a pity.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not look into the fake Gu Kun for now. Besides Ning Wanru, no one else would have orchestrated such a complex series of schemes. She was always with Lady Yu in the early years; getting her hands on that Jade Pendant wasn¡¯t impossible. Besides, if it had been arranged by someone else, how could Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng have accepted it so quietly?¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t the fake Gu Kun dead?¡± Uncle Gu raised his doubts.


    ¡°That¡¯s because they saw me wake up again, heard me say those words that day. Others may not understand, but Ning Wanru certainly could,¡± Gu Qingfeng replied.


    Uncle Gu fell silent for a moment before nodding, ¡°I understand.¡±


    With Uncle Gu¡¯s assistance, Gu Qingfeng lay down once more and spoke softly, ¡°I must recover quickly, I must. Starting now, I will follow the doctor¡¯s advice and cooperate fully with the treatment. With this determination, I will surely achieve it.¡±


    Uncle Gu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, remembering the Old Patriarch¡¯s recent ordeals, and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you regret giving the Second Lady a status, giving Gu Cheng a home?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng stared at the ceiling above, and after a long while, he muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t regret giving her the status and Gu Cheng a family, I personally promised Brother Chang that. But I do regret giving them too much, human greed is insatiable. I shouldn¡¯t have given them what never belonged to them in the first place, that I regret¡­¡±


    In his low voice was an endless sense of regret.


    Uncle Gu arranged the quilt for Gu Qingfeng and said softly, ¡°Old Patriarch, that¡¯s all in the past, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Look forward, everything will be alright.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng sighed, his health may have improved, but today¡¯s events still required him to calm his mind and think things through.


    He slowly closed his eyes.


    Meanwhile, at the North Mountain Villa, Ning Wanru was staring fiercely at a Gold Jade Stone Carving.


    No one was present at this time.


    She gritted her teeth and cursed, cursed Gu Qiaoqiao, and cursed the piece of worthless rock in front of her that was valued at two hundred thousand.


    She then reached out to grab the Gold Jade Stone Carving, but suddenly felt a pain as if her hand was pricked by a needle.


    She quickly put down the Gold Jade Stone Carving.


    Her brow furrowed tightly, indeed, this wretched stone clashed with her.


    And just like its owner, this wretched stone was also lowly.


    The more Ning Wanru thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt all over her body. She stood up, intending to take a bath, when she heard hurried footsteps outside.


    Turning her head, she saw it was Steward Wu.


    Ning Wanru frowned, staring at the approaching Steward Wu with displeasure, suddenly feeling irritable, yet she suppressed the urge to scold him.


    Hurriedly walking closer, Steward Wu stopped in front of Ning Wanru and said in a low voice, ¡°Second Lady, I just got a call, Uncle Gu drove to the Qin Family and took Gu Qiaoqiao to the hospital. He was there for over an hour before taking her back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ning Wanru suddenly raised her voice, shrill and piercing, startling Steward Wu.


    Seeing Ning Wanru¡¯s expression, he hurriedly repeated the news.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s face darkened.


    She cursed viciously, ¡°They¡¯re all useless, how did they let them meet? Why didn¡¯t anyone stop them?¡±


    Steward Wu bowed his head and said nothing.


    Ning Wanru spoke again, ¡°This old bastard just won¡¯t die, how come he can¡¯t be taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Second Lady?¡± Steward Wu felt it necessary to remind Ning Wanru, but before he could finish, Ning Wanru interrupted him. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s voice carried sharpness and rage, ¡°What Second Lady, the Gu Family has only one lady, and that¡¯s me.¡±


    After speaking, she began to breathe heavily from her chest.


    She seemed quite uncomfortable.


    After a while, Steward Wu still asked with concern, ¡°Madam, your mood is not good today, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ning Wanru seemed to realize only then, and waved her hand at Steward Wu, ¡°Never mind, never mind, let me have some quiet,¡±


    After speaking, she staggered toward her own bedroom.


    Steward Wu could not follow her, he could only watch her with concern until Ning Wanru¡¯s figure disappeared from sight, then he turned his gaze to the Gold Jade Stone Carving on the coffee table.


    It truly was a masterpiece of Jade Carving.

 Chapter 208 - 208 208 This Might Be the Person Ning Wanru

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 208: This Might Be the Person Ning Wanru Sent to Supervise Her Chapter 208: Chapter 208: This Might Be the Person Ning Wanru Sent to Supervise Her Actually, if we¡¯re talking about the collection value, two hundred thousand isn¡¯t that expensive. However, since the carver of the jade carving is Gu Qiaoqiao, even the best items turn into junk.


    Still, Gu Qiaoqiao was quite the character, truly daring to ask for the sky.


    He glanced one more time, then turned and left.


    Since Ning Wanru didn¡¯t order anyone to be killed, they had no way to stop Uncle Gu from going to the Qin Family to pick someone up.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao made a few simple dishes for Grandma Qin, and after the two had eaten, Gu Qiaoqiao called Luo Fan.


    Luo Fan was still in the city of the North, having just returned from Stone Town.


    Chang Qing had scored very well, securing the top rank in the province.


    This time, Luo Fan took Chang Qing to the city, arranging for him to work in a hotel.


    They provided room and board, and the treatment was quite good.


    After hearing Luo Fan¡¯s account, Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and said, ¡°Chang Qing is a grateful and good kid; you helped him, and he won¡¯t forget you.¡±


    Luo Fan also smiled, nodded in agreement, and after speaking a few words, Gu Qiaoqiao talked to him about her father¡¯s book.


    ¡°I also think it¡¯s been suppressed for too long, because there aren¡¯t many manuscripts now. I even heard Director Yu recently complaining about a severe shortage of manuscripts. He even asked me if I knew any writers because he wanted to commission some work¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the magazine office this afternoon,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said softly.


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead. They start work at one-thirty. I¡¯ll call Director Yu right away, and you can look for him directly when you get there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks for that.¡±


    ¡°Why thank me? If anyone, my grandfather and I should be thanking you,¡± Luo Fan said meaningfully.


    Upon thinking it over, Gu Qiaoqiao realized that was true.


    Then she started discussing other matters with Luo Fan, everything was fine at home, and she felt at ease.


    After she hung up the phone, Gu Qiaoqiao was musing that, according to the timeline, the manuscript was clearly being suppressed.


    After experiencing so much, Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but wonder if someone had tampered with it.


    Glancing at the time, Gu Qiaoqiao picked up her purse and left the house.


    Just as she was walking out of the compound, Big Yellow was visibly agitated. Since her return, Gu Qiaoqiao had been the one feeding him and Mao Mao.


    Hence, Big Yellow and Mao Mao were very close to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Every time they saw Gu Qiaoqiao, they would excitedly crowd around her, jumping up and down.


    Then they would eagerly wait for Gu Qiaoqiao to run her fingers through their fur, both the big and the small one.


    Gu Qiaoqiao even thought, at this rate, perhaps Big Yellow and Mao Mao might turn into spirits.


    But today something was off.


    They were restlessly circling in front of and behind Gu Qiaoqiao, then both dashed towards the gate.


    Big Yellow was tied up.


    The yard of Qin Family Old Residence was large, and many people here kept dogs.


    The Qin Family was no exception.


    And this Big Yellow was a descendant of a military dog, very powerful.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a stir in her heart.


    Then she looked toward the firmly closed iron gate. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at Big Yellow again, feeling that although Big Yellow was anxious, he still seemed eager to dash.


    Gu Qiaoqiao unleashed Big Yellow¡¯s chain, and once free of restraint, he shot towards the gate like an arrow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao called out softly, ¡°Big Yellow, stop!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t be at ease with Big Yellow in this state; what if he went out and bit someone.


    However, Big Yellow was quite clever.


    After hearing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice, Mao Mao became exceptionally obedient, just like Big Yellow. They stood side by side, both looking up at Gu Qiaoqiao as if they were soldiers listening to their commanding officer¡¯s speech.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but smile, then she reassuredly opened the gate.


    With both dogs, she stood outside the Qin Family¡¯s main entrance.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sharp eyes caught a panicked figure flickering at the corner.


    Considering what she had seen the day before, Gu Qiaoqiao knew this was likely someone Ning Wanru had sent to spy on her.


    There was no question about it.


    It was normal for Ning Wanru to send someone to watch her in order to control their family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that the best course of action would be to severe Ning Wanru¡¯s overreaching hands to teach them a lesson, so they would think twice before trying anything again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao reached out and gently patted Big Yellow¡¯s head, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt anyone, just scare the bad guys a bit.¡±


    Big Yellow seemed to understand and wagged his tail.


    Gu Qiaoqiao let go of her hand.


    Big Yellow dashed toward the corner, and Mao Mao, despite his short legs, was equally fast.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also quickly ran toward that direction.


    Without a doubt, someone had been lurking at the door and spying, which had attracted Big Yellow¡¯s attention.


    Suddenly, frantic footsteps and a man¡¯s blustering scolding were heard.


    By that time, Gu Qiaoqiao had gotten closer and then saw Big Yellow furiously barking at two men in their thirties.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pretended to scold, ¡°Big Yellow¡­¡±


    Big Yellow obediently stopped barking but still glared fiercely at the two men.


    Seeing an owner approaching, and a pretty young girl at that, the men felt emboldened, ¡°Young lady, keep your vicious dog in check, or else, if it bites someone, we won¡¯t be so courteous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although Big Yellow is descended from military dogs, he never bites indiscriminately. He¡¯s very well-behaved. However, he has an excellent memory. If someone looks through my house¡¯s gate into the inside, he will remember that person instantly, and every time he sees them, he¡¯ll bite¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao said slowly.


    The two men exchanged glances, and at that moment, many people were coming and going. But these two dogs were only focused on them. Feeling guilty, both men turned and walked away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched the two men¡¯s retreating figures and then turned with Big Yellow and Mao Mao towards the Qin Family¡¯s courtyard.


    After rewarding the two dogs with big bones, Gu Qiaoqiao closed the gate and headed towards the bus station.


    The magazine company was about an hour¡¯s bus ride from there. Gu Qiaoqiao arrived at a public bus station near the magazine company at one in the afternoon.


    If it weren¡¯t for her previous life spent in the Imperial Capital, Gu Qiaoqiao would definitely have been lost.


    From what she remembered, it was the opposite direction of the south.


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked there.


    Five minutes later, she arrived at the entrance of the magazine company.


    The building of the magazine company looked a bit old, but the surrounding landscape was very picturesque.


    There were locust trees and flowering pears around, and not far away, there were clusters of rose bushes.


    At that moment, the large flowers were blooming vigorously in the sunlight.


    The entrance was also shaded by green trees.


    Gu Qiaoqiao greeted the elderly doorman, and just as she announced her name, he immediately let her in.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao reached the third floor, she saw that one of the office doors was open.


    She glanced at the sign above: Director¡¯s Office.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao approached, before she could even knock, the person inside seemed to sense her presence and said loud and clear, ¡°It¡¯s Gu Qiaoqiao, isn¡¯t it? Come in, come in.¡±


    With a smile, Gu Qiaoqiao walked inside.

 Chapter 209 - 209 209 The Manuscript in Gu Yajings Hands

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 209 The Manuscript in Gu Yajing¡¯s Hands Chapter 209: Chapter 209 The Manuscript in Gu Yajing¡¯s Hands ¡°I am Gu Qiaoqiao, Director Yu, hello,¡± she said.


    ¡°No need to be so formal, please, have a seat,¡± Director Yu greeted warmly.


    This was a slightly chubby middle-aged man with glasses and a constantly smiling face.


    He wasn¡¯t very tall, but he was very kind.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t act coy and sat down straightforwardly, stating her purpose.


    Director Yu calculated the time and figured that, if there hadn¡¯t been any delays, the letter should have arrived at least half a month ago.


    And the submissions from half a month ago had already been reviewed.


    Currently, only submissions from the past three days were being reviewed.


    Moreover, they were in desperate need of manuscripts.


    It was unlikely that anything had been held back.


    Director Yu made a phone call to the security guard to check the manuscripts received in the past twenty days. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he started chatting with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After learning the general content of what Gu Tianfeng had written, Director Yu¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled.


    The theme was very novel.


    If the writing and the plot were handled well, it might be worth a look.


    Suddenly, a phone call came from outside, telling Director Yu that a letter had been received from Northern Qingshui County Shitou Town Middle School seventeen days ago.


    Director Yu frowned. Seventeen days ago, he hadn¡¯t received any submissions from that place, which meant it must have been so poorly written that it was rejected at the first stage.


    Director Yu was rather conflicted.


    This was someone Luo Fan personally asked him to take care of, so he had to respect Luo Fan¡¯s request.


    But if it was too poorly written, he wouldn¡¯t be able to justify it to the readers.


    He had to be responsible for the readers.


    Thus, Director Yu felt quite troubled.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had heard the content of the phone call and knew that it had arrived seventeen days ago, but Director Yu did not know.


    This could only mean that there was a problem with one of the editors.


    Perhaps, the book did not suit the editor¡¯s taste.


    Possibly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at Director Yu and said, ¡°Director Yu, don¡¯t trouble yourself. Just have someone bring that manuscript here. Let¡¯s take another look, and if it¡¯s still not up to standard, I¡¯ll gladly take it back with no issues¡­¡±


    Director Yu liked Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s suggestion and visibly relaxed.


    He then called the editor responsible for submissions from the north to bring over the manuscript.


    However, the editor said they had never received any manuscripts from that area.


    This was very odd.


    Director Yu felt embarrassed; failing at the review stage was a matter of the manuscript¡¯s quality, but losing the manuscript was a problem on the magazine¡¯s part.


    Director Yu called the editor he had spoken with earlier, asking her to immediately check where the manuscript had gone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao remained silent.


    However, she felt fortunate that there was another copy at home; otherwise, had her father written tens of thousands of words in vain?


    At the same time, she was curious: where could a manuscript that had been received by the security guard have gone?


    Director Yu and Gu Qiaoqiao chatted off and on, but he was actually quite annoyed inside.


    After such a long time, how could it still not be found?


    As he was growing anxious, the sound of high heels approached from outside, and a woman in her thirties entered the office.


    Director Yu didn¡¯t wait for her to speak and eagerly asked, ¡°Xiao Wang, did you find it?¡±


    Xiao Wang nodded, glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, but hesitated.


    Director Yu knew that things were tough now and, somewhat displeased, said, ¡°Speak up. What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°The manuscript was indeed received, but now it¡¯s in Deputy Director Gu¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°Why is it in her hands?¡± Director Yu¡¯s expression turned stern immediately.


    He and Deputy Director Gu each managed different aspects; he oversaw the manuscripts, while she handled personnel and logistics.


    She had never seen her look at a manuscript before. What the heck is she doing with the author¡¯s manuscript?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    The surname Gu?


    Now, she instinctively felt wary about anyone with the surname Gu.


    Xiao Wang said uncomfortably, ¡°She¡¯s the director. She asked to see a manuscript. How could I refuse her?¡±


    ¡°What else did she look at?¡±


    ¡°Just this one.¡±


    Director Yu furrowed his brow, ¡°You can go back first.¡±


    Xiao Wang glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and then quickly left.


    But he felt a bit of schadenfreude that the haughty woman might be in trouble this time.


    She didn¡¯t have the expertise yet she recklessly interfered, and now she had upset Director Yu.


    Director Yu calmed his emotions and then called Deputy Director Gu.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t hear what the other party was saying, but she could tell that Director Yu¡¯s face was getting darker and darker. Finally, from between clenched teeth, Director Yu squeezed out a few words, ¡°Please ask Deputy Director Gu to search thoroughly, ensure it is found, and then bring it to my office.¡±


    After speaking, he hung up the phone with a click.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled, ¡°Director Yu, I apologize for bothering you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no bother. The manuscript is with Deputy Director Gu, it will be brought over soon,¡± said Director Yu with a strained expression.


    It was a weak explanation. He couldn¡¯t smooth things over.


    Saying that the Deputy Director loved talent and took the initiative to review the manuscript, but why only this one and for as long as seventeen days?


    And he was completely unaware of it.


    Regardless of the quality of the manuscript, this wasn¡¯t within her jurisdiction.


    Thus, Director Yu could only wait for Deputy Director Gu to deliver the manuscript.


    Meanwhile, Gu Yajing, annoyed, was staring at the manuscript placed inside a large leather envelope.


    Her older brother had called a while ago, instructing her to intercept an email from Stone Town Middle School.


    And to keep it.


    After she intercepted it and opened it, she found it was really well written, simply irresistible.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t versed in this field, she knew that if it were published, it would definitely make a sensation.


    Especially now when there is a severe shortage of manuscripts.


    But her elder brother had spoken: no matter the quality, this manuscript must be held back.


    Though she didn¡¯t know the exact reason, her brother¡¯s words, just like their grandmother¡¯s, were absolutely to be followed.


    But what should she do now?


    Director Yu specifically asked for this manuscript.


    Having no choice, she had to call her brother, but unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t reach him.


    Gu Yajing reluctantly, holding the envelope fiercely, walked toward Director Yu¡¯s office.


    Only upon arrival did she realize there was another person in the room.


    It was a young girl wearing a white blouse and capri pants, with a ponytail, looking refreshing and beautiful, radiating a compelling youthful aura.


    Gu Yajing was taken aback.


    She wondered if this could be the owner of the manuscript?


    Impossible.


    Director Yu calmly received the manuscript and looked at the address; indeed, it came from the Northern Stone Town Middle School.


    He placed the manuscript on the table, wishing to ask something but instead said sternly, ¡°You can go back first. I will need to talk to you later.¡±


    Gu Yajing also realized the matter wasn¡¯t so simple. If no one came looking, it might be fine, but what if the owner of the manuscript came? It would be hard to explain.


    She turned around, her sharp gaze falling on the girl who had already stood up.


    A hint of scorn flashed in her eyes, and then, lifting her head slightly, she walked past Gu Qiaoqiao with an air of arrogance.

 Chapter 210 - 210 210 Almost Their Magazine Almost Missed a

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Almost, Their Magazine Almost Missed a Good Book Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Almost, Their Magazine Almost Missed a Good Book Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice crisply broke the silence, ¡°Deputy Director Gu, please wait.¡±


    Gu Yajing stopped, asking unhappily, ¡°What for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the woman before her. Could this be a member of Gu Cheng¡¯s family?


    She couldn¡¯t be sure, but regardless of who it was, no one had the right to withhold an author¡¯s manuscript.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of good or bad.


    ¡°I would like to ask, Deputy Director Gu, have you read this manuscript?¡±


    Gu Yajing was startled, then, irate, retorted, ¡°Is that any of your business?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is my business. This book was written by my father, who spent a great deal of effort on it. I assume Deputy Director Gu took this manuscript for no other purpose than to read it, is that not so?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Yajing was somewhat embarrassed and very much wanted to curse out loud, but considering this was Director Yu¡¯s office, she suppressed her rage, ¡°I am very busy, I don¡¯t have time to talk to you¡­¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, she hurriedly walked towards the door.


    Behind her came Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, ¡°Deputy Director Gu, my father¡¯s manuscript has been in your hands for seventeen days. I hope you can give me an explanation for this.¡±


    Gu Yajing stopped in her tracks, a cold smile on her lips, she said arrogantly, ¡°Do you even know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suppressed her heartbeat, calmly pressing on.


    ¡°You¡¯re not qualified to know yet.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao laughed derisively, what an arrogant woman, ¡°Even if you are the favored daughter of heaven, I still require a reasonable explanation for this matter, otherwise, I will not let it go.¡±


    Gu Yajing¡¯s face darkened, she glared viciously at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°You have no idea how high the sky is, or how deep the earth is, huh¡­¡±


    After a cold snort, she hurried away.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao turn to look at Director Yu and realized that he was intently reading the book written by her father.


    No wonder there was no reaction from the old man while she had been verbally sparring with Deputy Director Gu earlier on.


    Gu Qiaoqiao settled back down in her seat.


    Picking up a magazine lying nearby, she began to read leisurely.


    Half an hour later, perhaps as the plot reached a calmer transition, Director Yu reluctantly set the manuscript aside.


    And then, he noticed Gu Qiaoqiao, who was leisurely enjoying her magazine.


    Luckily, this child showed up.


    They had almost missed out on a great book at the publishing house.


    It almost didn¡¯t need editing and could be serialized directly. He believed it would definitely be loved by readers.


    Just like he did.


    Once the young lady left, he intended to brew a cup of clear tea, then close his office and properly enjoy the forthcoming plot.


    Director Yu knew, a good book was a good book, and that was without mentioning the connection with the Luo Family.


    ¡°This book is written excellently. Your father¡¯s writing is good, and his cultural foundation is profound, worthy of being a middle school Chinese teacher. It doesn¡¯t need any editing; we will start serializing it next month.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes brightened with joy, ¡°Then I thank you on behalf of my father.¡±


    ¡°I will discuss the subsequent matters with your father personally.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, ¡°Director Yu, I hope you can give me an account concerning Deputy Director Gu¡¯s actions. You¡¯ve read the book, and your assessment matches my thoughts. So, what was Deputy Director Gu¡¯s purpose in withholding the manuscript?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± How would he know?


    ¡°Moreover, it was specifically my father¡¯s manuscript that was requested, which seems highly targeted. I hope you handle this matter appropriately, otherwise, I will take the book away. I believe gold will shine wherever it goes.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao threatened lightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Gu. Your father¡¯s book is indeed a good one; there¡¯s no doubting that. About Deputy Director Gu¡¯s actions, I will definitely investigate thoroughly, please rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Director Yu, this is not a minor issue. This is abuse of power. If a deputy director at the magazine can arbitrarily suppress manuscripts from all over the country, then who will dare to submit their work to the magazine in the future?¡±


    Sweat began to appear on Director Yu¡¯s face.


    He picked up the handkerchief and wiped away, cursing Gu Yajing in his heart, the type who was great at messing things up but not at getting them done, who, riding on her family¡¯s connections, had landed the position of a deputy director at such a young age.


    She was quite arrogant here.


    Usually, there were not many conflicts of interest, so everyone turned a blind eye, but not today.


    Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t going to let things go.


    After all, anyone would be upset if the article they had worked so hard on was inexplicably suppressed.


    This matter must be dealt with seriously.


    Besides, it was also an opportunity to knock down Gu Yajing¡¯s arrogance a peg or two.


    Thinking this, Director Yu nodded eagerly, his expression grave, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely give your father a satisfactory explanation.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll await your news,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you any further. Once it¡¯s dealt with, just inform Luo Fan of the outcome.¡±


    Using someone¡¯s influence like wrapping oneself in their banner, she could do it too.


    Moreover, she knew it would achieve twice the result with half the effort.


    Why were Ning Wanru and Gu Chengzhi so arrogant if not for their wealth and power?


    If they were just ordinary small traders on East Gate Street, they wouldn¡¯t have had the ability to cause so much trouble.


    At the end of the day, it was because they had the capability.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao said her piece, she switched tones unexpectedly, smiling sincerely once again as she thanked Director Yu.


    Only then did she leave the magazine office.


    At the entrance, she ran into Gu Yajing, who was on her way out. That woman glared fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s sharp gaze met hers, her dark eyes seemingly carrying a chilling dread.


    It made Gu Yajing¡¯s heart thump several times over.


    By the time she regained her senses, Gu Qiaoqiao had already leisurely walked towards the bus stop.


    Gu Yajing glared fiercely once more at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s retreating figure, proudly walking towards her own car.


    Hmph, she still had to squeeze onto the bus when going out, yet she was so arrogant. She thought she was the Golden Phoenix of some family but turned out to be nothing but a common sparrow.


    She drove away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took the bus home.


    By the time she got home, it was already four in the afternoon.


    She also bought some vegetables from the nearby market on the way.


    It wasn¡¯t until she arrived at the Qin Family¡¯s courtyard that she realized there was a motorcycle parked at the entrance.


    It was black, with sleek and smooth lines, apparently a very famous brand from abroad.


    It belonged to Chu Chengfeng.


    Had he come?


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickened her pace and entered the yard.


    Sure enough, from afar, she could hear Grandma Qin¡¯s laughter.


    Chu Chengfeng and Qin Yize had grown up together and often visited the Qin household, naturally making him very familiar with the Qin family members.


    Gu Qiaoqiao entered the house.


    After greeting Chu Chengfeng, she picked up the vegetables and headed to the kitchen where Grandma Qin cheerfully said, ¡°Chengfeng, have dinner at our place tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sister-in-law¡¯s cooking is awesome. I had it once over the New Year and I¡¯ve been thinking about it ever since,¡± Chu Chengfeng replied happily, nodding his head.

 Chapter 211 - 211 211 Tell the Truth to Father

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Tell the Truth to Father Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Tell the Truth to Father Gu Qiaoqiao chimed in, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll make something delicious for you tonight.¡±


    After saying that, Gu Qiaoqiao indeed started to check the kitchen.


    It wasn¡¯t bad; there were fish, meat, and even shrimp.


    Gu Qiaoqiao began to wash the vegetables.


    Grandma Qin came into the kitchen and said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Let Grandma pick the vegetables. You go to the living room, Chengfeng says he has something to ask you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, washed her hands, and went to the living room.


    Sure enough, the information he had asked her to find was all gathered.


    And quite quickly too.


    But actually, it was not that hard to investigate, since everyone came from the same circle, and the basic information was common knowledge.


    Plus, with professional help, it had only taken two days to get a clear picture.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the information in her hands.


    She forcefully suppressed the turmoil in her heart.


    What stirred such emotion in her was not the confirmation that Gu Yajing was indeed Gu Cheng¡¯s eldest daughter, but rather that the new general manager of Lan Cheng Fashion Trading Company in Qingshui County was actually Gu Cheng¡¯s eldest son.


    It was said to be an exercise stint at Ning Wanru¡¯s branch company.


    Ning Wanru¡¯s company had many branches, all over the country, but why did it happen to be Qingshui County?


    If this was supposed to be a coincidence, probably not even a ghost would believe it.


    Chu Chengfeng glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and, wisely, did not ask why she needed this family¡¯s information.


    However, Qin Yize had specifically cautioned that as long as Gu Qiaoqiao asked, he should help if it was within his power, and not ask for reasons if not.


    ¡°Sis-in-law, if there¡¯s anything else I can help with, just say the word,¡± Chu Chengfeng offered generously.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put away the information and said with a smile, ¡°Nothing else for now, it¡¯s all good, thank you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for? It¡¯s just a small matter,¡± Chu Chengfeng replied nonchalantly, waving his hand before he seemed to remember something, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up, ¡°Sis-in-law, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Go ahead,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said to Chu Chengfeng in a clear voice.


    ¡°Remember how you beat Zhao Xiaoming last time? That guy can¡¯t accept it and has found an archery expert, declaring that he wants to challenge you again.¡±


    Another challenge?


    Not interested.


    Besides, if he wants to compete, let him. She didn¡¯t have the spare time to amuse him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao declined directly.


    Chu Chengfeng was not surprised, but he continued, ¡°He¡¯s been spouting off to no avail. If he gets too annoying, a good thrashing will set him straight.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled.


    That was very much their style.


    Ready to throw punches at a moment¡¯s disagreement.


    ¡°Those who can¡¯t accept loss are no fun; I can¡¯t be bothered with him,¡± said Gu Qiaoqiao.


    ¡°He¡¯s always been like that. We can¡¯t stand him, but I heard that the person he¡¯s brought in this time is an ace from some club abroad and seems to have some connection to the Gu Family you were investigating.¡±


    ¡°Connected?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, ¡°What kind of connection?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, that person is Gu Cheng¡¯s illegitimate daughter, raised abroad and pretty good at playing the field.¡±


    Gu Cheng¡¯s illegitimate daughter?


    Know Zhao Xiaoming?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled, her brows slightly furrowed as she said to Chu Chengfeng, ¡°Is that person really that impressive?¡±


    Chu Chengfeng nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve looked at her report card, and she truly is remarkable, a standout in the archery circle¡ªshe earns a substantial prize money every year.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Chengfeng¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued, and he said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°I heard she¡¯s a legend in the archery circle. How about it? Shall we join forces to shatter that legend?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll see how things go.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That works,¡± Chengfeng nodded enthusiastically, ¡°Sis-in-law, whenever you change your mind, let me know, and I¡¯ll be your agent.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed, telling Chu Chengfeng to watch TV by himself while she took the materials to the study room.


    She dialed her family¡¯s phone, and the one to answer was Gu Tianfeng.


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could even speak, Tianfeng¡¯s excited voice came through the receiver, ¡°Qiaoqiao, my manuscript got accepted! The editor-in-chief himself called me, said it doesn¡¯t need any edits and will start serialization next month. He asked me to keep writing too. Oh, and the manuscript fee will be mailed to me tomorrow¡­¡±


    The excitement in his voice couldn¡¯t conceal his joy.


    Though Gu Qiaoqiao had known it beforehand, she was still delighted, ¡°Dad, congratulations, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, once the manuscript fee arrives, Dad will buy you new clothes to wear,¡± Gu Tianfeng promised, cajoling her like one would a child.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Dad.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao cooed involuntarily.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, how have you been recently?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s been pretty good.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao saw that Tianfeng seemed a bit more composed and said softly, ¡°Dad, I have something to tell you, but you must stay calm.¡±


    ¡°What happened, is there an issue over there?¡± Tianfeng couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quickly reassured him, ¡°Dad, no, it¡¯s about Grandpa.¡±


    She then shared her discoveries with Gu Tianfeng.


    And she laid out the situation of Gu Cheng¡¯s family in complete detail.


    Inwardly, Gu Qiaoqiao was still frightened. Her original intention was to wait until everything settled down, or at least after confirming Grandma Yu¡¯s identity, before telling her family.


    But when she found out that Gu Cheng¡¯s eldest son, Gu Jianhua, was the general manager in a company in Qingshui County, she knew it was imperative to inform her dad.


    The accident that befallen Dad definitely had Gu Jianhua¡¯s hand in it; otherwise, how could those two have effortlessly bombed the car and escaped?


    And Sun Chuxia¡¯s decision to turn herself in was certainly orchestrated by him.


    A person who could hold such a position must possess some personal abilities, not just the support of the family.


    All her relatives were there, and compared to the Imperial Capital, Stone Town was much safer.


    At the very least, they had Zhou Xing to rely on.


    So she didn¡¯t inform her father immediately, but now she couldn¡¯t keep it to herself anymore.


    Having been informed, her father would know how to take precautions.


    Because she also shared her conjectures with Tianfeng.


    After a moment of silence on the phone, Tianfeng said in a heavy tone, ¡°Qiaoqiao, I understand. It¡¯s surprising, but also expected.¡±


    ¡°Dad, did you already know?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, but I had suspected your grandfather wasn¡¯t just from an ordinary farming background. However, it was his taboo. I couldn¡¯t ask, so I dropped it. Later on, it didn¡¯t matter to me anymore.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking, Dad?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked softly.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, your analysis is spot on. For now, we should hold our forces. That Old Patriarch is also in grave danger. It¡¯s definitely not wise to rashly go to the capital now. Moreover, all of this is based on your speculation. We don¡¯t know what the Old Patriarch is really thinking. We shouldn¡¯t turn this into a farce and make it impossible to face others.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°I think the same. Dad, you must be cautious in everything and be extra vigilant in times of trouble.¡±

 Chapter 212 - 212 212 Why would his sister be in Luo Fans

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Why would his sister be in Luo Fan¡¯s office? Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Why would his sister be in Luo Fan¡¯s office? ¡°Mm, I know,¡± Qiaoqiao said, ¡°you also need to be safe in the Imperial Capital. Dad never wants a life of wealth and glory; all he wants is for our family to be safe and well.¡±


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s nose felt sore, and her voice was slightly choked up as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, our family will be safe and well for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s hang up,¡± her father said. ¡°This is all very sudden, and I need some time to calm down and digest it properly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Dad. Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Mm, Qiaoqiao, goodbye.¡±


    The father and daughter hung up the phone at the same time.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She guessed that today¡¯s news would give her father enough to ponder over the whole night.


    Gu Qiaoqiao calmed her emotions and walked out of the study with a serene demeanor.


    Dinner was still lavish, and the atmosphere was harmonious.


    Chu Chengfeng and Qin Xiaoyu bantered back and forth, while Grandma Qin watched them with a smile.


    Clearly, such scenes were commonplace.


    Nevertheless, Gu Qiaoqiao noticed that after each verbal spar with Chu Chengfeng, Qin Xiaoyu would sneak a glance at Chengfeng.


    Chengfeng, on the other hand, seemed oblivious, though he would raise an eyebrow, appearing rather smug.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought that Qin Xiaoyu was at an age when young love begins.


    Just like she had been.


    But obviously, Qin Xiaoyu would be much luckier than her.


    The night deepened.


    The watery moonlight enveloped the ancient yet youthful city.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lay quietly in bed, the window open as gentle night breezes swept through, bringing a faint coolness to the room.


    She didn¡¯t switch off the light but instead looked at the documents in her hands.


    Gu Cheng, Deputy Chief of a department in the Security Department.


    Gu Jianhua, a talented graduate of a prestigious university, joined Ning Wanru¡¯s headquarters in the Imperial Capital after graduation and was now the general manager of a branch office.


    Gu Jiansheng, a university graduate working at Yubao Square, had a passion for photography.


    Gu Yajing, deputy director of a magazine company.


    There were also two children; one in high school and another in college.


    Rumors had it that the college student was on good terms with Luo Fan, and their families were considering a marriage alliance.


    Luo Fan?


    That beautiful man with peach blossom eyes who neither smiled nor spoke much. Qianqian must like him a lot.


    If the two families were to unite in marriage, it would indeed provide a huge backing for Gu Cheng.


    A huge backing?


    Gu Qiaoqiao snorted coldly to herself.


    She set that thought aside for the moment, as Gu Yajing was of utmost importance now.


    To think she dared to delay her father¡¯s manuscript.


    She was curious to see how Director Yu would handle this.


    And ultimately, would they pull strings through Luo Fan?


    Without a second thought, she rose from her bed and made her way toward the study outside.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if she could reach Luo Fan at this hour, but it was worth a try.


    Perhaps it was fate.


    As soon as Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s call connected, the other side picked up.


    Then a girl¡¯s sweet voice rang out, ¡°Hello, who are you looking for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback and raised her voice involuntarily, ¡°Gu Qianqian!¡±


    Why would her little sister be in Luo Fan¡¯s office?


    ¡°Sister,¡± it was her sister¡¯s voice, ¡°you¡¯re Sister, Sister, I¡¯ve missed you so much, you haven¡¯t called for more than a week¡­¡±


    Gu Qianqian¡¯s crisp voice chirped cheerfully from the other end of the phone.


    But that¡¯s not the point.


    Gu Qiaoqiao neatly interrupted Gu Qianqian¡¯s endless chatter. It was nine in the evening. Why was her sister in Luo Fan¡¯s office?


    Where¡¯s Luo Fan?


    ¡°Qianqian, why are you in Luo Fan¡¯s office? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in class? Where¡¯s Luo Fan?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked in rapid succession.


    ¡°Sister, school is out for three days, so I rode with Brother Luo Fan to deliver some luggage to Brother Chang Qing. It was all prepared by our mom, and Brother Luo Fan has gone out to buy some food for Chang Qing and me¡­?¡± Gu Qianqian described in a swift torrent of words.


    ¡°Is Chang Qing with you, too?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice finally softened. So that¡¯s how it was.


    It really gave her quite a scare.


    There¡¯s no denying that Luo Fan is a good person and very outstanding, but her sister is still so young, and at an age where it¡¯s easy to be swayed by emotions.


    Right now, studying is what¡¯s most important.


    No matter if they can return to the Gu Family in the future, her sister must attend university in this lifetime.


    And it has to be the best one.


    In this lifetime, she would personally see her sister through the gates of university.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Gu Qianqian, unaware of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s thoughts, merely hummed in acknowledgment before turning to Chang Qing, who was beside her, ¡°Brother Chang Qing, Sister is on the phone. Do you want to talk to her?¡±


    The lights in Luo Fan¡¯s office were bright and shining.


    Chang Qing¡¯s gaze shifted to the phone. On the other end was his Sister Qiaoqiao.


    And he had finally realized that Sister Qiaoqiao was becoming increasingly distant from him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, he forced a smile, picked up the phone, and said with a raspy voice, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, it¡¯s Chang Qing¡­¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Gu Qiaoqiao finally completely let go of her worries. Her voice was especially cheerful, ¡°Chang Qing, I heard from Luo Fan that your exams went well, just as expected, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister Qiaoqiao, just as expected.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be the best. How¡¯s your work life going?¡±


    ¡°Very good. I no longer have to listen to scolding at mealtime. I really like my current life. Brother Luo Fan is a good man.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Brother Luo Fan is indeed not bad. And don¡¯t feel burdened. Focus on your studies and work hard. You¡¯ll become an outstanding person just like Brother Luo Fan one day.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao softly encouraged.


    ¡°I understand, Sister Qiaoqiao. How about you? How are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well.¡±


    ¡°Brother Luo Fan, you¡¯re finally back. I¡¯m so hungry I could die. Oh, and my sister is on the phone looking for you.¡± When Gu Qianqian saw Luo Fan push the door open, her sparkling eyes instantly lit up with a bright glow.


    Luo Fan thought that he had often seen literati describe someone¡¯s eyes as if they were full of sunshine.


    Bright and splendid.


    He always found it somewhat exaggerated.


    But the girl under the light, her eyes indeed looked just like that.


    He stood in the doorway, gazing at Gu Qianqian as she rushed over, eyes fixed on the food, taking it eagerly from his hands, opening a box, and hastily stuffing a small bun into her mouth.


    Her cheeks puffed out instantly.


    A twinge of guilt passed through his heart. Gu Qianqian was still a child and not used to being hungry.


    The last time he took her to eat was at three in the afternoon.


    Then, dealing with an unexpected incident, he had neglected dinner time.


    He led Gu Qianqian to the break room, placed all the food on the table, and said gently, ¡°You must be starving. It¡¯s all my fault for coming back so late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Food tastes best when you¡¯re hungry. Go take the call, Brother Luo Fan. My sister must be calling you for something important.¡±


    ¡°Alright, eat slowly. I¡¯ll take you out for a big meal tomorrow,¡± he promised.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    ¡°Is the big meal you¡¯re talking about as delicious as the ones my sister makes?¡± Gu Qianqian asked very earnestly.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t.

 Chapter 213 - 213 213 Qin Yize Like a Gust of Wind

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Qin Yize Like a Gust of Wind Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Qin Yize Like a Gust of Wind Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cooking skills were superior to those of the chefs at the restaurant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you for Western food, something that your sister definitely hasn¡¯t made for you,¡± Luo Fan changed his mind.


    Gu Qianqian nodded, her words muffled, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow. You go answer the phone, stop talking to me. I might choke.¡±


    Luo Fan couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently.


    Still, he poured water for Gu Qianqian before heading to the office on the other side.


    Upon seeing Luo Fan, Chang Qing spoke to Gu Qiaoqiao on the other end of the phone, ¡°Sister Qiaoqiao, Brother Luo Fan is back now, you guys talk.¡±


    Having said that, he handed the phone to Luo Fan.


    Luo Fan gently patted Chang Qing¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Go have dinner with Qianqian.¡±


    Chang Qing smiled, replying affirmatively and turned to head to the lounge.


    Only then did Luo Fan begin to speak, ¡°Qiaoqiao, what did you want to see me for?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao briefed Luo Fan on the events of the day.


    Luo Fan¡¯s hand tightened around the phone.


    A hint revealed the whole situation.


    He knew why Gu Qiaoqiao had called. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It must have been because she knew about the relationship between the Luo Family and the Gu Family, so she called to give a preemptive warning.


    He thought, if Gu Yajing really approached him and if he really agreed,


    then his friendship with Gu Qiaoqiao might end there.


    However, Gu Qiaoqiao only knew one side of the story.


    He had no affection at all for those two sisters from the Gu family.


    One was domineering and arrogant, the other pretentious.


    It wasn¡¯t just about Uncle Gu. Even if it had nothing to do with Uncle Gu, he wouldn¡¯t care for them.


    Luo Fan looked at Gu Qianqian, who was eating joyously in the lounge, his eyes soft, his voice playfully reassuring, ¡°Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t worry. Your Brother Luo Fan will definitely not abet the tyrant. Not only will I not help the tyrant, but I¡¯ll also uphold justice for you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt relieved.


    Upon hearing that Gu Qianqian was dining in the lounge with Chang Qing, she decided not to bother talking with the thoughtless girl.


    Instead, she talked to Luo Fan for a few more moments before hanging up.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao head back to her room, feeling at ease.


    By then, it was past ten at night. Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao feel tired. Her head hit the pillow, and she fell into a deep sleep.


    It seemed that in her deep sleep, a familiar scent approached, and Gu Qiaoqiao turned over and slept even more soundly.


    The next morning, Gu Qiaoqiao found out that Qin Yize had returned.


    He was sitting quietly on the sofa in their room¡¯s living room, looking at a document in his hands.


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao wake up, he slowly curved his lips.


    His voice slightly husky, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao murmured softly, then asked, ¡°Did you come back last night?¡±


    ¡°I came back after midnight, and I¡¯ll leave again soon.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked surprisingly, ¡°Leaving again soon?¡±


    Qin Yize nodded.


    He then set the document aside and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°How have you been recently?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao told Qin Yize about the events of the past few days.


    Qin Yize listened quietly.


    In the end, he showed an appreciative smile, ¡°Well done.¡±


    ¡°Really, do you think so?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao wasn¡¯t so sure herself, as she hadn¡¯t experienced this in her previous life.


    She didn¡¯t know if there were areas where she might have gone wrong,


    Now hearing Qin Yize say it like this, she felt utterly stable and secure.


    ¡°Yes, given your current situation, taking the initiative to reveal your identity would do more harm than good. It¡¯s been so many years, so there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, will Gu Jianhua from Qingshui County make a move against my family?¡±


    Qin Yize thought for a moment before speaking, ¡°Gu Jianhua is currently going down to train, he will cherish the feathers on his own body since he is the best candidate to inherit the entire Gu Family business. However, human hearts are unpredictable, so it¡¯s better to be careful. I¡¯ll call Zhou Xing and have him keep an eye on things.¡±


    Zhou Xing is an extremely sharp and proactive person. With him around, it seemed a lot safer.


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded and asked, ¡°When are we heading back to Border City?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll head back once the work here is arranged.¡±


    ¡°I plan to bring the Old Patriarch Gu with me when we go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Qin Yize agreed without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°I guess by then, the Old Patriarch¡¯s health will have mostly recovered.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll still drive there, it¡¯s easier to handle anything that comes up.¡±


    Qin Yize said gently.


    ¡°Was the Old Patriarch¡¯s car accident deliberate or accidental?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked.


    ¡°On the surface, it looks accidental. The other party didn¡¯t shirk any responsibility and even took the initiative to take the Old Patriarch to the hospital. Unless something unexpected happens, it should be deemed as fatigue driving.¡±


    It seemed like Ning Wanru¡¯s usual tactic.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked and said, ¡°The method seems quite familiar.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Uncle¡¯s issue, aren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There are no leads there for now, but we can target Gu Yajing. Since they dared to take Uncle¡¯s life, they shouldn¡¯t have any reservations.¡±


    Qin Yize said calmly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, it¡¯s not just Gu Tianfeng¡¯s life they are after, they want the entire Gu Family.


    She asked, ¡°Gu Yajing is abusing her power for personal gain, but at most she would just be criticized, right? How can you target her?¡±


    Criticism is trivial and ineffective.


    ¡°There¡¯s a way, just stay home and wait for news today.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and then remembered that she hadn¡¯t washed her face yet, ¡°I¡¯m going to freshen up.¡±


    After speaking, she hurried off.


    When she came out, she found Qin Yize was already eating breakfast in the dining room, and seeing his briefcase placed aside, she knew he was about to leave after breakfast.


    Seeing the weary look on his face, Gu Qiaoqiao thought, could it be that Qin Yize came back specifically to see how I was doing?


    Qin Yize was still worried, but it was much better than at first.


    He realized, although Gu Qiaoqiao was young, she was very steady in handling problems, and her attitude towards Gu Qingfeng was a mix of truth and falsehood, tangible and intangible.


    She could advance or retreat!


    After all, fifty years had passed, and Grandpa Gu had also left this world, not everything is as assumed.


    The fake Gu Kun could enter the Gu Family unimpeded because he posed no threat to Gu Cheng.


    If Gu Qiaoqiao and her family return to the Gu Family, naturally, it would require quite an effort.


    Although Gu Cheng is an adopted son, fifty years have established a legal father-son relationship, and he has the right to inherit everything from Gu Qingfeng.


    Yet, Gu Tianfeng could only come in second.


    But these are secondary.


    The important thing is, the safety of Gu Qiaoqiao and her family must be ensured.


    Although Gu Jianhua was monitoring Gu Tianfeng in Qingshui County, it was not his territory.


    It¡¯s said that even a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake.


    With Zhou Xing there, it was actually safer than in the Imperial Capital.


    Moreover, they would soon leave the Imperial Capital for Border City.


    So, the best strategy for now is to respond to changes with constancy.


    Qin Yize left like a gust of wind.


    Before leaving, he left Gu Qiaoqiao a bag full of stone bullets.

 Chapter 214 - 214 214 They Cant Cover the Sky with One Hand

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 214 They Can¡¯t Cover the Sky with One Hand Either Chapter 214: Chapter 214 They Can¡¯t Cover the Sky with One Hand Either She had left her the addresses of those two shops so she could visit them when she had nothing else to do.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put these things away and accompanied Grandma Qin in the living room to watch TV.


    During this rare leisure time, the old and the young not only watched TV together but also munched on watermelon.


    At noon, Grandma Qin cooked, making her specialty cold noodles for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The old and the young enjoyed the meal immensely.


    After eating their fill, Grandma Qin went to rest, and Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the sofa and started reading.


    She was reading her grandfather¡¯s book.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought she would visit the Jade Carving Workshop tomorrow since her current theoretical knowledge was average and her actual operations were quite limited.


    Compared to those seasoned masters, she still had a lot to learn.


    There was so much more she needed to study.


    By this time, the weather had already entered the summer season.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, reading the book and sitting in front of the fan, started to feel drowsy.


    At that moment, the telephone in the study rang.


    The ring pulled Gu Qiaoqiao back from her drowsy state.


    She stood up and walked briskly toward the study.


    It was Director Yu himself on the phone.


    He had not expected that this matter would involve several important figures.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao turned out to be Old Master Qin¡¯s great-granddaughter-in-law.


    Elder Luo had also made inquiries over the phone.


    He hoped the matter would be dealt with seriously.


    After all, for an associate director of a magazine to withhold a manuscript without any reason was an insult and blasphemy to cultural workers.


    It was causing the literati to lose trust in the magazine.


    This was no small issue, it was using power for personal gains¡­


    Many big hats, each heavy enough for Gu Yajing to suffer under.


    Director Yu, for the sake of the magazine, reported the incident to the higher-ups and did not expect to receive approval so quickly; Gu Yajing was suspended, demoted to an ordinary staff, and given a year of review as punishment.


    One stone stirred up a thousand ripples.


    This decision shocked everyone at the magazine.


    And Director Yu was the first to call the Qin Family, which was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s husband¡¯s family.


    Once he heard it was Gu Qiaoqiao answering the phone, Director Yu cheerfully told her about the decision and then said to Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the matter has been dealt with, and the negative impact is gradually being reversed. We¡¯ll definitely learn from this lesson, and I hope Comrade Gu will supervise our work¡­¡±


    A whole lot of official and conventional phrases that made Gu Qiaoqiao beam with happiness, ¡°Director Yu, I believe that under your wise and insightful leadership, the magazine will surely flourish and reach new heights!¡±


    Director Yu loved hearing that.


    They chatted a few more words and hung up the phone separately.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt completely at ease.


    Turns out, they couldn¡¯t cover the sky with one hand after all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao happily sliced open the watermelon and enjoyed it hungrily.


    She thought about what her next step should be.


    While eating, she figured she would wait until Old Patriarch Gu was discharged from the hospital and could go to Border City.


    Moreover, except for Old Patriarch, Uncle Gu, and Qin Yize, no one else knew about the matter.


    Gu Qiaoqiao decided she would visit the Jade Carving Workshop first.


    She would go tomorrow.


    Gu Qiaoqiao finished the watermelon, and just as she was about to go back to her room, she heard the telephone ring again.


    Who could that be?


    Gu Qiaoqiao went to the study and picked up the phone.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected it to be Chu Chengfeng.


    On the phone, Chu Chengfeng told Gu Qiaoqiao that Zhao Xiaoming had issued a challenge to them in the West City District.


    If they didn¡¯t accept the challenge, it would be seen as an automatic forfeiture of their status in the shooting circle, and thereafter, their West City District people would no longer be allowed in this shooting range.


    It was a rather arrogant thing to say.


    And while the people of West City District treated these words as nothing more than hot air,


    still, it hurt their pride.


    After all, Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t accepted the challenge, and some knew it was because she couldn¡¯t be bothered with them, but others thought it was because she was scared, and that her win the other day was only due to luck.


    After listening, Gu Qiaoqiao realized she had brought trouble upon them.


    If she hadn¡¯t competed with Zhao Xiaoming that day, there wouldn¡¯t be trouble now.


    Gu Qiaoqiao immediately agreed to the challenge.


    Actually, Chu Chengfeng wanted Gu Qiaoqiao to accept, as he had learned from Qin Yize that Gu Qiaoqiao indeed had real talent.


    So, deep down, he was hoping for a fight that would leave the fools from East City District utterly trampled and unable to stir up any more trouble.


    Once he heard that Gu Qiaoqiao had accepted, Chu Chengfeng excitedly went off to make arrangements.


    And the other good brothers were even more delighted.


    So, in an instant, the news of Gu Qiaoqiao and Alina¡¯s challenge spread to every corner of their circle.


    And the two had a bet.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put up an Imperial Green Inkstone that Chu Chengfeng had provided.


    Chu Chengfeng had sneakily taken it from his home anyway. It¡¯s not like Gu Qiaoqiao would lose.


    Chu Chengfeng had such blind faith in Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Alina, on the other hand, had reportedly put up the treasured relic of Yubao Square.


    Gu Qiaoqiao became interested.


    A treasured relic? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Cheng really was willing to part with it, daring to give the treasured relic of Yubao Square to his illegitimate daughter.


    I wonder if his wife knows.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked forward to the competition with great anticipation.


    The competition was arranged rather quickly.


    The next afternoon, Chu Chengfeng drove up in a luxurious car to the front gate of the Qin Family¡¯s residence.


    When Gu Qiaoqiao came out, she thought, wow, is this a guard of honor?


    It was actually a line of motorcycles clearing the way.


    And all of the same brand and color, looking noble yet arrogant.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got into the car.


    But this kind of display wasn¡¯t really rare around here.


    These kids had caused a lot of ruckus.


    So, when people here saw it, no one thought much of it, at most cursing under their breath at the little rascals.


    Meanwhile, at the North Mountain Villa.


    Ning Wanru looked at her weeping granddaughter, furious and her face an iron shade of blue.


    She sat on the sofa, castigating Gu Yajing with righteous anger, ¡°What¡¯s the use in crying? When you had the chance, you shouldn¡¯t have kept those damn drafts. You should have destroyed them early to avoid today¡¯s trouble!¡±


    ¡°But Grandma, there are records¡­¡±


    ¡°What good are records?¡± Ning Wanru slapped the coffee table, ¡°A person¡¯s word is double-edged, they can make anything sound justified. If you don¡¯t admit it, what can anyone do to you?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°What ¡®but¡¯? You¡¯ve been relieved of your duties now. What¡¯s the difference between that and having them destroyed?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, I¡­¡±


    Gu Yajing wanted to say, if they were destroyed, I might have been fired.


    ¡°It¡¯s all Big Brother¡¯s fault. He had to provoke the Qin Family, and then there¡¯s also Elder Luo defending her. Grandma, didn¡¯t you say we were going to form marital ties with the Luo Family? How come not only are they not giving us face, they are kicking us while we¡¯re down?¡±


    Ning Wanru felt as if nothing was going her way and was extremely irritable.

 Chapter 215 - 215 215 Grandfathers Jade Flute

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Grandfather¡¯s Jade Flute Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Grandfather¡¯s Jade Flute Now, hearing Gu Yajing¡¯s words, she found them unbearably grating.


    What had gotten into her, she really wanted to slap Gu Yajing right now.


    Just to shut her up.


    Ning Wanru tightly clenched her hand, suppressing her emotions, and looked at Gu Yajing, ¡°I¡¯ll call Grandma Luo in a bit, to have her restore your position. You should go back for now, take a few days off and don¡¯t go to work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s utterly humiliating, I won¡¯t go,¡± Gu Yajing said resentfully, ¡°It¡¯s all Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s fault, I hate her to death.¡±


    Ning Wanru¡¯s eyes darkened with malice; Gu Qiaoqiao, it was always Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s backing to become increasingly solid.


    It seemed that a head-on confrontation was no longer possible.


    She needed to think of a foolproof method to make Gu Qiaoqiao disappear from the Imperial Capital, disappear from public view.


    Or, find a way to make the Luo Family and Gu Qiaoqiao become enemies.


    There was an even better method, figuring out a way to make Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s whole family return to their ancestral roots.


    That way, they would become one family.


    Once they are family, any conflicts that arise would mean neither the Qin Family nor the Luo Family would have any reason to intervene.


    And they, wishing to deal with a few peasants from the countryside, would find it all too simple.


    The more Ning Wanru thought about it, the more she felt this was currently the best solution.


    Moreover, once they became a family, she would essentially have control over Gu Tianfeng and his people.


    Then, whatever she wanted to do, it would be much easier than now.


    And more legitimate, too.


    Just like letting the fake Gu Kun die, she had a hundred ways to make that family disappear.


    Ning Wanru thought of this and her eyes emitted a triumphant gleam.


    She looked at Gu Yajing and said gently, ¡°Ask your father to stop by after work. I have something to discuss with him.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Grandma,¡± Gu Yajing responded, then hesitated before saying, ¡°Jiansheng didn¡¯t come home last night; my dad yelled at him all night. What exactly happened?¡±


    Ning Wanru was startled, suddenly recalling the two hundred thousand.


    A sharp pain seized her chest.


    She stared intently at the jade sculpture on the table nearby and gritted her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about that bastard.¡±


    Gu Yajing¡¯s eyes flickered, just as she was about to say something, she heard a girl¡¯s voice from the door, ¡°Grandma, Grandma, something has happened¡­¡±


    Ning Wanru¡¯s forehead twitched as she furrowed her brows deeply, watching the girl quickly walk in, she scolded, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into everyone today, are you trying to infuriate me to death?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, my dad¡¯s illegitimate daughter took the treasure of Yubao Square to an archery range for a betting match, and it¡¯s about to start,¡± Gu Yalan urgently reported.


    The treasure of the store? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Wanru was stunned, ¡°What treasure of the store?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know about it at all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, Grandma, you can¡¯t protect that little wretch anymore, she¡¯s too arrogant. If grandpa finds out it will be terrible, and how can my dad be so biased, to actually entrust the treasure of the store to that little wretch,¡± Gu Yalan sulked unhappily.


    Gu Yajing slowly curled her lips, concealing the mockery in her eyes, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t talk recklessly, what little wretch, she is your sister and my sister too.¡±


    Ning Wanru¡¯s expression darkened, aware of the underlying implication in Gu Yajing¡¯s words.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t openly chastise them.


    After all, she couldn¡¯t refute what they said.


    She regarded Alina differently, thinking since they were all her granddaughters, although born of a mistress, they were still Gu Cheng¡¯s offspring.


    And deep down, a secret reason was that others also called that woman Second Lady.


    Veer similar to her.


    So, she was especially compassionate towards the child.


    Only to find that she really had no idea of the extent of her daring.


    She actually dared to gamble with Yubao Square¡¯s belongings.


    It really was an unpropitious time for everything.


    Ning Wanru glared fiercely at her two granddaughters, gritting her teeth as she said, ¡°You go to that archery range and bring that bastard back to me.¡±


    Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan exchanged a glance, with Gu Yajing nodding seriously, ¡°Alright, Grandma, we¡¯re going now.¡±


    After speaking, the sisters quickly left the North Mountain Villa.


    Ning Wanru, furious, smashed another set of teacups.


    She then huffily called for Steward Wu, instructing him to check on the archery range to prevent those three sisters from starting a fight there.


    Steward Wu nodded and took his leave.


    At that moment, the archery range had the air of hosting a grand event.


    In the center of the venue, there was a table displaying the stakes for the archery bet.


    One was the Imperial Green Inkstone provided by Chu Chengfeng.


    The other was Alina¡¯s Emerald Bamboo Flute.


    A jade flute crafted from exquisite jadeite.


    Gu Qiaoqiao listened to her coach explain archery techniques, but her eyes were fixed intently on the jade flute.


    When a professional had verified the two items earlier, Gu Qiaoqiao had seen it ¡ª on the third section of the jade flute, on a jadeite-carved bamboo leaf, were carved the words: Mountain Man!


    It was her grandfather¡¯s work.


    Although she didn¡¯t know how it had become the treasure of Yubao Square, Gu Qiaoqiao knew it must have been her grandfather¡¯s youthful creation.


    Therefore, she was determined to win back that jade flute today.


    By the time Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan arrived at the archery range, it was already too late to stop anything.


    Because that little wretch had already entered the arena.


    Gu Yajing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and then she finally confirmed that the girl wearing a white checkered shirt and black riding pants, handsome yet beautiful, was Gu Qiaoqiao.


    A sense of hatred surged within her.


    She stared intently at the two people before her.


    These two wretches.


    It would be so good if they could shoot arrows at each other and kill one another.


    She said softly, ¡°Yalan, that woman is the wretch who caused your sister to be fired.¡±


    Gu Yalan looked at the girl in the arena, pursing her lips, and after a few moments said, ¡°And what of it? Her backing is bigger than yours, and she is in the right, you just have to accept it.¡±


    Gu Yajing glared hatefully at Gu Qiaoqiao, pursing her lips without speaking.


    Just then, the competition was about to start.


    An elderly man who seemed to hold a high position sat in the stands above.


    He looked steadily at the arena below.


    This was Elder Shen, who had come here by chance to inspect.


    He was originally planning to leave, but then heard that two young girls were competing below.


    They were said to be archery geniuses.


    One of them was named Gu Qiaoqiao, a genius among geniuses.


    Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Elder Shen wondered if she was that Gu Qiaoqiao.


    If so, he was very curious to see how she competed against others.


    So Elder Shen came and then recognized that the girl was indeed Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He sat calmly in the stands.


    The referee blew the whistle to prepare for the competition.


    Then the previously noisy venue fell silent.


    Everyone watched the two girls in the arena.


    One dressed in a red outfit as fiery as flames, arrogant and proud.


    The other, graceful as an exquisite orchid in a valley, possessed an unmatched calm and poise.

 Chapter 216 - 216 216 The Rear Arrow Pierces the Front Arrow

    ?Chapter 216: Chapter 216: The Rear Arrow Pierces the Front Arrow! Chapter 216: Chapter 216: The Rear Arrow Pierces the Front Arrow! All eyes were drawn to the scene.


    They often held such competitions.


    But none had ever been as shocking as today.


    One was a shooting prodigy who had won so many prizes and trophies that her hands had gone soft, the other a newcomer with astounding talent who had just stepped into the shooting circle.


    Who would win?


    All gazes were tightly fixed on the two figures on the field.


    Lin Qinghuan saw Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan and sat down next to them with a beaming smile.


    Familiar with each other, they chatted quietly for a few moments before Lin Qinghuan pointed to Gu Qiaoqiao in the field and whispered, ¡°I heard that Gu Qiaoqiao sold a Gold Jade Stone Carving to Yubao Square for two hundred thousand.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand?¡± Gu Yajing asked in surprise, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. The whole Antique Street knows about it.¡±


    ¡°How can it be so expensive? Is that thing really that good?¡± Gu Yalan asked discontentedly.


    Lin Qinghuan smiled slightly, ¡°How would I know? I only know it was collected by Gu Jiansheng¡­¡±


    Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan exchanged glances, then turned their attention back to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    A touch of malice flickered in the depths of Gu Yajing¡¯s eyes, the bitch, she must not be let off.


    The competition began.


    Alina looked dismissively at Gu Qiaoqiao on the other side, her lips curling upward. She had competed ten times in clubs abroad and won every time.


    This was her first battle since returning to her home country.


    Domestic clubs and shooting sports were still far behind.


    It could be said to be the difference between heaven and earth, clouds and dust.


    Moreover, let alone this, everything here was lagging behind, she thought. There was no fun for her here without worthy opponents, her own performance wouldn¡¯t improve, but she would be simply wasting her time instead.


    Once this boring competition was over, she would take her spoils and leave Huaxia Xinguo.


    And today¡¯s match would just serve to open the eyes of these country bumpkins.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at the Jade Flute on the table once more and picked up the bow and arrow.


    This kind of archery was different from firing a gun; it required arm strength.


    Gu Qiaoqiao earnestly learned the basic methods of archery, and at this moment, her expression was relaxed and carefree.


    Young men and some girls from West City District were now sitting on the west side of the stands.


    Separated from those from East City District by an aisle.


    In terms of numbers, they seemed evenly matched.


    But in terms of momentum, West City District clearly didn¡¯t match the brashness of East City District¡¯s crowd.


    A part of them was still feeling nervous inside.


    While another part vividly remembered the events of that day.


    They were firmly convinced that Gu Qiaoqiao would continue to create myths.


    Even so, those who were nervous wouldn¡¯t show it.


    The so-called face matters more than substance.


    Moreover, the people of West City District had to fight this battle regardless.


    Otherwise, they would be looked down upon by those from East City District for a lifetime.


    No matter the outcome, if Gu Qiaoqiao, a girl younger than them, dared to challenge a world-class shooter, they had to support her for her courage.


    Although they couldn¡¯t see Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression, they still started shouting, ¡°Qiaoqiao, come on, Qiaoqiao, come on.¡±


    Their voices thundered through the air.


    And the people from East City District also started shouting, ¡°Alina, come on¡­¡±


    Chu Chengfeng, sitting at the edge of the judges¡¯ table, watched Gu Qiaoqiao and completely relaxed.


    He glanced sidewise at Zhao Xiaoming who was full of himself and indifferently curled his lip.


    He thought to himself, just wait and see how arrogant you¡¯ll be in a bit.


    Soon, the sound of gunfire signaled the start of the match.


    The distance this time was fifty-five meters, the current farthest.


    The bullseye was yellow,


    one in front of each competitor.


    Best of three rounds.


    The rules were the same: shoot three arrows each time, with the final score dictating the winner.


    Alina narrowed her eyes, drew her bow, and nocked an arrow, her stance perfect and her body bursting with an inexplicable strength.


    Three arrows shot out, swish swish swish, each hitting the bullseye.


    Moreover, the three arrows were very close to each other, forming a perfect ten-ring score.


    She proudly held her bow and arrows, shook them at Gu Qiaoqao, and even flipped her the bird.


    Not many people saw this gesture.


    But Chu Chengfeng saw it.


    He glared fiercely at Alina, thinking to himself that just because she¡¯d come back from abroad, she thought she was coated in gold.


    Thought she was shining with gold.


    Even got herself an English name.


    These were not big issues; what really mattered was her attitude, which for some reason carried an air of superiority from who knows where.


    She seemed to have even forgotten who her ancestors were.


    So, Chu Chengfeng was so angry he really wanted to go down there and kick her.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t even bother to look at her, instead, she flexed her fingers and carefully sensed the position and distance of the target¡¯s bullseye.


    She slowly curled up the corners of her mouth.


    Drawing her bow and nocking her arrows, she released three in quick succession¡ªswish swish swish.


    The target caller in the distance ran up but suddenly froze.


    Those in the stands using binoculars to see the results shook so hard, the binoculars nearly dropped to the ground.


    No one heard the target caller announce the scores.


    The people from East City District in the stands were first stunned, then started cheering, whistling, and creating a commotion.


    Once the people from West City District regained their senses, a few stood up, huffing and puffing, pointing at the opposition, and swearing loudly.


    Some covered their faces, inwardly cursing Gu Qiaoqiao for showing off unnecessarily¡ªwhat a humiliation.


    Hadn¡¯t her arrows all shot off into the grass?


    Obviously, the opposition wasn¡¯t going to fall behind, hurling back cold sneers and hot rebukes¡ªa fight seemed imminent.


    Suddenly, the target caller¡¯s excited voice filled the field, ¡°The following arrows pierced the previous ones, a beautiful full ring.¡±


    The following arrows pierced the previous ones?


    Everyone paused for a moment.


    Everyone knew that ¡®the following arrows piercing the previous ones¡¯ meant that the second arrow had pierced right through the shaft of the first.


    The most impressive feat was splitting it down the middle.


    This wasn¡¯t considered highly difficult in the shooting field, but it still required precise coordination of position and distance. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this was at fifty-five meters.


    It was supposed to be impossible.


    Yet, it happened right before their eyes.


    The people from West City District burst into cheers.


    A few with binoculars had theirs snatched away by companions.


    They just wanted to see what ¡®the following arrows piercing the previous ones¡¯ looked like!


    After seeing it, they all started to squeal excitedly.


    Alina was stunned. She clutched her bow and arrows, her eyebrows furrowed; she couldn¡¯t believe it, absolutely refused to believe it.


    No one abroad could do it, and it was even less possible at home.


    It must be the referee cheating.


    She glared at Zhao Xiaoming, who stood there dumbfounded, and shouted loudly, ¡°The referee must be lying, go check it out.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoming finally snapped out of it, but he felt somewhat uneasy.


    This referee was the most impartial.


    After being accused by Alina like this, did he even want to carry on?


    Couldn¡¯t he see the referee¡¯s face darkening?


    But Alina was from East City District, so he reluctantly approached.


    Seeing him move forward, Chu Chengfeng naturally wouldn¡¯t just sit there; he ran towards the target, taking two steps at a time.


    And Chu Chengfeng¡¯s two good buddies naturally followed as well.

 Chapter 217 - 217 217 Gu Yajing Have You No Shame

    ?Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Gu Yajing, Have You No Shame? Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Gu Yajing, Have You No Shame? Gu Qiaoqiao held her bow and arrows without moving, a leisurely smile hanging on the corners of her mouth. She then took three more arrows, as it was her turn to shoot first in the second round.


    At the end of the field in front of the targets, the onlookers were left dumbstruck.


    It turned out this was the true meaning of ¡°an arrow piercing through another arrow¡±!


    The shafts of the first two arrows had been split in two, neatly dividing down the middle, turning into four halves on the target, like a four-petaled flower.


    Chu Chengfeng, excitedly lifted his camera from around his neck and began to click away, taking photos.


    While Alina, upon seeing the reaction of everyone present, walked forward in disbelief. Then, pursing her red lips tightly, she turned her head and shot Gu Qiaoqiao an envious glance.


    The disdain on her face faded a bit, yet she still felt that Gu Qiaoqiao might have just been lucky.


    Her shrill voice then rang out across the field, and only then did Chu Chengfeng, laughing heartily with his buddies, leave the field.


    As they passed Gu Qiaoqiao, he gave her a thumbs up.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled faintly.


    After the field was cleared, the referee fired the gun to resume the competition.


    Gu Qiaoqiao let loose three arrows again.


    Just like in the first round.


    And Alina, who never missed, astonishingly scored two sevens with her three arrows.


    By then, the outcome had been decided.


    But everyone knew that even if Alina had hit all tens, she had no hope of winning.


    They were competing based on the final score in archery, yet Alina had already lost when Gu Qiaoqiao performed the skilled shot of an arrow piercing through another arrow. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, holding her bow and arrows, walked towards the table.


    She was going to take the Jade Flute.


    At this time, the stands erupted into an uproar.


    The people from West City District won gloriously!


    And because they had privately set a wager, their wallets swelled once again.


    Up to this point, the arrogant aura of the people from East City District had been thoroughly doused with a bucket of cold water.


    Alina¡¯s face turned red with rage; she had stolen the Jade Flute in secret.


    Her idea coincided with Chu Chengfeng¡¯s.


    She also believed she was assured to win it back in the end.


    And along with it, the valuable Imperial Green Inkstone as well.


    But she lost.


    She stood by the table, staring fixedly at the Jade Flute, yet she also knew that one must accept the consequences of their bets.


    If she wished to go back on her word, she would no longer be welcome in the archery circle.


    She could only glare at Gu Qiaoqiao with burning resentment.


    Watching her as she approached the table, with a smile brimming with ease, as serene as a breeze with clouds scattered across the sky.


    At this moment, Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan came rushing down from the stands. One grabbed Alina by the arm, and the other snatched up the Jade Flute.


    Gu Yajing held the Jade Flute in her hand, and with a cold laugh, said loudly, ¡°This is the treasure of my Yubao Square, used foolishly by this idiot as a wager. It¡¯s not hers to bet; she stole it from my father, and neither my father nor my grandfather knew about it. Therefore, this bet does not count, and I hope everyone can understand that.¡±


    Her voice was loud, but not as loud as the murmur of the crowd.


    However, the people nearby heard her and were momentarily stunned.


    Everyone knew that Alina was a child of Gu Cheng, it was well known within the circle.


    It was remembered that Gu Cheng had even been penalized for it back then.


    But as the saying goes, if the people do not report, the officials do not inquire, and since Gu Cheng¡¯s wife actively suppressed the matter, no one bothered with these trifles anymore.


    But today, all three of Gu Cheng¡¯s daughters had gathered together, what were they aiming to do?


    Alina had been expected to retort, but instead, she glanced at Gu Yajing, clasped her hands, bowed her head, seemingly conceding.


    At this moment, Gu Yajing picked up the Jade Flute, and Gu Qiaoqiao truly had not anticipated that Gu Yajing would be so shameless in front of everyone.


    She actually took it away.


    Chu Chengfeng became furious, and pointing at Gu Yajing, he cursed, ¡°Gu Yajing, have you no shame? Do you understand the concept of accepting a loss in gambling? If your family can¡¯t afford to play, then don¡¯t play. See that piece of Imperial Green of mine? Do you know its value? But had I lost, do you think I would have reneged on the debt?¡±


    Chu Chengfeng¡¯s character was known to everyone, and his string of questions made Gu Yajing¡¯s face turn crimson instantly.


    But this item couldn¡¯t be taken away by Gu Qiaoqiao without paying a single cent.


    Mother had said, after grandfather passes away, Yubao Square would belong to her and her brothers and sisters, along with all the antiques and jade therein.


    She had not seen this Jade Flute before, but just now Lin Qinghuan had said it was worth at least a few million.


    She argued defiantly, ¡°This is Yubao Square¡¯s property, not something she¡¯s entitled to wager. She¡¯s not qualified to do so.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked toward Gu Qiaoqiao not far away with a fierce tone, ¡°Yubao Square¡¯s treasure will not fall into the hands of outsiders, even if it has to be smashed, I won¡¯t give it to you.¡±


    Into the hands of outsiders?


    Gu Qiaoqiao pursed her red lips and stared steadily at Gu Yajing, the clear water-like depths of her eyes churning with emotions unknown to anyone else.


    At that time, some in the stands realized something was amiss; it looked as though something had gone wrong.


    So, they all started walking toward the field.


    Subsequently, they took their places in their respective camps.


    The shooting range owner was about to get up when Elder Shen stopped him, speaking in an indifferent voice, ¡°It¡¯s just the children¡¯s games, let¡¯s not intervene yet.¡±


    The owner also shook his head with a smile and sat back down.


    Indeed, they are just children¡ªpoor losers at that.


    On the field, if Chu Chengfeng hadn¡¯t been mindful of Gu Yajing being a woman, he definitely would have had his brothers hold her down and give her a severe beating.


    He coldly turned his gaze to Zhao Xiaoming, ¡°Mr Zhao, what¡¯s your take?¡±


    Zhao Xiaoming¡¯s face turned as purple as an eggplant. He glanced at Alina and then fixed a deadly stare on Gu Yajing.


    People like them had their own unspoken rules.


    If you gamble, you must accept your losses.


    Haven¡¯t I knelt on the ground just last time, calling Gu Qiaoqiao ¡®Auntie¡¯ and slapping myself ten times?


    But he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke Alina either¡ªrumored to have connections with Gu Cheng and backed by a powerful sponsor.


    Otherwise, how could she possibly have influence even in clubs abroad?


    He couldn¡¯t afford to offend either side.


    He shamelessly spread his hands, ¡°What can I do?¡±


    Chu Chengfeng looked at Zhao Xiaoming with contempt and said deliberately, ¡°Within one year, none from East City District shall appear in the shooting range and West City District.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoming, though indignant, had no choice but to accept it since he had lost, especially since he was the one who issued the challenge and naturally had to follow the rules of the game.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with complex and resentful eyes. Though he had thought of many bad ideas, he did not dare to act on any.


    Setting aside everything else, just her skills alone¡ªable to leave them in a dire state with just a thrown pebble.


    Moreover, she was Qin Yize¡¯s wife.


    He gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement.


    Seeing that no one dared to step forward, Gu Yajing smugly said to her sister, ¡°Let¡¯s go, take this idiot home and see how grandmother deals with her.¡±


    As she spoke, she grabbed the Jade Flute, ready to leave with an air of arrogance.


    But just then, a clear and crisp rebuke rang out, ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Gu Yajing turned around, her legs going weak, nearly kneeling on the ground.


    There stood the strikingly beautiful Gu Qiaoqiao in a white shirt and black trousers, bow drawn and arrow nocked, her gaze cool and distant, the arrowhead pointing straight at Gu Yajing. She enunciated each word, ¡°Put the Jade Flute down.¡±

 Chapter 218 - 218 218 Whats Broken is Not the Jade Flute But

    ?Chapter 218: Chapter 218: What¡¯s Broken is Not the Jade Flute, But Your Hand! Chapter 218: Chapter 218: What¡¯s Broken is Not the Jade Flute, But Your Hand! Gu Yalan was also startled, but she still grabbed her sister¡¯s arm, glanced around, and whispered, ¡°Big sister, she wouldn¡¯t dare do anything in public, don¡¯t be scared by her, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    In her heart, Gu Yajing thought her sister was right.


    But to just walk away seemed to lack face, after all, she still stood her ground.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, this object belongs to our Gu Family. Alina took it out as a bet, and we already showed mercy by not reporting the theft. If you keep coveting it, don¡¯t blame me for not being polite.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao still held the bow with an arrow nocked, and with a slight smile said, ¡°Losing a bet requires grace in defeat. Put the Jade Flute down, and save face for the brothers of East City District here.¡±


    Hearing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, the people from East City District indeed felt a bit sheepish. Although it¡¯s said that shamelessness is invincible, one still needs to maintain some dignity.


    After all, there were people from other districts present.


    So, everyone looked at Gu Yajing and Alina with disapproving gazes.


    When had Gu Yajing ever been mocked and threatened like this? A surge of old and new resentments welled up in her. Holding the Jade Flute, she walked to a concrete platform next to a table, raised the flute high, and said harshly, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, this is the Gu Family¡¯s possession. Even if I break this Jade Flute, I won¡¯t give it to you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao again pointed the arrow tip at Gu Yajing and said calmly, ¡°Put the Jade Flute down, or it won¡¯t be the flute that breaks, but your hand!¡±


    Suddenly, it grew quiet.


    No one whispered, and nobody took joy in the spectacle; it seemed as if everyone held their breath.


    The girl named Gu Qiaoqiao, although demure as an orchid in an empty valley, at this moment, seemed to radiate a hint of murderous intent.


    They believed that if Gu Yajing dared to smash the Jade Flute, based on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s ability, she would shoot an arrow through Gu Yajing¡¯s wrist before she had a chance to act.


    She was capable of that!


    Gu Yajing¡¯s heart suddenly began to race, staring dizzily at the bow and arrow pointed at her, and looking with trepidation at the girl who was as tranquil as still water.


    Such calmness was more terrifying than yelling and screaming.


    It made her certain, in that moment, that if she really broke the Jade Flute, Gu Qiaoqiao would indeed shoot an arrow.


    What was she to do?


    Should she put it down?


    Gu Yajing looked around at the crowd, with all eyes on the two of them.


    In the corner, Steward Wu felt somewhat troubled. The Second Lady had only instructed him to prevent the three sisters from fighting.


    Nothing more.


    And he didn¡¯t know what to do either.


    The situation was a bit like being stuck on the back of a tiger.


    Gu Yajing glared fiercely at Gu Qiaoqiao and began hoarsely, ¡°With so many people here, do you dare to commit acts of violence in public?¡±


    ¡°No, I am defending my rights. The moment Alina lost, the Jade Flute became my property, my personal possession. You¡¯re not afraid to rob in public; I¡¯m even less afraid to protect my property,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao explained methodically.


    ¡°What your property, this is the Gu Family¡¯s possession,¡± Gu Yajing raised her voice but clearly lacked inner strength.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Qiaoqiao to say such words, yet those words made sense.


    Just like when she questioned her that day at the magazine office.


    At first, Chu Chengfeng was indeed a bit nervous, worried that if things got out of hand, it would be hard to settle down.


    After all, a competition is a competition, one can shoot arrows at targets, but not at people.


    However, after hearing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words, he was relieved.


    It was self-defence against a robber trying to steal property.


    Moreover, Gu Qiaoqiao with her bow at the ready, was stunningly cool!


    So, he did not intervene.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao had no patience left, she moved her fingers, and the crisp sound echoed in the quiet venue, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, if you don¡¯t let go, I will definitely shatter your wrist with an arrow¡ªplease believe me!¡±


    Then, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips slightly parted, ¡°One¡­¡±


    There was a deathly silence in the field.


    Once more, everyone seemed to be holding their breath.


    It was so quiet that the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.


    Gu Yajing¡¯s hand, clutching the Jade Flute, began to tremble.


    Her heart also raced in panic.


    Looking into Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, as dark as ink dots, she could no longer hold on the moment she heard ¡°two¡±.


    In her haste, she placed the Jade Flute on the table next to her.


    Many people breathed a sigh of relief. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some who loved to watch the excitement felt a bit disappointed, though.


    Yet they all looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with a wary gaze.


    This girl seemed quite ruthless.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put down the bow and arrow and casually handed it to Chu Chengfeng standing by,


    Chu Chengfeng smiled with curved eyes, happily accepting it.


    This battle today ended in a great victory!


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked over to the table and picked up the Jade Flute.


    She examined the two characters ¡®mountain man¡¯ on the bamboo leaves, a mist of emotion welling up in her eyes.


    It was one of grandfather¡¯s early carving works.


    The technique was somewhat immature, and the sections between the bamboo joints were a bit rough.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao knew there must be some secret mechanism to this Jade Flute.


    Because of the position of the bamboo leaves and the characters on them.


    Those were grandfather¡¯s typical secret mechanisms.


    Before, she had not realized they were mechanisms, she thought they were just skills designed by grandfather.


    However, that would have to wait until she was back home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gently stroked the Jade Flute twice. In her past and present life, setting aside the enhancement of her Spiritual Energy, the fundamental reason she could survive was all the carving skills grandfather had taught her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned around with the Jade Flute in hand, ready to leave.


    It was only then that Gu Yajing recovered from her shock; infuriated and humiliated, she shouted, ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao appeared not to hear her at all and continued to walk forward calmly and composedly.


    Chu Chengfeng was by her side, all smiles.


    Gu Yajing¡¯s face flushed with anger, but Gu Yalan¡¯s eyes shifted quickly. She ran in front of Gu Qiaoqiao, blinked a few times, and tears poured down as she sobbed, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, you really can¡¯t take the Jade Flute away. It¡¯s grandfather¡¯s beloved treasure, and he is currently hospitalized. If he finds out, his condition will surely worsen.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s treasured item?


    But how did it end up in the hands of Gu Cheng¡¯s illegitimate daughter?


    Grandfather¡¯s beloved father, did he ever have his son in his heart?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she spoke slowly, her voice neither loud nor low, ¡°So when grabbing it by force didn¡¯t work, you switch to playing the sympathy card. Unfortunately, I hate watching dramas most. I think, the two Misses of the Gu Family, should instead ask how Alina managed to get this Jade Flute?¡±


    Gu Yalan was stunned.


    Could she say it?


    Such an embarrassing matter, even if everyone knew it implicitly, still couldn¡¯t be stated plainly.


    Gu Yajing continued, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, if you want to live peacefully in the Imperial Capital, you have to give me the Jade Flute, otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, will you use your family¡¯s influence to deal with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Yajing was at a loss for words.


    At that moment, a girl with long flowing hair walked out from the crowd, beautiful and gentle, trying to make peace, ¡°Yajing sis, let¡¯s stop this. This is a public place, let¡¯s not argue.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Lin Qinghuan to know Gu Yajing as well.


    If she knew Gu Yajing, then did she know Ning Wanru?

 Chapter 219 - 219 219 She Cant Compete for Honor That

    ?Chapter 219: Chapter 219: She Can¡¯t Compete for Honor That Belongs to Someone Else Chapter 219: Chapter 219: She Can¡¯t Compete for Honor That Belongs to Someone Else However, just as she thought that, Lin Qinghuan spoke up half-jokingly, half-seriously, ¡°Yajing, Grandma Ning sent Steward Wu to take you guys back, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    While speaking, she winked at Gu Qiaoqiao, rather mischievously saying, ¡°You were great today. Chengfeng said he wanted to celebrate later, so I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curled the corners of her mouth indifferently, smiled, but said nothing.


    At this time, Shang Qing and Chu Chengfeng squeezed over.


    Shang Qing took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them. Not one of them is good. Come, let me introduce you to a few of my friends.¡±


    Since Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s return, this was the second time Shang Qing had seen her.


    They had also spoken on the phone a few times, so one could say they were quite acquainted.


    Shang Qing was too late for the shooting gallery today; the competition had already ended by the time she arrived.


    Although she was disappointed, she jumped for joy when she heard Gu Qiaoqiao had won.


    During the confrontation between Gu Qiaoqiao and Gu Yajing, she just watched silently from the side. After all, with so many guys from West City District there, how could they let Gu Qiaoqiao suffer any disadvantage, right?


    What she hadn¡¯t expected was for Gu Qiaoqiao to be so formidable; Shang Qing greatly admired her.


    So she pushed through the crowd and just in time to see Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s impatient expression, she pulled her arm and walked to the side.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was about to speak when Chu Chengfeng excitedly ran over and whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law, the gallery director wants to see you, he¡¯s on the top stand.¡±


    ¡°The gallery director?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao followed Chu Chengfeng¡¯s gesture and indeed saw three figures over there.


    ¡°Does he want something from me?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao continued to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I guess he¡¯s impressed by your abilities.¡± Seeming to be reminded of something, Chu Chengfeng got a little excited, ¡°Sister-in-law, come on, I¡¯ll go with you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought it was probably the same suggestion that had been declined by Qin Yize before.


    A special recruitment for Gu Qiaoqiao to join the shooting gallery¡¯s team.


    If she won a national-level competition, she could enter the national team; that was a green light that was shown only for Gu Qiaoqiao.


    She glanced in the direction of the stands, considered for a moment, then walked up with Chu Chengfeng.


    They quickly reached the top level.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled to find a familiar old acquaintance.


    It was Elder Shen.


    That Elder Shen who owed her an IOU.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t take the initiative to greet him, just approached with a slight smile.


    Chu Chengfeng seemed a bit scared of Elder Shen, and upon arrival, he dropped his carefree demeanor and introduced both parties with great respect.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also greeted them politely with a smile.


    Glancing at Elder Shen, she noticed the elder looked flushed and in good spirits.


    Then the gallery director directly expressed his thoughts, hoping that Gu Qiaoqiao would consider them.


    After all, it would be a loss for the country if someone with such extraordinary talent didn¡¯t join the national team to bring glory to the nation.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t need to consider it.


    She couldn¡¯t go.


    Because only she knew what was really going on.


    She could use this miraculous ability to take revenge and get what she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t compete for honor that belonged to others.


    She hadn¡¯t trained or put in the effort.


    It was entirely different from those athletes who had poured out their sweat.


    So for her to compete against them for that honor would be like a thief.


    And her challenge this time was merely for the treasure of Yubao Square.


    Moreover, she had so many things to do; how could she possibly become an athlete?


    With a smile on her face and a sincere tone, Gu Qiaoqiao said, ¡°First of all, thank you, Director, for your appreciation and affection, but I cannot agree to your request. My talent for shooting is really just a whim that might fail at any moment, and truth be told, I have no interest in shooting. Also, I am already married. My goal in life is to be a good wife and mother. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice was not loud, but each word was full of sincerity and apology.


    But she was very resolute.


    There was no vacillation or ambiguity.


    The museum director felt somewhat disappointed.


    However, he was well aware of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s situation and, despite her persistence, he still wanted to try persuading her once more.


    Elder Shen said from the side, ¡°Young people have their own pursuits and ideals, so we should respect their choices.¡±


    The museum director did not speak again, but he still felt regret.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled at the two men, ¡°I¡¯ve been out too long, it¡¯s time for me to go back.¡±


    Elder Shen smiled, but then suddenly said, ¡°Girl, if I hadn¡¯t mentioned knowing you, would you have pretended not to recognize me?¡±


    The museum director and Chu Chengfeng were surprised.


    Elder Shen actually knew Gu Qiaoqiao?


    Upon hearing Elder Shen¡¯s words, Gu Qiaoqiao laughed and took the opportunity to respond, ¡°Elder Shen, how could that be? I just greeted you.¡±


    Elder Shen also laughed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say you¡¯ve greeted me. Go on, it seems like many people down there are waiting for you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Chu Chengfeng left.


    The museum director sighed with regret once more. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Elder Shen glanced at the people below and suddenly asked the museum director beside him, ¡°Old Zhu, were the people contesting for the Jade Flute from Yubao Square?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed they were from Yubao Square. The eldest daughter of Gu Cheng, allegedly she has just been dismissed,¡± the museum director said, pausing before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s said that she suppressed the literary manuscripts written by Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s father and was dealt with for that¡­¡±


    These words contained a lot of information.


    Elder Shen remained silent for a while.


    After a pause, he stood up, and Loo Zhigang quickly followed him, and then they both quietly left the place.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t go to celebrate with those people.


    Shang Qing clung to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s arm and wouldn¡¯t let go. It was only after Gu Qiaoqiao promised to go shopping with her in a couple of days that she reluctantly let go.


    Chu Chengfeng escorted Gu Qiaoqiao home.


    Then he took his group of brothers out to revel.


    Although he wanted the hero of the day to join in, the thought of Qin Yize made him quickly abandon the idea.


    By the time Gu Qiaoqiao got home, it was already evening.


    Grandma Qin had prepared dinner and was waiting for everyone to return for the meal.


    Gu Qiaoqiao entered the living room carrying her handbag.


    Grandma Qin, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao, beamed with joy and pulled her to eat chilled watermelon together.


    She didn¡¯t know what Gu Qiaoqiao had been doing.


    But she wisely didn¡¯t ask.


    Because she knew that Gu Qiaoqiao was a child with a clear mind.


    After tidying up the kitchen in the evening, Gu Qiaoqiao returned to her own room.


    She sat at her desk holding the Jade Flute, looking at it with a mix of excitement and anticipation.


    The Jade Flute was not an actual flute.


    It was simply carved in the shape of a flute.


    Made of fine jadeite, it was about twenty-something centimeters long.


    Its thickness was similar to that of a bamboo flute.


    Both ends were sealed.


    The secret of this mechanism lay in the carved bamboo leaves bearing a name.


    Following her fingers¡¯ intuition, she pressed a few spots on the bamboo leaves, and with a click, the center of the Jade Flute split in two.

 Chapter 220 - 220 220 The Pearl in the Jade Flute

    ?Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The Pearl in the Jade Flute Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The Pearl in the Jade Flute An empty slot was revealed in the middle.


    Inside lay a row of pearls with a round, lustrous color, a faint rose pink, glistening with a soft and beautiful sheen under the light.


    They were uniform in size, eighteen in total.


    On one side of the pearls was a neatly folded square of rice paper.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she carefully took out the rice paper.


    This slip of paper must have been here for decades, preserved well thanks to the nearly vacuum-like environment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao unfolded it little by little.


    The few words written inside immediately moistened her eyes.


    It was a gift that could never be personally delivered, perhaps the intended recipient would also never be able to receive it.


    It was a birthday gift from her grandfather to her mother, carved when he was ten years old.


    It was said that if pearls were nurtured in a jade container for three years, their color would change.


    It would become somewhat like the color of peach blossoms.


    So, the ten-year-old Gu Kun had carved this Jade Flute and turned it into an Organ Box.


    He placed the pearls inside, planning to give them to her on her thirtieth birthday, a few years later.


    Unfortunately, he left home before it could be given.


    And the pearls had been nurtured for over fifty years.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t touch the pearls, which seemed like peach blossom petals, thinking that if Grandma Yu was indeed her own Great Grandma, she would deliver this gift on behalf of her grandfather.


    Gu Qiaoqiao carefully put the slip of paper back.


    She then pressed the switch and closed the Jade Flute.


    From the outside, it looked seamless; no one would know there was something hidden inside.


    But how did the Jade Flute end up in Gu Cheng¡¯s hands?


    Did Gu Qingfeng know about it?


    Thinking of this, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    Her grandfather had run away from home, seemingly with no intention to return, which is why he took the Mysterious Dragon Box with him.


    It was his favorite.


    But Gu Qingfeng had said that the mother and son left together.


    If they left together, why didn¡¯t her grandfather take the Jade Flute with him?


    Or maybe her grandfather and Great Grandma didn¡¯t leave together at all?


    Gu Qiaoqiao rubbed her forehead with a bit of a headache, there must be some secrets here that no one knew about.


    And there was Lin Qinghuan.


    She never expected that she would be acquainted with Gu Cheng¡¯s family, and it seemed they had a pretty good relationship.


    In her unfortunate past life, could Lin Qinghuan have played a role?


    It was not her being paranoid.


    Lin Qinghuan had a good relationship with Old Grand Master Qin and would naturally know her whereabouts first thing.


    But now, these were beyond verification.


    Gu Qiaoqiao put away the Jade Flute and, after washing up, peacefully fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, at the North Mountain Villa.


    After hearing the exaggerated stories from Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan, Ning Wanru¡¯s face turned ashen with anger.


    One by one, none of them brought pride.


    Gu Jiansheng had sent Gu Qiaoqiao two hundred thousand.


    Alina had lost an invaluable Jade Flute to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, until she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. With a wave of her hand, she slapped Alina¡¯s face and shouted furiously, ¡°Without the diamond drill, don¡¯t take on porcelain work! Do you really think you are invincible? Just like your mother, you na?ve fool!¡±


    Gu Yajing and Gu Yalan laughed at Alina¡¯s misfortune.


    After receiving a glare from Ning Wanru, they finally restrained themselves.


    Ning Wanru cursed for a while before she angrily sat down on the sofa.


    Gu Yajing hurriedly poured her a cup of tea, and at that moment, Gu Cheng walked in.


    Seeing the several people in the living room, he was also seething with rage.


    The Jade Flute had been stolen by him from the study of the eldest young master of Gu Garden, Gu Kun.


    Not daring to keep it at home, he had left it in the care of Ah Lian, but what happened? This rebellious girl had stolen it and used it as a stake in a gamble, only to lose it to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    While filled with anger and hate, Gu Cheng was equally shocked to his core.


    Could this be fate?


    There was no use in saying any more at this point.


    Gu Cheng and Ning Wanru had important matters to discuss; after scolding Alina a few words, he sent the three daughters out.


    Afterward, he angrily took a seat on the sofa.


    Only after drinking down a big gulp of cold tea did he feel a lot better.


    Ning Wanru forcibly suppressed the boundless rage and irritability in her heart and shared her thoughts with Gu Cheng.


    At first, Gu Cheng was stunned, but then he had an epiphany.


    It was an excellent idea.


    Especially considering their current situation, which was repeatedly met with setbacks.


    Then, the mother and son meticulously refined their plan.


    Because they needed to find a plausible excuse to lift the veil on the origins of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s family.


    To dispel any suspicions Gu Qingfeng might have towards them.


    Moreover, it could make Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s family feel grateful to them.


    That would make future manipulation much more convenient.


    By then, the moon was high in the sky.


    Alina arrived at the largest hotel in the Imperial Capital, entering the top floor VIP room with her room card pompously. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After opening the door, she quickly walked a few steps and embraced a man standing with his back to her, then began to cry in a grievance.


    The man was tall and powerful, probably around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, with deep brown hair and profound facial features. His skin was fair, and he was a very handsome mixed-race individual.


    He was lazily leaning on the sofa, not looking behind at Alina, and still focused on the television program.


    Alina seemed to sense something and slowly let go of her hands.


    Standing obediently behind the man, she lowered her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for underestimating the enemy. I¡¯m sorry for bringing shame to the club.¡±


    The man was silent for a moment, his thin lips slowly curved up, and when he spoke, it was fluent Chinese, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your country have an old saying ¡®there¡¯s always someone better out there¡¯? Isn¡¯t this normal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not blaming me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± the man asked faintly in return.


    And at that moment, although the man seemed calm, a subtle killing intent suddenly pervaded his being as if he could just turn around and snap Alina¡¯s neck in an instant.


    Alina¡¯s body shook, and her hand hanging by her side slowly clenched. After a few moments, she asked with a trembling voice, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that girl¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡±


    ¡°Find a way to lure her into our club.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The man¡¯s voice rose slightly.


    He then glanced at Alina from the corner of his eye.


    Alina nodded, and with difficulty, she began, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try my best¡­¡±


    Only then did the man turn his head back to the television. A while later, seeing Alina still standing in front of the sofa and noticing the slap mark on her face, he thought for a moment and said indifferently, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t make it hard for you. Just find a way for me to meet her.¡±


    Alina¡¯s expression relaxed, and she let out a sigh of relief. Then, she threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, her eyes adoring as she looked at him. She was about to kiss him but was lazily pushed away by the man, who teased with a near-smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired today?¡±


    Alina gazed at the man and slowly stood up, her teeth clenched in irritation, and then she stormed off.


    By this time, the moon was already high in the sky.

 Chapter 221 - 221 221 Some things are easily addictive once

    ?Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Some things are easily addictive once you get involved Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Some things are easily addictive once you get involved A crescent moon hung on the treetops.


    With the breeze, the sliver swayed like a small boat a few times.


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly woke with a start.


    Slowly, she sat up in bed.


    She raised her eyes towards the living room outside the bedroom.


    A faint, diffuse yellow light leaked through the crack of the door¡­


    Had Qin Yize come back?


    Gu Qiaoqiao rolled out of bed and gently opened the bedroom door.


    The chandelier in the living room was off.


    Only a lamp beside the sofa was turned on.


    Qin Yize, with his head down, sat on the sofa, flipping through documents.


    Upon hearing her, he suddenly looked up.


    A girl, still somewhat sleepy-eyed, wearing a white nightgown and bathed in the moonlight that filtered in through the bedroom window, stood before him like a mountain sprite.


    At that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s chest lurched with emotion.


    He slowly set down the documents in his hands, his eyes deep, his voice gentle, ¡°Did I wake you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao knitted her brows slightly, her nose picking up a faint smell of antiseptic.


    Was he injured?


    Gu Qiaoqiao walked over to the sofa across from Qin Yize and, after taking a seat, hesitated before asking, ¡°Are you injured?¡±


    Qin Yize raised his eyebrows, moved his left arm a bit, and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor scratch, nothing serious¡­¡±


    A minor scratch?


    It seemed to Gu Qiaoqiao that in Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, an injury only counted if it required hospitalization and surgery.


    Qin Yize wore a black night robe, concealing any sign of injury, but she had just seen him flipping documents with his right hand, indicating his left must be the injured one.


    Qin Yize was a leftie, but his right hand was equally deft. It was peculiar how in everyday life he used his left, but for brushing teeth and writing, he used his right.


    Maybe this was what people meant by being ambidextrous.


    Now closer, Gu Qiaoqiao thought she could detect a hint of blood.


    She looked towards Qin Yize¡¯s arm, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked over to him.


    After a pause, she sat down next to him, turned her head, and ever so gently reached out towards Qin Yize¡¯s left arm¡­


    Just as Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand was about to touch his left arm, Qin Yize subtly shifted, deftly evading her touch.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand froze midair.


    She blanked for a second, then awkwardly withdrew her hand.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze lingered on those little hands as they retreated, then he turned his attention to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face.


    Staring intently into Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, he leaned in slightly and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, ¡°Some things, once touched, are easy to get addicted to, what should be done then?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stiffened, her clear, water-like eyes suddenly widened, and her rosy lips involuntary parted slightly.


    Her heart began to beat in a flustered rhythm.


    And it seemed her cheeks were warming up.


    Qin Yize, why would he say such words on a quiet night like this?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt lost and abruptly stood up, walking towards her own bedroom.


    A hint of disappointment flickered in Qin Yize¡¯s starry eyes.


    He then hooked the corner of his mouth in self-mockery.


    He thought, the wound on his arm was evidence of his lingering concern.


    This was a bad sign.


    Because for them, every mission was undertaken with the mindset of no return; otherwise, they would hesitate when it came time to act.


    It¡¯s said that only by putting oneself in a dead end can one truly live.


    That was the principle.


    Yet this time, he had made a rookie mistake.


    He had been reflecting all the way here, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to sever the affection he had for the girl.


    Yes, indeed, it was attachment!


    Only with attachment comes concern, and with concern, he would become hesitant.


    This was not allowed.


    It was also irresponsible to the other team members.


    For the first time in his life, Qin Yize began to question his own actions.


    Yet all these doubts crumbled the moment he saw Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He lowered his gaze, remaining silent.


    The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped after taking the fifth step. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She turned her head to look at the man sitting on the sofa, his gaze lowered.


    Biting her lip, she turned back and quickly walked to Qin Yize, saying lowly and heavily, ¡°Let me see your wound.¡±


    She still couldn¡¯t bring herself to ignore it.


    Qin Yize hooked the corner of his mouth but gently lifted the sleeve of his left arm to his elbow.


    There, his forearm was bandaged, stained with mottled blood, which seemed to still be seeping droplets of fresh blood.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes fell on Qin Yize¡¯s forearm.


    No wonder she had smelled the scent of blood¡ªit was still bleeding.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s mind cleared of its earlier fog as she asked with concern, ¡°It¡¯s already been bandaged, why is it still bleeding?¡±


    Qin Yize frowned slightly, speaking slowly, ¡°Maybe it was during the shower.¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t shower,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao blurted out.


    Qin Yize raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew what she said was nonsensical. This man had always been keen on cleanliness, or as people say, had a tidiness obsession¡ªhow could he possibly not take a shower?


    She stared at Qin Yize¡¯s arm, but couldn¡¯t help reflecting on his words.


    She understood the meaning behind them.


    What she ought to do at this moment was to turn back to her bedroom and continue sleeping.


    He was a doctor; he knew his condition. Anyway, medicine had been applied; it should be fine.


    But her steps seemed somewhat heavy.


    Looking at Qin Yize¡¯s lowered handsome brows and eyes, he didn¡¯t seem to care much, yet he also seemed tired.


    Finally, Gu Qiaoqiao slowly sat beside him, gently lifting Qin Yize¡¯s arm, placing her fingers lightly on the bandage over his wound.


    She began to unravel the gauze bit by bit.


    After thinking, she fetched a medical kit from outside and started dabbing at the wound with medicated cotton.


    The wound was large, stitched up with about a dozen stitches.


    It looked like it had been cut with a sharp instrument.


    She carefully dabbed around the wound with Spiritual Energy on her fingertips.


    After all, Qin Yize seemed to have known about her unusual abilities for some time now.


    There was no need for her to keep hiding them.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was meticulously re-dressing his wound. His gaze softened, and in a gentle voice, he said, ¡°Your performance yesterday afternoon was very good.¡±


    ¡°It was okay,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said softly.


    His information network was truly efficient.


    It was already early morning the next day, so saying ¡®yesterday afternoon¡¯ was not an exaggeration.


    But with Chu Chengfeng¡¯s big mouth, Qin Yize would have known right away.


    ¡°The Jade Flute belongs to your grandfather, right?¡± Qin Yize continued to ask.


    The scent of fresh bamboo enveloped both of them.


    Quiet, gentle, yet it carried a hint of an invasive quality.


    As if it could conquer territories silently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her head, softly humming a confirmation, then said, ¡°It¡¯s an Organ Box that grandpa carved when he was ten, filled with pearls; it was a gift for Great Grandma¡¯s thirtieth birthday.¡±


    ¡°The color of pearls nurtured in fine Jadeite changes, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 222 - 222 222 Her love has long been burnt to ashes

    ?Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Her love has long been burnt to ashes in the inferno of Hell Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Her love has long been burnt to ashes in the inferno of Hell ¡°It turned pink, like the color of peach blossom petals,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand pressed on the wound, but she looked up at Qin Yize, surprised and asked, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I read it in a rare book,¡± Qin Yize replied indifferently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked down again.


    Qin Yize, however, leaned in imperceptibly and whispered, ¡°You turned down the director¡¯s suggestion today, do you feel it¡¯s a pity, or does this marriage constrain your identity?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, ¡°Not at all, I¡¯m truly not interested, and besides, I have a lot of things to do. If I joined that national team, I could only train and compete. It¡¯s simply not realistic for me.¡±


    ¡°Was what you said at that time truly from the heart?¡± Qin Yize coaxed.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize, never doubting him, and stated firmly, ¡°Of course it was from the heart, it¡¯s all true, I didn¡¯t lie to him.¡±


    Qin Yize suddenly let out a light laugh, ¡°So when you said you¡¯d be a good wife and mother, that was from the heart too?¡±


    His voice carried a teasing tone, but it hid an indiscernible restlessness and hope.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was momentarily stunned.


    She remembered that she had indeed said such things.


    Yet this Qin Yize, he dared to lead her on!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, and she pressed a little harder on Qin Yize¡¯s wound.


    Although Qin Yize felt that the force was within tolerable limits, he still exclaimed in a cooperative manner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk anymore,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao warned with a stern face.


    Qin Yize fell silent for a moment, a hint of a successful scheme playing on his lips, but he indeed did not speak again.


    Instead, he leaned back lazily against the sofa¡¯s backrest and soon closed his eyes wearily.


    His long eyelashes cast moon-crescent shadows on his eyelids.


    His expression seemed very peaceful.


    Only then did Gu Qiaoqiao quietly breathe a sigh of relief.


    The pressure of her fingers on the wound became gentle again.


    Qin Yize¡¯s wound seemed to have injured the muscle and bone.


    A few minutes later, Gu Qiaoqiao withdrew her hand and then gently began to bandage him up.


    She then heard the steady breathing of Qin Yize.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a careful look, and he was indeed asleep.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gently stood up, looking at Qin Yize¡¯s uncomfortable sleeping position, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to just leave him like that.


    After hesitating for a moment, she still reached out her hand slowly and adjusted Qin Yize¡¯s shoulder, placing his head on the sofa¡¯s pillow.


    Her posture was close to holding Qin Yize, her nose filled with his fresh breath, it seemed even the light and shallow breathing brushed her cheek.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face grew red, she bit her lip and placed Qin Yize¡¯s body on the sofa, then grabbed a towel blanket and covered his abdomen with it.


    After that, Gu Qiaoqiao turned off the table lamp.


    Moonlight poured in from the window on the other side, gently enveloping the tall figure of the man.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes filled with complex and indiscernible thoughts.


    After a while, she silently returned to her own bedroom.


    And Qin Yize seemed to be sleeping soundly.


    His brow was relaxed, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, as if he was having a beautiful dream.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao could not settle down for a long time.


    She knew that Qin Yize¡¯s feelings for her had changed significantly from before.


    And after she learned the truth, the last bit of resentment she held against Qin Yize evaporated.


    All that remained was gratitude.


    Gratitude for him not giving up on her after so much had happened.


    But that gratitude, was it truly just gratitude?


    Gratitude does not equate to love.


    In her past life, she did wrong by Qin Yize and the Qin Family in many ways, and in this life, she only wished to compensate them within her means.


    But that didn¡¯t mean she was prepared to live with him.


    Ning Wanru was crafty and ruthless, and without achieving her goal, there was no way she would give up willingly.


    In her past life, she had already dragged the Qin Family down with her, so in this life, she couldn¡¯t burden them any further.


    Now, she had taken actions against them one after another, albeit minor ones, but these actions had nonetheless caused Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng, who were used to being in control, to feel frustrated.


    The Gu Family¡¯s businesses weren¡¯t limited to Yubao Square, they also had a Jade Carving Workshop, and behind that, a Jade Mine.


    Such businesses were immensely attractive to Gu Cheng.


    As the saying goes, ¡°Men die for wealth, as birds die for food.¡±


    And Gu Cheng was no exception.


    Therefore, what came next was unpredictable to everyone.


    And she still lacked the evidence to send Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng to jail.


    Really, it boiled down to a brutal struggle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao would show no mercy, regardless of whether Gu Qingfeng could bear it or not.


    She didn¡¯t care about the Gu Family¡¯s assets; she just wanted to crush Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng into the dust in retribution for her family members who died tragically in her past life.


    To ensure they would never be able to rise again.


    But inevitably, the process was bound to be arduous and perilous.


    She couldn¡¯t drag the Qin Family into it.


    And the most important point was that she truly no longer loved Qin Yize.


    One cannot love the same person twice.


    And she, in fact, had lost the capacity to love. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The passage of two lifetimes had caused her once bright and radiant love to be burnt to ashes in the Hell¡¯s fire.


    And she really didn¡¯t want Qin Yize to experience unrequited love as she had.


    Qin Yize was a good man.


    His aloofness was not his fault; it was she who shouldn¡¯t have forced him into a marital life out of a desire for unconstrained freedom.


    She thought it might be time to find an opportunity to talk to Qin Yize about divorce the next day.


    Before anything else happened.


    Gu Qiaoqiao tossed and turned, only managing to fall asleep in a daze as the sky brightened.


    Little did she know, when she woke up, Qin Yize had already left.


    And the Qin house was silent.


    Breakfast was laid out on the dining table.


    She was surprised to have woken up so late.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurried through breakfast, and just as she was about to leave for the hospital, the telephone in the living room rang.


    There were two phones in the Qin house.


    The one in the study was more or less a private line.


    Only close friends used that one.


    Whereas the one in the living room was used for calls between colleagues and friends of the Qin Family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment but decided to answer it¡ªwhat if it was Grandma Qin checking if she was awake?


    Picking up the phone, Gu Qiaoqiao heard an unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice.


    When the caller heard Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s voice, she seemed excited and spoke very quickly, ¡°You are Gu Qiaoqiao, right? I am Alina, from the archery bet yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback, then frowned and asked.


    ¡°Can we meet? I really admire you, and I¡¯m truly convinced by my loss, so I wanted to discuss archery skills with you and learn from you, is that alright?¡± Alina asked softly and pleadingly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao scoffed, as Alina who lost yesterday didn¡¯t seem at all convinced to her.

 Chapter 223 - 223 223 The Pretentious Old Woman

    ?Chapter 223: Chapter 223 The Pretentious Old Woman Chapter 223: Chapter 223 The Pretentious Old Woman Moreover, after a night passed, they were supposed to discuss and study together, but nobody would believe that.


    Gu Qiaoqiao decisively refused, ¡°I don¡¯t have time, sorry, I¡¯m hanging up the phone.¡±


    Saying this, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t wait for a response and expertly hung up the phone.


    On the other end, Alina, hearing the beeping sound from the receiver, furiously slammed the phone down on the table.


    It had not been easy to get through to the Qin Family¡¯s phone, and fortunately, it was Gu Qiaoqiao herself who had answered, but she was bluntly rejected.


    Ungrateful creature.


    If it weren¡¯t for Xino taking an interest in her and wanting to recruit her into the club, she wouldn¡¯t bother with her at all.


    Not taking revenge on her was already her mercy.


    Alina frowned deeply, Xino¡¯s orders had to be followed.


    She alone knew how terrifying a man he was.


    And the mysterious Xino Family behind him, even more so, possessed unknown power and influence.


    Everything she had today was granted by Xino.


    Without these, she couldn¡¯t bear to imagine how difficult it would be for her, her mother, and her brother to survive in the Gu Family.


    She couldn¡¯t return to her past life, that ignoble existence, surviving on just Grandma Yu¡¯s scant pity.


    She thought, maybe she should personally go to the Qin Family herself.


    After Gu Qiaoqiao hung up the phone, she slung her bag over her shoulder and left the house. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wanted to see what the Jade Carving Workshop was really like.


    When she arrived at the hospital, the bodyguards at the corridor entrance, seeing it was her, promptly let her through.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pushed open the doors of the ward.


    Gu Qingfeng, seeing it was Gu Qiaoqiao, immediately softened his expression and beckoned Gu Qiaoqiao to sit next to him.


    Gu Qiaoqiao gave the old man a look, not bad, his complexion was even better than a few days ago.


    It seemed he could be discharged from the hospital in another week.


    By that time, she would have been away from Border City for over twenty days, it was time to go back and see how Grandma Yu was doing.


    For the moment, Ning Wanru seemed completely unaware of Grandma Yu¡¯s existence.


    So, relatively speaking, Grandma Yu was safe.


    She gave the Old Patriarch a slight smile, ¡°Your complexion has improved a lot, I don¡¯t think it will take a week for you to be up and walking.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gu Qingfeng nodded his head, smiling kindly, ¡°I hope your words come true, I too want to leave this hospital bed soon.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao curved the corners of her mouth, thinking, if you don¡¯t take better care of yourself, it might not be easy to leave this hospital bed.


    That¡¯s what she thought, but Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t say it out loud. She spoke up, ¡°Old Patriarch, I want to visit the Jade Carving Workshop today, could Uncle Gu leave for a while?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Gu Qingfeng seemed to have anticipated Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s purpose and said to Uncle Gu, ¡°Go now and take Qiaoqiao to the Jade Carving Workshop.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Uncle Gu agreed enthusiastically.


    Yet Gu Qiaoqiao was still a bit worried and asked, ¡°Old Patriarch, will you be alright here by yourself?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng waved his hand nonchalantly, hinting, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be a third incident.¡±


    As Uncle Gu and Gu Qiaoqiao were about to leave, Gu Qingfeng remembered something he heard in the morning and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, wait a moment, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stopped.


    ¡°Yesterday afternoon, you won a Jade Flute at the shooting range, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s said to be the treasure of Yubao Square, it was almost stolen by your granddaughter Gu Yajing. What about it, do you want it back too?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked half-seriously, half-jokingly.


    Gu Qingfeng choked and then glared at Gu Qiaoqiao unhappily, ¡°What, do you see me, Old Man Gu, as someone who can¡¯t accept defeat?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled, ¡°Of course not, I was just joking. Please don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    ¡°What did the Jade Flute look like?¡± Gu Qingfeng asked in a milder tone.


    Gu Qiaoqiao described the appearance of the Jade Flute.


    After she finished, Gu Qingfeng and Uncle Gu exchanged a look.


    Indeed, it was the same Jade Flute that had gone missing over twenty years ago, the one carved by Gu Kun when he was a child. It had originally been kept in his study but then disappeared.


    Then, coincidentally, the movement got in the way, and the matter was postponed.


    And then it was never found again.


    But to think, it actually ended up in the hands of the illegitimate daughter from Gu Cheng.


    Without saying it, it must have been stolen by Gu Cheng.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression darkened, he waved his hand, signaling Uncle Gu to quickly take Gu Qiaoqiao to the Jade Carving Workshop.


    Meanwhile, he turned his head toward the window, suppressing the anger in his heart.


    Steal?


    How shameful that word is.


    Haven¡¯t he given Gu Cheng enough already? After Kunkun left, he had even given Gu Cheng the paternal love that belonged to Kunkun.


    Yet he hadn¡¯t raised a filial son, but a thief, a thief with ambitions as high as the skies!


    They say mutton can¡¯t cling to dog¡¯s meat, non-blood is just not the same, and at this moment, Gu Qingfeng was filled with immense regret.


    Uncle Gu led Gu Qiaoqiao towards the end of the corridor.


    The corridor was very quiet, only occupied by the doctors and nurses arranged by Uncle Gu


    And just as they walked out of the corridor, Gu Qiaoqiao saw Ning Wanru again.


    Dressed in a plain cheongsam, draped with a white silk shawl. If one did not know her age, nobody would believe she was a woman in her seventies.


    She looked to be just over fifty at most.


    Graceful and luxurious, clearly raised in wealth.


    A cold sneer bubbled up in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart, what a great Gu Qingfeng.


    His own family scattered, yet he let this mother and son and her family enjoy the luxury and glory of the Gu Family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao pursed her red lips tightly, hiding the unusual color in her eyes, and just looked at Ning Wanru with a faint gaze.


    Uncle Gu frowned unhappily.


    Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Ning Anru on the opposite side exclaim in surprise, staring wide-eyed, seemingly in disbelief at Gu Qiaoqiao. After a moment, she tremblingly took out a pair of glasses from her arm¡¯s bag.


    With trembling hands, she put them on and pointed at Gu Qiaoqiao, murmuring shakily, ¡°Sister Yu, are you Sister Yu?¡±


    She¡¯s really good at acting.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneered inside, yet looked puzzled at the old woman making a show on the other side.


    Uncle Gu frowned.


    What was the Second Lady selling in her gourd?


    Still, he spoke up, ¡°Second Lady, the Old Patriarch is unwell and does not want to see you; please go back.¡±


    Ning Wanru seemed to only then notice Uncle Gu, and realizing her own lapse, rubbed her eyes and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m old, my eyesight is failing too. How could Sister Yu be so young?¡±


    Then, without waiting for Uncle Gu, she stared eagerly at Gu Qiaoqiao and asked, ¡°Child, what is your surname?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled slightly, ¡°Coincidentally, it¡¯s the same as Old Patriarch Gu¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°How coincidental?¡± Ning Wanru was extremely surprised, frowning as if pondering something, but then suddenly spoke again, ¡°Look at me, I¡¯ve been so obsessed with Sister Yu that I even thought this child looked like a descendant of Sister Yu, how could that be possible¡­¡±

 Chapter 224 - 224 224 An Unusual Emotion Surfaces in Her

    ?Chapter 224: Chapter 224 An Unusual Emotion Surfaces in Her Heart Chapter 224: Chapter 224 An Unusual Emotion Surfaces in Her Heart Uncle Gu looked at Ning Wanru, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t distinguish which of her words were true and which were false.


    It was a moment later that he simply spoke, ¡°Second Lady, remember your place and remember the words of the Old Patriarch, please go back.¡±


    Since he couldn¡¯t discern the truth from the lies, he might as well not talk at all.


    A clean and quick dismissal was the real solution.


    Ning Wanru sighed softly, her eyes brimming with moisture, ¡°If you won¡¯t look, then don¡¯t look. The Old Patriarch has shown me kindness as heavy as a mountain, I just hope I can die before him, so I won¡¯t have to feel sad or heartbroken¡­¡±


    Qiaoqiao thought to herself, you will certainly die before Gu Qingfeng, rest assured!


    Uncle Gu was not a man gifted with words, and Qiaoqiao had no wish to speak to this old lady either.


    Thus, the scene turned into one where Ning Wanru was talking to herself.


    However, she had achieved her objective for the day.


    Wiping the corner of her eye with a silk handkerchief, Ning Wanru laughed at herself with a wry smile, then stared intently at Qiaoqiao for a good while before addressing Uncle Gu, ¡°I¡¯m leaving, please convey my blessings to the elder. I just hope I can be of some help to him.¡±


    Uncle Gu fell silent for a moment, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ning Wanru didn¡¯t continue speaking, but turned around and left.


    Qiaoqiao, watching her receding figure, furrowed her brows slightly. Why did she feel as if Ning Wanru had come specifically for her?


    Also, shouldn¡¯t Ning Wanru be trying very hard to conceal the mystery of her own birth? Why then did she bring up her resemblance to Lady Yu on her own initiative?


    What is she trying to do?


    If going about it secretly isn¡¯t working, is she trying a more direct approach?


    Uncle Gu gave a few instructions to the bodyguard at the door and then led Qiaoqiao out.


    Upon reaching the hospital square, they saw Ning Wanru get into a small sedan and drive away.


    Uncle Gu opened the car door, let Qiaoqiao in, and then drove in the direction of the Jade Carving Workshop.


    The hospital was quite far from the Jade Carving Workshop.


    Along the way, it was apparent Uncle Gu was still pondering why Ning Wanru had suddenly come to the hospital to say such inexplicable things.


    Qiaoqiao was thinking the same.


    Therefore, the car ride was rather silent, with her gaze directed out the window.


    She suddenly noticed a man sitting in front of the window of a caf¨¦ on the street that looked like Qin Yize.


    And the woman across from him had long hair and slightly resembled Lin Qinghuan.


    But it was just a fleeting glimpse.


    By the time she tried to take a closer look, the car had already moved some distance.


    Qiaoqiao turned her head to look back, but she couldn¡¯t see anything anymore.


    A strange emotion welled up inside her.


    Was it really Qin Yize and Lin Qinghuan?


    The hand Qiaoqiao had placed on her knee clenched, then she quietly relaxed it again.


    At that moment, inside the street-side caf¨¦, Qin Yize sat in a coffee chair, his cool gaze fixed on Lin Qinghuan as he spoke indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m asking you again, have you really not been in touch with Choo Lan or Zhu Xiaohong?¡±


    Lin Qinghuan¡¯s face changed slightly; biting her lip, she suddenly looked up at the handsome man across from her, suppressing the flutter in her heart, and nodded her head with an ostensibly cheerful voice, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch, it¡¯s not convenient to call them.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s deep, pool-like eyes swept over Lin Qinghuan, a trace of coldness flashing through them as he stood up, looking down at her from above, a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Remember what you said today.¡±


    Having said that, he turned and left at a measured pace.


    Lin Qinghuan watched Qin Yize¡¯s retreating figure foolishly until he disappeared, then she drew her gaze back.


    She sat there, head bowed, her long hair obscuring her cheeks, her thoughts hidden from view.


    The Jade Carving Workshop was located on another street behind Yubao Square.


    It was much quieter here.


    This was a stand-alone quadrangle.


    The area was large and the neighboring buildings were of the same architectural style.


    The pedestrians on the street seemed much more leisurely than on the main streets.


    Uncle Gu and Qiaoqiao stood in front of the large vermilion and mottled gate.


    Uncle Gu raised his hand to knock on the door.


    Soon, the door opened.


    It was an old man with a scar across his face, hunched over.


    Upon seeing Uncle Gu, he broke into a smile, then turned to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, glancing back at Uncle Gu inquiringly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took out a wooden key.


    Uncle Gu said, ¡°From now on, this child can come and go freely at our Jade Carving Workshop.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The old man paused for a moment, then nodded his head immediately.


    He then stepped aside to let the two of them in.


    The somewhat old but incredibly sturdy door closed again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked around curiously.


    To her surprise, the courtyard was surrounded by Sichuan pepper trees.


    Then, on the courtyard walls, there were climbing ivy with trumpet flowers.


    A path paved with pebbles ran through the middle, and in two corners of the courtyard stood large, heavy water jars.


    As they entered the main house, the buzzing sound of machinery could be heard.


    This sound was familiar to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    It was the noise of the cutting machines slicing through jade.


    Inside, the space was divided into several small rooms.


    The carving masters were all of a certain age.


    But the atmosphere here was quite relaxed.


    Some were drinking tea, others reading, and some were focused on their meticulous carving.


    Each person had their own unique skills.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s carving skills were orthodox to the Gu Family, and she had mastered the techniques of round carving, openwork carving, and deep and shallow relief carving.


    Aside from age and experience, she excelled above these people.


    Therefore, Gu Qiaoqiao did not go in to watch. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few of the old masters saw Uncle Gu coming in and greeted him with a smile, meanwhile curiously asking Uncle Gu who Qiaoqiao was.


    In these many years, Uncle Gu had never brought an outsider here.


    ¡°This is Gu Qiaoqiao, the Old Patriarch has given her special permission to enter the Jade Carving Workshop at any time, come¡­ Qiaoqiao, meet your grandfathers and say hello,¡± Uncle Gu introduced.


    Following his words, Gu Qiaoqiao greeted the old men, her face brimming with a smiling expression.


    A Gu surname?


    The old men exchanged glances.


    Was she a relative of Old Patriarch Gu?


    It seemed so, otherwise, why would she be allowed to come and go in the Jade Carving Workshop as she pleased?


    Uncle Gu then took Gu Qiaoqiao to the backyard.


    The area was filled with jade rough stones.


    All were transported from the Jade Mine in Diannan, varying in size and shape.


    As Gu Qiaoqiao arrived there, she felt her fingertips heating up.


    She thought it might be because of the jadeite hidden within.


    Looking at the jade rough stones in the courtyard, saying that Gu Qingfeng was wealthy enough to rival a nation might be an exaggeration, but his wealth was indeed staggering.


    She stood still, as there was no talk of stone gambling at that time, and she hadn¡¯t intended to come here looking for a bargain.


    She turned to Uncle Gu, ¡°Uncle Gu, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s worrying to have the Old Patriarch alone in the hospital.¡±


    Uncle Gu nodded, agreeing that what Gu Qiaoqiao said made sense, and so he left with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao told Uncle Gu to drop her off at the entrance of Antique Street, as Uncle Gu was indeed worried about Gu Qingfeng in the hospital and thus drove away on his own.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood by the roadside, glancing at Yubao Square not far away, then headed for the bus station.

 Chapter 225 - 225 225 Gu Qiaoqiao Panicked

    ?Chapter 225: Chapter 225 Gu Qiaoqiao Panicked Chapter 225: Chapter 225 Gu Qiaoqiao Panicked In the blink of an eye, three days had quietly passed.


    Qin Yize had essentially finished arranging his work here, but he continued to be elusive.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew he still had the Qin Family¡¯s affairs to take care of.


    Was this the best explanation for the adage ¡°the capable ones do more¡±?


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Now, she had a small amount of assets in her hands.


    However, she would have to wait until she returned from Border City to make specific plans on what to do with them.


    With grain in hand, there was no panic in the heart.


    Since coming back, Gu Qiaoqiao had only spoken to An Xiaotong on the phone once and, for this girl who almost suffered the same fate as herself, Gu Qiaoqiao paid extra attention.


    By chance, An Xiaotong called her in the morning, saying she was going to intern at Lijing Ho, so she wanted to meet with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Thus, the two agreed to meet at the small park in Central Building at 14:00 in the afternoon.


    Gu Qiaoqiao left the house after eating lunch.


    When she arrived at the small park, it was already past one o¡¯clock.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat in the shade of the trees waiting for An Xiaotong.


    The park wasn¡¯t crowded, perhaps because the weather was too hot; at this time, no one liked to go outside.


    Gu Qiaoqiao waited there until half-past two but still didn¡¯t see any sign of An Xiaotong.


    Gu Qiaoqiao became anxious.


    Had something happened on the road?


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao abruptly stood up and quickly walked toward the park¡¯s exit.


    The exit was quiet.


    There were hardly any people around.


    She looked left and right but did not see An Xiaotong.


    Gu Qiaoqiao checked the direction, then started walking towards the streets in the northwest.


    But just then, a speeding van passing by Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly braked, its sharp screech startling her.


    Turning her head, the van¡¯s door suddenly opened, and three men in black T-shirts came out, capturing Gu Qiaoqiao in the blink of an eye and shoved her into the vehicle.


    The van then sped off.


    These actions were completed almost in the blink of an eye, so no one saw a girl being grabbed by three men and thrown into a car.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was tossed onto the vehicle¡¯s seat.


    Sitting beside her was unexpectedly Alina.


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows tightly and gazed darkly at Alina, ¡°Alina, it¡¯s you!¡±


    Alina nodded, sneering, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I asked you nicely to meet and you refused, forcing me to resort to such violent methods.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand quietly reached into her purse and pulled out the lighter, then she scanned the people in the vehicle¡ªa driver and three bodyguards.


    And there was one Alina.


    The van¡¯s seating was arranged in three rows.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was sitting in the middle, with a smug Alina across from her.


    The vehicle was going fast, apparently heading northwest.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stealthily flicked the lighter¡¯s switch on and asked Alina, ¡°What are you planning to do? Don¡¯t you know this is illegal?¡±


    Alina shook her head nonchalantly, ¡°I just want to invite you to meet with our club¡¯s owner, have a little talk, and then we¡¯ll let you go. What are you worried about?¡±


    ¡°The club¡¯s owner?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao frowned. Who was this person?


    Alina shrugged her shoulders, instructing the driver, ¡°Drive faster.¡±


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao moved swiftly, positioning a small handgun against Alina¡¯s forehead.


    As they were both seated, it hardly took any effort.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± commanded Gu Qiaoqiao in a calm tone.


    Alina¡¯s pupils dilated in shock, and with disbelief, she raised her eyes to look at the somewhat chilly weapon pressed against her forehead. Her mouth agape, she was, for a moment, unable to speak.


    The three bodyguards clearly hadn¡¯t expected this, since the takeover had been too easy.


    The adversary was merely a girl in her late teens.


    By the time they reacted, it was already too late.


    None of them dared to move, because they didn¡¯t know if the gun in the girl¡¯s hand was real.


    If a nervous twitch caused it to fire, the situation would escalate significantly.


    One of the bodyguard leaders spoke up, ¡°Young lady, don¡¯t get excited. Our boss really just wants to have a word with you.¡±


    ¡°I said stop the car,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao commanded sharply once again.


    At that moment, the car lurched slightly, causing Gu Qiaoqiao to sway. The bodyguard who had spoken was about to charge over from the back seat.


    Gu Qiaoqiao raised her hand, and a hard stone suddenly struck his wrist.


    The bodyguard couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain.


    He then collapsed, sitting on the seat. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao again pressed the custom handgun tightly against Alina¡¯s forehead and coolly stated, ¡°You know exactly how accurate I am. Stop the car!¡±


    The people in the car looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with shocked expressions.


    Not only was her aim accurate, but her movements were quick as well.


    Even these well-trained assassins hadn¡¯t been able to react in time to her shot.


    Allowing her to once again aim the gun at Alina.


    Alina finally found her voice, her teeth clenched as she trembled, ¡°Do you dare to shoot?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled slightly, ¡°You can try me.¡±


    Alina suddenly remembered the way Gu Qiaoqiao had held an arrow at Gu Yajing that day, but she couldn¡¯t stop the car.


    She had no good way to invite Gu Qiaoqiao to the hotel.


    They could only have someone loiter near the Qin Family¡¯s residence, hoping to take her to the hotel once she was alone.


    Who cares about the consequences.


    After all, they had Xino in the event of trouble.


    He was a distinguished foreign businessman and guest invited by Hua Country.


    But the Gu Qiaoqiao in front of her was quite different from what she had imagined.


    She gritted her teeth, ¡°Are you here waiting for An Xiaotong from the An Family?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze turned sharp.


    ¡°Never mind how I know, but I can tell you, she got into a car with a man and left about half an hour ago.¡±


    ¡°She got in willingly, not like I did?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao pondered for a moment before asking sternly.


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Alina said irritably, and then stared at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. You come with me to meet our club¡¯s boss, then I¡¯ll tell you what car An Xiaotong got into, what the man looks like¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned in thought.


    Was it someone she knew?


    If it was someone familiar, then there was less to worry about.


    But still, something didn¡¯t feel right.


    Xiaotong knew she was in the park waiting for her. Why would she leave without saying a word?


    Given Xiaotong¡¯s considerate and yielding nature, she wouldn¡¯t be so impolite.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was anxious.


    Seeing the expression on Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face, Alina said with triumph, ¡°Otherwise, you can kill me. Feel free.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s thoughts shifted quickly, and she suddenly put away the gun into her bag, telling Alina, ¡°Tell the driver to speed up.¡±


    The three bodyguards quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    One of the bodyguards picked up the stone from the ground, looked at the swelling on his wrist, and the broken half of his watch strap, and sneered, ¡°Young lady, you¡¯ve got quite the marksmanship.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled faintly, ¡°If my aim wasn¡¯t this good, would I dare to point a gun at someone? Besides, isn¡¯t that what your boss is interested in too?¡±

 Chapter 226 - 226 226 Firmly Refuse (Extra)

    ?Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Firmly Refuse (Extra) Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Firmly Refuse (Extra) Gu Qiaoqiao had just remembered what kind of club Alina was staying at.


    The bodyguard rubbed his wrist, but thought to himself that if it weren¡¯t for the hard watch strap, his wrist might have been pierced by the stone.


    But then he was startled, his gaze complicated as he looked at the girl with the calm demeanor. Could it be that she was actually aiming for the watch strap?


    No wonder his master took an interest in her.


    The car drove fast and soon arrived at the most luxurious hotel in the Imperial Capital.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car.


    She followed Alina towards the hotel¡¯s entrance.


    Her heart was anxious, but there was nothing she could do.


    If she didn¡¯t go to meet the club owner, Alina wouldn¡¯t speak up.


    She could only hope to meet that damned owner quickly.


    Soon, the group reached the luxury suite on the top floor.


    When the door opened, Gu Qiaoqiao saw the back of a man.


    He had a tall and straight figure, as majestic as jade.


    Dressed in an exquisite suit, he slowly turned his head upon hearing the noise at the door.


    This was a young man who was handsome and exuded an air of nobility.


    At that time, his amber eyes were filled with a gentle smile.


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao had never seen this man before, she could tell from his entire imposing manner that he was definitely the owner of the club.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned slightly and stood at the door without moving.


    Alina stepped forward, leaning on Xino¡¯s shoulder, and said softly, ¡°Xino, this is the Gu Qiaoqiao who defeated me. You have no idea, we almost got into a fierce fight just now¡­¡±


    Xino chuckled softly, ¡°Hmm, I heard Ah Li mention it; his wrist was almost fractured¡­¡±


    His deep voice sounded somewhat seductive.


    At the very least, Alina seemed boneless as she leaned into Xino¡¯s embrace.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned impatiently.


    However, Xino casually pushed away Alina in his arms and smiled at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Miss Gu, hello, I am Xino, the executive director of America¡¯s Ademi Club. I¡¯m pleased to meet you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyes to look at the man, her lips curving into a slight smile, ¡°Mr. Xino, do you want something from me?¡±


    Xino pointed towards the couch, polite and charmingly smiling, ¡°Miss Gu, may we sit down and talk?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was unmoved, ¡°I have other matters to attend to, Mr. Xino. Please say what you have to say.¡±


    Xino was taken aback, observing the girl¡¯s calm eyes, the smile on his face faded a bit.


    Almost no girl remained indifferent upon seeing his smile.


    But this girl showed no sign of being dazzled, had his charm declined?


    He immediately glanced at Alina beside him and smiled slightly; sure enough, Alina¡¯s gaze became infatuated once again.


    Xino arched an eyebrow, his amber eyes flickering with a dark light as he began, ¡°I would like to recruit Miss Gu into my club. The remuneration is definitely more generous than you can imagine.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I won¡¯t be going. I have no interest in shooting,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao decisively refused.


    ¡°You¡¯re rejecting it without even asking about the remuneration?¡± Xino was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve decided not to go, what¡¯s the point in asking about the remuneration?¡±


    ¡°Miss Gu, I am aware of your situation. We can give you preferential treatment. You would only need to participate in the competition at Ademi once a year, and for the rest of the time, you can stay at home and no one will impose on you. The annual salary we¡¯ll provide is three hundred thousand Dollar, and any prize money you win at the competition will be entirely yours¡ª the club won¡¯t take a cent,¡± he offered. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To the side, Alina felt as if a venomous snake was biting at her heart upon hearing this. Why¡ªwhy does this woman attain with such ease what she could only dream of?


    She had been devoted to the club and only received eighty thousand a year, and even then, she had to give up half of any prize money.


    Yet Xino was openly discussing this matter right in front of her with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    A hint of jealousy flashed in Alina¡¯s eyes.


    The hand hanging by her side clenched, staring intently at Gu Qiaoqiao.


    With such generous terms, this bitch should agree, right?


    Going once a year, it¡¯s just like going on an overseas trip.


    And to get three hundred thousand Dollars for just participating in one competition a year.


    Even if she was married, it wouldn¡¯t have any effect.


    For the jobless Gu Qiaoqiao, this was like a pie falling from the sky.


    Yet, without even thinking, Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head directly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Xino, your offer is indeed very good, but I will not set foot in the shooting world.¡±


    As she said this, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t even blink as she continued, ¡°And I¡¯m already married, planning to have a child this year, how could I possibly go about bending bows and shooting arrows¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Xino paused, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s vibrantly youthful face, he murmured, ¡°You¡¯re only nineteen, and ready to bear children for a man, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much of a pity?¡±


    ¡°I cannot discuss this issue with you,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said with a smile that was not quite a smile.


    Xino was speechless.


    Gu Qiaoqiao continued, ¡°We¡¯ve already talked, I should be going.¡±


    She then grabbed Alina firmly, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Tell me about the car and person you just saw.¡±


    Alina tried to break free, but despite Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s apparent frailty, she was surprisingly strong and couldn¡¯t escape.


    She looked at Gu Qiaoqiao huffily.


    Xino also gazed intently at Gu Qiaoqiao, this girl, she was interesting.


    Decisive in action, neat and efficient in handling matters.


    He admired that.


    Therefore, he waved his hand, ¡°Alina, tell her whatever you promised quickly, you must keep your word.¡±


    Alina had no choice but to speak, ¡°That car was a Dongfeng minivan, the license plate number was 0016****, the man looked to be in his forties, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and through binoculars, I saw that his right hand had six fingers¡­¡± because of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s firm refusal, Alina felt reassured and gave a detailed description.


    ¡°Is that it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to leave.


    Xino, however, stepped forward in a few quick strides, blocking Gu Qiaoqiao. His amber eyes, like the color of glaze, now shimmered with an uninterpretable light; he asked softly, ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head decisively, ¡°No need.¡±


    Having said this, Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate to sprint towards the outside.


    Xino stood at the doorway, shrugged his shoulders, raised his eyebrows, and turned back into the house.


    Alina quietly sighed relief.


    Thankfully, that woman had some sense of self-awareness.


    Meanwhile, Gu Qiaoqiao swiftly made her way to the gate and ran toward the nearby phone booth.


    An Xiaotong was no child.


    There¡¯s no way she would get into a car with a stranger.


    Perhaps something happened at home.


    That¡¯s why she had to leave in such a hurry.


    Gu Qiaoqiao first called the An Family, where a servant answered and told her An Xiaotong hadn¡¯t come back after leaving, and that there was no issue at the An Family¡¯s home at the moment.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hung up the phone with a pale face.


    She then called Chu Chengfeng, but to her surprise, after saying only a few words, Qin Yize¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    At that moment, Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if she had found her mainstay, and she quickly related An Xiaotong¡¯s situation to Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Wait for me at the phone booth, I¡¯ll drive there to pick you up immediately.¡±


    After saying that, he hung up the phone.

 Chapter 227 - 227 227 I Will Definitely Not Be Indifferent

    ?Chapter 227: Chapter 227 I Will Definitely Not Be Indifferent Like Lady An (Added Chapter) Chapter 227: Chapter 227 I Will Definitely Not Be Indifferent Like Lady An (Added Chapter) Gu Qiaoqiao wiped the sweat from her face, anxiously waiting for Qin Yize¡¯s arrival.


    In the summer at the Imperial Capital, the air carried strands of floating warmth, and the lush green tree leaves beside the square seemed lackluster.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart grew increasingly agitated.


    Before long, a jeep sped over.


    It stopped abruptly in front of Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Qin Yize leaned out, opened the other side of the car door, and Gu Qiaoqiao, holding her shoulder bag, got into the car.


    ¡°Can you find out where the license plate is from?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked urgently as soon as she sat down.


    ¡°I¡¯m checking,¡± Qin Yize said as he turned the steering wheel and drove onto the road.


    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked hoarsely.


    ¡°To the An Family,¡± Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice gentle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Maybe Xiaotong will be back when we get there.¡±


    I hope so.


    Recalling the fate of the An Family in her previous life, Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her hands; she feared it wouldn¡¯t be that simple.


    Gu Qiaoqiao leaned her face against the car window, the wind fluttering through her hair, and the brilliant sunlight filled the sky outside the window.


    Sometimes, you can¡¯t guard against everything.


    Accidents always happen when you¡¯re unprepared.


    She furrowed her brows and sighed almost inaudibly.


    A red light appeared ahead, and Qin Yize reminisced about probing Qinghuan a few days ago.


    Turning his head, he spoke softly, ¡°Has Qinghuan contacted you these days?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao was startled and then remembered the scene she had witnessed that day; she clenched her fists and said, without looking away, ¡°She hasn¡¯t contacted me.¡±


    ¡°Qinghuan¡¯s background is somewhat complex; you shouldn¡¯t associate with her,¡± Qin Yize spoke plainly.


    Complex background?


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned to look at Qin Yize, but noticed his lips were tightly pursed and his expression was very serious.


    Had something happened that she didn¡¯t know about?


    Nonetheless, she nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    The green light illuminated, and the jeep continued driving forward.


    They soon arrived in front of the large gate of the An Family¡¯s estate.


    It was Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s first visit.


    The place was beautiful.


    Trees lushly shaded the area, and the fragrance of flowers was thick. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was said to have been a prince¡¯s mansion in the past.


    Later, it was divided into dozens of courtyards of varying sizes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize and asked with concern, ¡°Does this affect your work?¡±


    Qin Yize shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m currently on leave; it doesn¡¯t affect me.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car.


    Truth be told, when Gu Qiaoqiao saw Xiaotong, she seemed to see herself who had suffered so much in her previous life.


    Helping her was like helping herself.


    No one could understand Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s feelings.


    Yet she knew that without those experiences later on, Xiaotong¡¯s mentality wouldn¡¯t have matured as much.


    Thus, when faced with challenges, she wouldn¡¯t be as calm and composed as she was.


    So, she was exceptionally worried.


    Qin Yize knocked on the An Family¡¯s large door.


    It was only after entering the An Family¡¯s home that they realized, other than Grandma An, no one seemed very worried.


    They all believed Xiaotong must have gone out with friends.


    Mrs. An even complained to Grandma An, ¡°This child often goes out. It¡¯s not her first time taking a car. Why are you so scared? Xiaolan and I had to leave our hair appointments to come back, really¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao sat on the sofa, watching the elder brother of the An Family and Xiaolan whispering to each other, and saw Mrs. An with a face full of resentment.


    Her heart sank too.


    Even if Xiaotong had gone out with friends, even if Xiaotong would be back soon, how could her relatives act as if nothing was wrong, even feeling resentful?


    What kind of family did Xiaotong actually live in?


    Is it that in this world when you raise someone else¡¯s child, you stop loving your own flesh and blood?


    Just like Gu Qingfeng.


    He drove out his own son to live in poverty, and then Gu Qingfeng himself lived in luxury, raising someone else¡¯s son.


    Marrying and having children, enjoying everything that should have belonged to the grandfather.


    Actually, there are too many unfair and irrational places in this world.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood up, looked toward Mrs. An, and said coldly, ¡°Lady An, I am really sorry, maybe I am overthinking, but you and your adopted daughter go continue doing your hair, I¡¯ll go find Xiaotong, and not disturb you¡­¡±


    Mrs. An¡¯s face stiffened, and Xiaolan clenched her teeth in secret.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao tugged at Qin Yize¡¯s arm.


    Taking the cue, Qin Yize stood up, nodded to the An Family without wanting to say much, turned around, took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, and pulled her towards the door.


    They couldn¡¯t stay here any longer.


    The An Family was too indifferent, which could stir Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s emotions.


    Grandma An, anxious, glared fiercely at Mrs. An, looked at the three people, moved her lips, but did not speak.


    Instead, she gave Xiaolan a meaningful look, then chased after Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize.


    When she came out, Gu Qiaoqiao was about to open the car door.


    Seeing the only person who truly cared for Xiaotong, Gu Qiaoqiao turned around, walked up to Grandma An, and said, ¡°Grandma An, don¡¯t worry, Xiaotong will definitely be okay.¡±


    Grandma An nodded, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you also don¡¯t worry, Xiaotong¡¯s mother is just heartless¡­¡±


    While she was speaking, the other people also came out, apparently feeling that it was not very polite not to.


    Thus, they smiled and talked to Qin Yize.


    Qin Yize responded indifferently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t even look at them, but said a few quiet words to Grandma An before getting into the car.


    Qin Yize started the car and slowly left the An Family mansion.


    Gu Qiaoqiao let out a breath, frowning deeply.


    Xiaotong still hadn¡¯t returned, where could she have gone?


    Judging by Xiaolan¡¯s behavior, she couldn¡¯t tell anything at all.


    As he drove, Qin Yize asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Why were you at the entrance of the Imperial Capital Hotel?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao jerked, realizing she hadn¡¯t yet told Qin Yize about meeting Xino.


    She had only talked about Xiaotong¡¯s situation.


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize and started speaking in a low voice.


    Just as she mentioned being forced into the car, Qin Yize¡¯s expression sharpened, he turned the car towards the roadside and then stopped it.


    Turning to look at Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice calm, he said, ¡°Continue talking¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared blankly into Qin Yize¡¯s eyes, deep as the ocean, as if looking any longer might pull her into a whirlpool.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she silenced for a moment but still recounted the events that had just occurred to Qin Yize.


    Of course, she would never mention the comment about having a child even if it killed her.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes grew cold, Xino, Alina¡­


    They seemed to have forgotten whose land this was.


    After she finished, Gu Qiaoqiao took out the lighter and demonstrated, ¡°You see, I have this, it¡¯s almost invincible.¡±


    This weapon was definitely powerful.


    Its lethality wasn¡¯t huge, but it was enough to shock the opponent.


    Its greatest benefit was that it could be fired repeatedly.


    Qin Yize pressed down her gesturing hand, not letting go, but leaned slightly forward, whispering so only they could hear, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, if you disappeared, even for just a few hours, I would never be indifferent like Lady An, please believe me!¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 228 So He Avoided Her for Three Days

    ?Chapter 228: Chapter 228: So, He Avoided Her for Three Days. Chapter 228: Chapter 228: So, He Avoided Her for Three Days. His voice was soft, yet each word carried an astonishing power.


    Gu Qiaoqiao never doubted that.


    She bit her lip and slowly nodded, softly saying, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze still rested intently on her, with a focus that was different from before.


    It seemed as if thick ink roiled deep within his pupils.


    Those eyes, bright as stars, seemed to contain a thousand words he didn¡¯t know where to begin.


    Eventually, that multitude of unspoken words turned into a faint sigh. He gently lifted his hand and tucked a strand of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hair, blown astray by the wind, behind her ear.


    He stared into Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, full of clear and trusting water.


    His heart was filled with sourness.


    Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao¡­


    Do you want to leave me now, leave the Qin family?


    Is that so?


    The night he was injured, he saw determination in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes.


    So, he avoided her for three days.


    Qin Yize withdrew his hand but caught sight of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s cheeks flushing instantaneously, like the March breeze passing over the peach blossoms in May.


    He thought that she must still love him.


    Otherwise, why didn¡¯t she show annoyance at his touch, but only shyness?


    She was just troubled over a secret heartache she harbored, buried deep within her heart on the afternoon of New Year¡¯s Eve, when she had just awoken.


    He thought that if he could untangle her heartache, would the girl who laughed so radiantly and brightly, her heart and eyes filled with nothing but him, come back?


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could react, he pulled back all his tumbling thoughts and seriously said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the telephone booth up ahead and give Chu Chengfeng a call.¡±


    Saying this, without waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao to speak, he stepped on the accelerator and the jeep turned towards the road ahead, merging into the heavy traffic.


    Gu Qiaoqiao frowned with annoyance once again.


    Her fingers were idly tangled together.


    Why was she always so unguarded whenever she was with Qin Yize?


    Moreover, she never managed to dodge him in time.


    Allowing him to make affectionate gestures.


    Was she too stupid?


    No, that couldn¡¯t be it.


    Then it must be that Qin Yize was too quick.


    So quick that she didn¡¯t have time to react.


    And by the time she did, Qin Yize would again look all serious, as though nothing had happened.


    It made her feel like she was punching cotton.


    Gu Qiaoqiao turned her head in frustration, looking out the window.


    They soon arrived at a telephone booth ahead.


    Qin Yize got out of the car and gestured for Gu Qiaoqiao to stay put.


    He went inside the booth to make a call.


    Quickly, he hung up the phone, then stood waiting beside the booth.


    He was probably waiting for news from Chu Chengfeng.


    His tall figure leaned casually against the booth¡¯s pillar, looking upwards slightly, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, resembling an orchid in full splendor.


    At that moment, he resembled a sumi-e painting suffused with poetry.


    But in the next instant, as if sensing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s gaze on him, Qin Yize turned his head.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao intently.


    She met his gaze calmly for a few seconds before nonchalantly shifting her eyes away.


    She could put on an act too.


    The corners of Qin Yize¡¯s lips lifted into a smile.


    And just then, the old lady in the telephone booth handed him the phone from the table.


    Qin Yize picked up the receiver as if listening intently.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also watched Qin Yize nervously.


    Before long, he hung up the phone.


    After making a few more calls, he strode back toward the jeep.


    ¡°Did you find it?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked eagerly.


    ¡°Yeah, that car has left the Imperial Capital, but it¡¯s still within reach, let¡¯s chase after it now,¡± Qin Yize said, then in a stern voice, ¡°Hold tight, don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    With that, he stepped on the accelerator, and the jeep shot toward the roads in the southern part of the Imperial Capital, like an arrow released from a bow.


    The car sped along.


    Gu Qiaoqiao held tightly onto the car¡¯s handle, her complexion a bit pale but otherwise all seemed well.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of admiration.


    Then he didn¡¯t accelerate further but maintained the current speed and rushed forward quickly.


    ¡°Those people in the van are bad guys, right? Does anyone know who they are?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly asked.


    Qin Yize nodded, ¡°We have identified them, it¡¯s a human trafficker involved in selling people, connected with the individuals from the train incident a while back. The police officers at the station have been after him, but unexpectedly, he showed up this time.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was greatly shocked.


    Was it that well-organized gang?


    Gu Qiaoqiao glanced at Qin Yize who was serious about driving, and didn¡¯t speak further, keeping her questions to herself.


    Qin Yize was driving, she couldn¡¯t distract him any further.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a bit embarrassed, she had only just realized this.


    The Jeep soon left Imperial Capital City.


    Heading south.


    This route must be deep in the Southwestern Great Mountain.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes gradually grew colder.


    She had another nightmare, the village that had ruined her life.


    Ning Wanru was as cruel as a demon, and that village¡¯s old woman was the demon¡¯s accomplice.


    The moment the red-hot coals entered her throat, she felt as if she were in Hell.


    She didn¡¯t die in the end, but she could no longer speak.


    She thought it was her sheer luck.


    She didn¡¯t think much about it at the time.


    But now, looking back, it must have been Qin Yize who found her the best doctor before he left.


    Moreover, that village was later said to have had many women and children who had been trafficked rescued.


    Although this happened three years later.


    But even now, such evil might not be absent.


    The hand that Gu Qiaoqiao was holding tightened.


    She was still too weak.


    Unintentionally, the sun began to set behind the western mountains.


    Back and forth, it was already five o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt somewhat guilty.


    Always saying she wouldn¡¯t involve Qin Yize, yet she kept pulling him into the mess every time.


    She felt she was becoming more and more hypocritical.


    Her heart said one thing, but she did another.


    Was this pretentious girl really her, Gu Qiaoqiao?


    She slowly sat up straighter in her seat.


    From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Qin Yize, then swiftly looked away again. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And just at that moment, a Dongfeng van that closely matched Alina¡¯s description appeared ahead.


    Qin Yize narrowed his eyes for a look, thinking to himself how audacious they were for not even changing the license plate number.


    It was probably safe to assume no one had spotted them.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t a kidnapping; An Xiaotong had gotten into the car willingly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also saw it and hurriedly asked Qin Yize, ¡°Is that the one? I¡¯m not familiar with cars, but I remember the license plate number.¡±


    Qin Yize nodded.


    He increased the horsepower and chased after the van.


    The van¡¯s speed was also very fast, and a fork appeared ahead. The van took the right turn onto the Yellow Sand Road.


    The Jeep followed closely behind.


    But due to the distance, they were just a bit too far to force the van to a stop.


    The Yellow Sand Road was narrow.


    Only one vehicle could pass at a time.


    On the side was a drainage ditch.


    It seemed to lead to a village not far away.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, maybe that¡¯s where their base was.


    At that moment, the van seemed to realize something and suddenly quickened its speed.

 Chapter 229 - 229 229 Tracking Sniping

    ?Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Tracking, Sniping. Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Tracking, Sniping. Qin Yize glanced at the distance, looked ahead, and asked Gu Qiaoqiao in a deep voice, ¡°Are you sure you can blow out the back two tires?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes brightened.


    She nodded immediately, this distance was absolutely no problem.


    She took out a lighter, pressed it a few times, and it turned into a small slingshot pistol.


    She had used one pellet in the afternoon, and there were nine stone pellets left inside.


    Qin Yize looked at the direction, ¡°Hit the left one first¡­¡±


    The Jeep¡¯s window was already half-open, and Qin Yize pressed the button to lower the window further.


    Then Gu Qiaoqiao leaned against the window¡¯s edge, raised the small pistol in her hand, curled her lips, and fired at the speeding van¡¯s left tire.


    With a bang, the tire burst on impact, but the vehicle continued to drive forward due to inertia.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not hesitate any longer and fired a second shot.


    It hit without any surprise.


    The van¡¯s body skewed and came to an abrupt stop.


    Qin Yize smiled slightly, pressed the accelerator, and the car sped towards the van like an arrow released from a bow.


    When they were ten meters away, he stopped the car and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t get out yet.¡±


    As he spoke, he quickly opened the car door and sprinted towards the van like a cheetah.


    He stretched out his hand and seemed to punch the driver, then opened the middle door and leaped inside in one stride.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was somewhat nervous.


    She gripped the small pistol in her hand, a look of determination in her eyes.


    Even if she got out, she would not be a burden to Qin Yize.


    She opened the door of the Jeep.


    She dashed towards the direction of the van.


    When she arrived, she found that the driver had already been knocked out.


    Inside, it was a mess. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About four girls were inside, now tied together with a large rope, each with a cloth stuffed in their mouth.


    All were unconscious, likely drugged with a hallucinogen drug.


    And there were three men.


    Two were bloodied by Qin Yize and lay inside the van.


    And there was one more man, holding a knife with the blade pressed against a girl¡¯s throat.


    That girl was An Xiaotong.


    The man, in his forties, had eyes full of panic but was gritting his teeth and trembling as he yelled, ¡°Get out, or I¡¯ll kill her¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he pressed the blade against An Xiaotong¡¯s neck.


    Blood immediately began flowing from the blade¡¯s tip.


    Qin Yize squinted but changed his mind when he saw Gu Qiaoqiao, and he got out of the car.


    He pulled Gu Qiaoqiao back and then whispered, ¡°Give me the slingshot.¡±


    The slingshot?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled at first, then she realized that he had mentioned when he gave it to her that it could not be called a gun.


    At best, it was an improved version of a slingshot.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao still liked to call it a slingshot pistol.


    Gu Qiaoqiao handed the slingshot pistol to him.


    After Qin Yize took it, he walked back to the car door and taunted, ¡°With the wheels blown out, you can¡¯t drive your car anymore. Come out, you can borrow my car.¡±


    The man, holding the knife, knew in his heart that he might have messed up today.


    But who was this young man?


    A police officer?


    He took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Are you with the police?¡±


    Qin Yize shook his head, his expression unflustered, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Then do you have relatives here?¡± the man tentatively asked.


    If he had found her, he definitely would have released that woman.


    Qin Yize shook his head again, ¡°No.¡±


    The man harshly said, ¡°You¡¯re neither from the police station nor a family member of yours, why the hell are you interfering, piss me off and I¡¯ll kill all four of them, no loss anyway.¡±


    Qin Yize curled the corners of his mouth slightly, his cold features remained calm as he spoke lightly, ¡°Although I¡¯m not a police officer and there are no relatives of mine here, I am a citizen of Huaxia Country, and stepping up to do what¡¯s right is both my right and duty¡­¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Yize¡¯s hand moved, the small pistol he held in his palm suddenly raised, his finger moved, and in the blink of an eye, the stone bullet inside rushed out, hitting the man¡¯s knife-holding hand squarely.


    He wasn¡¯t as lucky as the Xino bodyguards.


    His wrist was penetrated.


    A scream emitted from the man¡¯s mouth.


    The knife clattered onto the floor of the car.


    He doubled over in pain, falling to his knees with a thud.


    Gripping his wrist, he started howling miserably.


    Then, Gu Qiaoqiao heard the sound of police sirens from the distance.


    She turned her head and saw three vehicles driving in this direction.


    One of the cars was Chu Chengfeng¡¯s, which she recognized.


    Another one must be Du Tian¡¯s, a friend of Qin Yize and Chu Chengfeng.


    And the other was a police car from the station.


    Everything settled down.


    The traffickers were all captured.


    Four girls were also freed from their ropes and had the rags removed from their mouths.


    Unexpectedly, the always genteel Du Tian looked anxious.


    It turned out he knew An Xiaotong.


    He quickly lifted An Xiaotong in his arms, murmuring, ¡°Silly girl, to be trafficked twice, you really are something¡­¡±


    Then he briskly walked toward his car, carrying An Xiaotong.


    Gu Qiaoqiao instinctively started to follow.


    Because she was confident she could revive An Xiaotong immediately.


    But at the next moment, Qin Yize suddenly grabbed her wrist, shook his head at her, and whispered softly, ¡°Du Tian and An Xiaotong grew up together since childhood.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stopped.


    Meanwhile, Du Tian had quickly turned the car around and was driving towards the Imperial Capital.


    Chu Chengfeng walked around the van, somewhat dumbfounded at the deflated tires, and then he looked at the man¡¯s wrist being stuffed into the police car, the man had already fainted from the pain.


    And the others were also half-dead.


    He clucked his tongue, eyes filled with astonishment, and asked, ¡°Which one of you two did this?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked.


    Qin Yize slightly smiled, lazily said, ¡°Both had a hand.¡±


    His voice sounded casual, but still carried an unknown pride.


    He was the eagle of the skies, naturally hoping to have another bird to fly wing to wing with him.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, truly could do it.


    So, he was naturally proud and content.


    Chu Chengfeng grinned, patted Qin Yize on the shoulder, and joked, ¡°What is this, a couple united, sword-wielding adventurers?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve read too many martial arts novels.¡±


    Qin Yize also smiled slightly, pushed Chu Chengfeng lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Speaking, he took Gu Qiaoqiao by the hand, and walked towards the jeep.


    After getting Gu Qiaoqiao into the car, he returned to talk to two policemen for a few words, then drove off with Gu Qiaoqiao towards the Imperial Capital.


    With these four people captured, he believed that the human trafficking ring would be completely eradicated.


    Gu Qiaoqiao also relaxed.


    The frowning brows gradually eased.


    On the way here, they had arrived quickly, but on the way back, Qin Yize slowed down the pace.

 Chapter 230 - 230 230 Qiaoqiao Do You Dislike Me (Extra)

    ?Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Qiaoqiao, Do You Dislike Me? (Extra) Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Qiaoqiao, Do You Dislike Me? (Extra) He let the police cars and Chu Chengfeng¡¯s car pass them by.


    Qin Yize continued driving at a steady speed.


    They hadn¡¯t yet reached the Imperial Capital, and at this moment, they were driving through the countryside.


    The sky, filled with the glow of the setting sun, merged with the endless green land under the golden light of the setting sun, blending into a stunning palette of colors that made one¡¯s heart tremble.


    Qin Yize even had a wonderful thought¡ªhe wanted to keep driving like this with Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Until the end of time.


    He slightly lowered his gaze and looked at the girl beside him.


    The sun cast a fiery afterglow, making Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face blush, her ponytail slightly askew, but those clear, water-like eyes were exceptionally bright.


    Qin Yize¡¯s hand, gripping the steering wheel, tightened slightly as he suddenly remembered a phrase, ¡°eyes as clear as springs, eyebrows like distant mountains.¡±


    His heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    He recalled taking wedding photos with her a year ago, on a day when a light drizzle was falling, like silk threads, hitting the petals on the roadside, dropping into puddles, and causing ripples to spread.


    She held a small floral umbrella, her steps lively, her eyes as clear as springs, her eyebrows like distant mountains, just as she was today.


    Only her face carried a bright smile. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if she didn¡¯t care about his silence, she went on chirping about whatever she wanted to say.


    Despite the gloomy weather, she seemed like a little sun under that floral umbrella.


    Making his overcast heart also filled with sunlight.


    He felt that marrying such a girl wasn¡¯t as sad as he had imagined, it was more like a relief.


    Qin Yize sighed inwardly; in less than a year, that chirpy girl had disappeared.


    Since New Year¡¯s Eve, he hadn¡¯t heard her chirp at him again.


    It was his fault, wasn¡¯t it?


    Yes, it was his fault!


    It was his indifference and aloofness that had changed Gu Qiaoqiao into a different person.


    In the span of a year, she had grown into another image entirely.


    Yet, he still didn¡¯t dislike her like this, he could even say he liked her.


    It turned out that there really is such a feeling, no matter what the other person becomes, he still treats her as he did at the start.


    Thinking this, Qin Yize couldn¡¯t help but glance at Gu Qiaoqiao again.


    She wore a beige shirt, the hem of which was tucked into the same colored tapered pants.


    The tender colors made the nineteen-year-old girl look youthfully striking, full where she should be, slender where she should be.


    Like the first hint of spring on the branches of a begonia tree in spring, stunning and eye-catching.


    Qin Yize was somewhat distracted.


    After a moment, he opened his mouth somewhat abruptly and in a mood-killing tone, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Not hungry,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao replied crisply, looking straight ahead.


    The jeep continued to move smoothly, and there was a momentary stagnation in the air.


    Qin Yize suddenly felt that the car was a bit stuffy.


    The heart that normally felt as expansive as to accommodate the sky was, at this moment, as if clogged with something.


    He thought, as a man, he should take the initiative to talk to Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Instead of avoiding the topic.


    He slowly stopped the car.


    Turning around, his eyes, as dark as Black Cleansing Stone, focused intently on Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, however, was taken aback, pulled out of her muddled thoughts, she looked at Qin Yize in surprise as he suddenly stopped the car, her eyes questioning.


    Qin Yize slowly began to speak, his voice softly low, ¡°Qiaoqiao, can we talk?¡±


    Qiaoqiao?


    He called her Qiaoqiao!


    In his entire life, he always addressed her with her full name, Gu Qiaoqiao, and now suddenly, he called her by her nickname¡ªQiaoqiao!


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart seized, and after a few breaths, her heart began to thump¡ªwhat did he want to talk about?


    Gu Qiaoqiao pursed her red lips but said nothing.


    Yet a flash of wariness crossed her eyes.


    Qin Yize pretended not to notice, and once the bow was drawn, there was no turning back.


    Since he had started, he must carry on decisively.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, what are you thinking now, do you still want to divorce me?¡±


    He asked softly.


    The setting sun cast a faint golden glow on the side of his face, giving his handsome features a touch of warmth.


    His voice was soft, yet exceedingly earnest.


    Gu Qiaoqiao took a deep breath and nodded equally seriously, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no need for us to continue entangling with each other. It¡¯s not good for either of us.¡±


    Qin Yize felt a sinking feeling in his heart, an answer he had anticipated, but still one he did not want to hear.


    ¡°Remember you said you wanted to wait for three years, right?¡± Qin Yize rid his eyes of their dark haze, still asking softly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt she had been a bit impulsive at the time; after all, who could have predicted that things would develop to this point in just a few months?


    She had found the enemy from her past life who had caused her family¡¯s downfall.


    But still, it was with Qin Yize¡¯s help that she had managed to do so.


    This, she could not deny.


    She softened her voice, her gaze tender, ¡°I was impulsive when I said that, so I hope to submit a report to the organization when we go back. It won¡¯t affect your life in the future.¡±


    Qin Yize tapped lightly on the steering wheel a few times, supressing his frustration, and then suddenly asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°The divorce report has to be rewritten, what reason should we use this time?¡±


    Reason?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Wasn¡¯t it already settled last time?


    ¡°Just say we have no feelings for each other; would that work?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked tentatively.


    Actually, this was indeed the truth.


    Qin Yize had not yet reached the point of loving her as she had once loved him.


    At most, he had changed his view of her, developing a slight fondness.


    So, now was the perfect time to pull back from the brink.


    Qin Yize¡¯s expression grew somber, as if he was considering her words seriously.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched him a bit nervously.


    After a long pause, Qin Yize spoke earnestly, asking Gu Qiaoqiao sincerely, ¡°Qiaoqiao, do you hate me?¡±


    As he repeated these two words in his mind and finally said them aloud, he realized how pleasant the name Qiaoqiao sounded.


    Just like when he had been moved hearing ¡®Ah Ze¡¯ from her lips.


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head; even though she didn¡¯t know why Qin Yize had suddenly asked this, she answered honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    Once confused, she had resented him, but that feeling had long since passed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t resent you,¡± she said without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    His Qiaoqiao was always so straightforward.


    Love and hate, always so clear-cut.


    Qin Yize persisted, ¡°Then do you wish for me to be punished, demoted, forced to take off this military uniform?¡±


    Ah?


    Why did the question suddenly become so severe?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt as if she was choking.


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, waiting for Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s response.


    With an air of calm and ease, that was just him¡ªmaking one feel helplessly inclined to continue the conversation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hope for that.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, may I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao felt the spacious Jeep suddenly become cramped, and she mustered up her courage to say, ¡°You may.¡±

 Chapter 231 - 231 231 I Never Thought of Remarrying (Added

    ?Chapter 231: Chapter 231 I Never Thought of Remarrying (Added Chapter) Chapter 231: Chapter 231 I Never Thought of Remarrying (Added Chapter) Qin Yize cracked a slight smile, his eyes gleaming even more brilliantly.


    ¡°After you divorce me, do you plan to marry someone else right away?¡± Qin Yize¡¯s voice continued to echo softly in the car.


    However, this sentence seemed to carry a malevolent energy that was different from before.


    And the air also became somewhat stagnant.


    It¡¯s just that neither of them had noticed.


    What marrying someone else¡ªI wouldn¡¯t marry again even if I were divorced.


    Having used up the effort of two lifetimes to marry once was already enough.


    She suddenly shook her head, ¡°No, how could I!¡±


    The stagnant air began to flow slowly again.


    Qin Yize¡¯s gaze softened, ¡°Since you¡¯re not in a rush to marry someone else, then let¡¯s wait another year. We¡¯ll go through the procedures after one year.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was taken aback and blurted out, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because this year is a critical period for my work. Regardless of the reason for my divorce, it will affect my job, and you wouldn¡¯t want me to break my promise to Elder Shen, right?¡±


    ¡°How could that be, you¡¯re making it sound too serious,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao said in disbelief.


    With the status of the Qin Family and Qin Yize¡¯s capabilities, how could such a thing happen?


    ¡°The taller the tree, the stronger the wind it attracts. You understand that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand¡­ but¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts. There are too many people in this world who want to climb higher, and I am too young. Hence, many people who are older than me and believe they have put in more effort than I have, find my presence like a fishbone stuck in the throat. Given the chance, they will naturally seize it, hoping to knock me down in one fell swoop so that I can never rise again.¡±


    Qin Yize spoke calmly, half in jest and half in earnest.


    Gu Qiaoqiao blinked her eyes.


    What he said was true; she knew from her previous life that Qin Yize was even reported before.


    But that happened three years later.


    Now he had left Border City so early and even transferred to the command center of the Imperial Capital Base, a place where countless people would do anything to get in.


    Not only had he made it in, but he had also entered the power center of the base¡¯s command. Those who envied him must be seeing red by now.


    Gu Qiaoqiao opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    She felt inexplicably that continuing this entanglement might be dangerous.


    Qin Yize glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression and continued, ¡°I know that Qiaoqiao is a kind and good girl, definitely not wanting to see me end up in such a plight. So, during this year, if you find someone you like and want to marry him, I¡¯ll go with you to the procedures right away. Is that okay?¡±


    His words sounded so familiar.


    It seemed she had said the same thing to him as well.


    Gu Qiaoqiao finally spoke up, ¡°Alright then.¡±


    A flicker of emotion crossed Qin Yize¡¯s eyes.


    She felt something was wrong again and continued, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯ve never thought about marrying again. Let it be one year then. Once you¡¯re stable, we¡¯ll go through the procedures.¡±


    She had never thought about marrying again?


    Qin Yize was smart enough not to continue on this topic, but he felt a pleasant surge in his heart as he extended his palm toward Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s make a pinky promise.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stretched out her hand, and Qin Yize¡¯s palm slowly approached, lightly tapped it, and then turned to grasp the steering wheel.


    He gripped the steering wheel tightly, looking straight ahead, and said word by word, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The jeep headed towards the direction of the Imperial Capital once again, rolling slowly forward.


    Although the sun had already set and the sky was growing dark,


    Qin Yize felt as if he could see the dawn¡¯s first light on the horizon.


    But Gu Qiaoqiao always felt that something had quietly changed.


    Was this change for better or worse?


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, never mind, she wouldn¡¯t think about it anymore, especially since that wasn¡¯t the most important thing at the moment.


    Moreover, she trusted Qin Yize.


    In this lifetime, they were both on guard, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng to do anything.


    And, it was very likely they would lift a rock only to drop it on their own feet.


    Just like Gu Yajing.


    Thinking this, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression lightened.


    In the corner of his eye, Qin Yize saw the gradual easing of the girl beside him, and he quietly exhaled a sigh of relief.


    The army green jeep disappeared in the blink of an eye into the vast twilight.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    In a hospital room in the Imperial Capital.


    An Xiaotong slowly opened her eyes.


    Through somewhat blurred vision, she saw a young man with lowered eyes and eyebrows, holding a book.


    But he hadn¡¯t turned a page for a long time.


    Was it Du Tian?


    An Xiaotong gently sat up.


    Her slight movements still woke Du Tian, who¡¯d been pretending to sleep.


    He abruptly opened his eyes.


    When he saw An Xiaotong, who had already sat up, his eyes instantly brightened.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    He then began to stand up so hurriedly that he made a loud noise with the chair underneath him.


    He quickly steadied the chair and rushed out of the room.


    Soon, a doctor and nurse arrived, and after examining her, they nodded at Du Tian with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s fine. After observing for one more day in the hospital, she can be discharged.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Qian,¡± Du Tian said with a beaming smile.


    Doctor Qian waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do, now, you take care of her and have her drink some water¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Doctor Qian left with the nurse.


    Just as An Xiaotong was about to speak, Du Tian, with one hand on his hip and the other pointing at An Xiaotong, reprimanded her with deep frustration, ¡°You¡¯re so foolish, so daft, making the same mistake twice, you could eat a hundred beans and still not taste them, are you a child? You went to meet Gu Qiaoqiao, how could you get into someone else¡¯s car, don¡¯t you have a brain, do you have to get kidnapped to learn your lesson? Do you know, if Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t noticed something was wrong, you¡¯d already be in some mountain far away¡­¡±


    A mist appeared in An Xiaotong¡¯s eyes, and suddenly she burst into tears.


    The helplessness of being deceived, the despair and fear before losing consciousness, overwhelmed her.


    She cried intermittently, ¡°In the car, there was your neighbor Fang Yueqin, she had blood on her, and said she was in a car¡­ an accident with you, that you were badly injured, on your last breath, and wanted to see me¡­ one last time, in my urgency¡­ I¡­ sob¡­¡±


    Du Tian froze all of a sudden.


    All the anger turned into a myriad of tender feelings.


    He walked over, gently embraced An Xiaotong, patting her back, and said with a choked voice, ¡°Silly girl, didn¡¯t you used to tell me to go die? Why care whether I live or die now¡­¡±


    Yet his eyes filled with chilling darkness. Fang Yueqin?


    She was the one who deceived Xiaotong?


    Could it be that she was in league with human traffickers?


    Definitely.


    With that thought, Du Tian, still holding An Xiaotong with one hand, picked up the phone from the bedside table with the other and dialed a number. As soon as the call connected, he said in a dark tone, ¡°Chengfeng, I need you to do something for me, get Fang Yueqin under control and don¡¯t let her escape¡­¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Chu Chengfeng figured, this must be the information An Xiaotong provided after waking up. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 232 - 232 232 She Always Wants to Push Her into Hell

    ?Chapter 232: Chapter 232 She Always Wants to Push Her into Hell Chapter 232: Chapter 232 She Always Wants to Push Her into Hell An Xiaotong slowly stopped her crying, cried for a while, and felt much better.


    Then she realized she was being held in Du Tian¡¯s arms.


    Her face instantly flushed red. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a panic, she pushed Du Tian away.


    Having just finished his call, Du Tian saw An Xiaotong¡¯s expression and let go of her as well.


    Yet, the scent and soft touch seemed to linger on his chest.


    He clenched his hand into a fist, raised it to his lips, and coughed lightly a few times in embarrassment.


    And An Xiaotong lowered her head.


    After a long while, Du Tian finally spoke, ¡°The traffickers have been caught, and there were three other girls with you who were almost trafficked as well¡­¡±


    An Xiaotong suddenly looked up.


    She stared blankly at Du Tian.


    The shyness in her eyes slowly faded, and her complexion became somewhat pale.


    Her pitch-black eyes churned with intricate and hard-to-discern thoughts.


    It was cold, it was hatred, and perhaps also heartache and confusion.


    Something in Du Tian¡¯s heart clenched.


    He had never seen An Xiaotong with such an expression before, as if in the blink of an eye, she had shed her gentleness and innocence, her entire being filled with malevolent energy.


    He moved closer again, his hands slowly yet firmly placed on An Xiaotong¡¯s shoulders, and he spoke gently, ¡°Xiaotong, don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s all over now and it will never happen again.¡±


    ¡°It will never happen again?¡± An Xiaotong murmured, repeating, then after a long while, she said, ¡°The first time I was sold, someone placed an order for me, someone spent tens of thousands to have me sold deep into the mountains, the second time they used your name to trick me onto the van, still aiming to sell me far away, Brother Du Tian, who exactly have I offended?¡±


    Du Tian was shocked.


    He had no idea there was such a backstory to An Xiaotong¡¯s first sale.


    He clenched his teeth, ¡°Tell me exactly what happened the first time?¡±


    He had only recently returned to the country and had met An Xiaotong a few times, yet no one had told him that what had happened to An Xiaotong was actually due to someone placing an order.


    An Xiaotong explained everything that had almost led to her being sold the first time to Du Tian in detail.


    Du Tian clenched his fists in anger.


    He pondered for a moment, then told An Xiaotong, ¡°The people involved this second time must be connected with those from the first time. Now that they are in the custody of the Public Security, I believe the truth will soon come to light.¡±


    An Xiaotong lowered her head.


    Du Tian remembered something else and asked seriously, ¡°Who knew about you going to Central Building to meet Gu Qiaoqiao?¡±


    An Xiaotong slowly raised her head, a surge of hatred flashing in her eyes, dismissing some surfaced facts she still hadn¡¯t accepted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s warning.


    She had considered her as close as a real sister, but she always tried to push her into hell.


    An Xiaotong spoke, word by word, ¡°Only An Xiaolan knew.¡±


    Du Tian¡¯s expression turned stern.


    His hand tensed slightly, An Xiaolan, the girl who had confessed her feelings to him but whom he had rejected.


    The adopted daughter of the An Family?


    An Xiaotong spoke coldly, ¡°You know my nature. I don¡¯t have enemies who hate me to death, I haven¡¯t obstructed anyone¡¯s path outside, only An Xiaolan has always been jealous of me. If something happens to me, An Xiaolan would be the only young lady of the An Family. My brother likes her, my mom cherishes her, this An Family¡­¡±


    She did not finish her words.


    Du Tian looked at An Xiaotong¡¯s gloomy face with a heart full of pain; these consecutive dramatic changes had turned the gentle and naive girl sharp and suspicious.


    It was a good thing, yet also heartbreaking.


    ¡°If it really is her, what awaits her is the sanction of the law, Xiaotong, you are a fortunate girl, so you always turn misfortune into blessing,¡± Du Tian said solemnly.


    Just as An Xiaotong was about to speak, the door of the hospital room was pushed open.


    A group of people entered.


    Grandma An, Mr. An and Mrs. An, An Xiaotong¡¯s elder brother, An Chen, and a somewhat haggard-looking An Xiaolan.


    These people had received the news last night.


    While Chairman An was on a business trip out of town, Grandma An and the others had rushed over yesterday, and with Grandma An¡¯s blood pressure soaring due to her agitated state, after taking medicine and getting injections, Du Tian had asked them to go back.


    It was now just past five in the morning.


    Grandma An had come again with others.


    Seeing her granddaughter awake, Grandma An stepped forward and hugged her, crying out loud.


    And An Xiaotong, touched by her heart matters, started crying as well.


    Mrs. An stood there awkwardly, surprisingly not stepping forward to offer comfort.


    Her expression also looked quite complex.


    Du Tian gave Mrs. An a cool glance and cast a sharp, intimidating gaze towards An Xiaolan at the door.


    An Xiaolan, who was watching him, was so frightened by his gaze that she shuddered and hurriedly looked away in panic.


    Du Tian let out a cold laugh.


    Indeed, there was something fishy.


    Finally, Mrs. An stepped forward, pulled Grandma An aside, and looking at her daughter on the bed, she began to scold, ¡°You are not young anymore, can¡¯t you give us a little peace of mind? Time and again, don¡¯t you ever learn? Should you even get into a stranger¡¯s car? Learn from your sister. Can¡¯t you think a bit more when something happens? Must you always stir things up at home to your satisfaction?¡±


    The room fell suddenly silent.


    Du Tian furrowed his brows.


    Chairman An stared displeasedly at Mrs. An, ¡°What kind of way is that to talk? The child has been frightened like this, and instead of comforting her, you start blaming her. Is this how a mother acts?¡±


    An Xiaotong pushed Grandma An away, as hearing such words from Mrs. An used to upset her for days.


    And she had reflected on her behavior countless times, wondering what she might have done wrong to upset her mother.


    She realized now it wasn¡¯t that she had done anything wrong, it was that no matter what she did, her mother was never pleased.


    She was extremely distressed.


    Her eyes welled with tears, and she clutched her hands tightly; aside from sorrow, she felt an overwhelming sense of disillusionment.


    This was not her own mother; this was An Xiaolan¡¯s.


    She was just An Xiaolan¡¯s biological mother.


    Thinking this, An Xiaotong chuckled self-deprecatingly, gently pushed Grandma An away, and wiped the tears from her face.


    Then looking straight at Chairman An, she said slowly and clearly, ¡°Dad, since we are in the hospital today, I¡¯d like to have a blood test done. I think you made a mistake. An Xiaolan is actually my mother¡¯s biological daughter, and I am the one who was adopted.¡±


    Chairman An glared angrily at Mrs. An.


    This woman had issues; for some reason, she just did not like Xiaotong.


    Grandma An, also angry, glared at An Xiaotong, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You are my biological granddaughter. I watched as you were born!¡±


    ¡°Grandma, was I really born to her?¡±


    ¡°Of course you were.¡±


    ¡°But in this world, what kind of mother treats her daughter like this? I¡¯m only twenty-one years old, and I almost got sold into the remote mountains. Wouldn¡¯t a normal mother, just like you, Grandma, hold me and cry, ask me whether I suffered or was hit, instead of starting with a scolding¡­¡±


    As she spoke, An Xiaotong began to choke up.


    Mrs. An¡¯s expression darkened. Just as she was about to speak, An Xiaolan hurriedly grabbed her arm, signaling her not to get angry.

 Chapter 233 - 233 233 If Its Not An Familys Own It Cant Be

    ?Chapter 233: Chapter 233: If It¡¯s Not An Family¡¯s Own, It Can¡¯t Be Raised Familiar Regardless Chapter 233: Chapter 233: If It¡¯s Not An Family¡¯s Own, It Can¡¯t Be Raised Familiar Regardless Afterward, An Xiaolan said softly, ¡°Mom, my sister was just speaking out of anger, she was scared, and spoke without thinking, please don¡¯t be upset. Once she comes to her senses, everything will be fine. You are her biological mother; that is an unchangeable fact.¡±


    However, An Xiaotong¡¯s expression darkened upon seeing An Xiaolan.


    She took a deep breath, stared coldly at An Xiaolan, and said slowly, ¡°An Xiaolan, I only told you that I was going to meet Gu Qiaoqiao.¡±


    An Xiaolan was startled, then said sorrowfully, ¡°Little sister, what do you mean by that? I know you¡¯ve never treated me as your sister, but in my heart, you are my true little sister. Without the An family, there would be no me. I have always considered you all family.¡±


    Seeing An Xiaolan cry, Mrs. An, feeling heartbroken, stepped forward and embraced An Xiaolan, ¡°Xiaolan, don¡¯t cry. She¡¯s immature, don¡¯t stoop to her level.¡±


    An Chen also looked displeasedly at An Xiaotong and rebuked, ¡°Xiaotong, what way is that to talk? Apologize¡­¡±


    Grandma An was so angry that her lips quivered, and she glared fiercely at An Xiaolan. This woman couldn¡¯t be kept around anymore.


    She wasn¡¯t truly one of the An family, no matter how much they nurtured her.


    And now, she had learned to sow discord.


    It was infuriating that An Chen was protecting her too.


    Not to mention Mrs. An.


    Chairman An also felt that something was off.


    He spent little time at home, and An Xiaotong had never spoken this way before in the past few days.


    Was there something happening at home that he was unaware of?


    An Xiaotong felt extremely disheartened.


    She looked at Du Tian and murmured, ¡°Brother Du Tian, do you think I¡¯m a failure at life? I was in trouble, nearly sold off to the mountains, and maybe I wouldn¡¯t have even survived. But why do I have to apologize to others, and accept accusations from my own mother and elder brother? Brother Du Tian, where did I go wrong? Can¡¯t I change and make it right?¡±


    An Xiaotong¡¯s voice, filled with a heart greater than despair, echoed slowly in the hospital room, leaving Grandma An and Chairman An extremely shocked.


    Perhaps the situation was much more serious than they had imagined.


    Du Tian stood by the window, gazing steadily at An Xiaotong, ¡°Xiaotong, you are a good girl, kind, gentle, and lovely. You¡¯ve done well, there¡¯s no need to change or apologize. Those who accuse you are blind and heartless. Don¡¯t be sad; in the end, if no one else is there for you, I will be. Just call me brother, and I will protect you with my life¡­¡±


    No one expected Du Tian to say such words, and An Xiaotong¡¯s tears fell down like rain.


    Grandma An hastily wiped her tears before standing up, her eyes harsh as she looked at the three people, but she felt a sense of powerlessness within.


    The bitterness didn¡¯t form overnight.


    Now, even if they wanted to drive An Xiaolan away, it was already too late.


    She spoke up, ¡°We are all family. When a child is in trouble, we shouldn¡¯t just blame; we should also consider if we have met our own responsibilities.¡±


    Suddenly, Du Tian turned to Chairman An and spoke in a grave tone, ¡°Uncle An, like the first time, this incident with Xiaotong was also a premeditated crime. Now that the traffickers have been caught, I believe the truth will soon come to light.¡±


    ¡°Premeditated?¡± Chairman An was startled.


    If it were a kidnapping for ransom, maybe that would be one thing, but why were there human traffickers involved?


    Du Tian gave a cold smile, ¡°Uncle An, this might just be speculation, but¡­¡±


    At this point, his gaze fixed intently on An Xiaolan, ¡°If there truly is someone behind the scenes orchestrating this, I will ensure they live a life worse than death, regretting ever coming to the Mortal World.¡±


    Du Tian¡¯s voice remained gentle, yet it carried a chilling cruelty.


    An Chen was taken aback.


    He believed Du Tian could do it.


    The man¡¯s heart did not match his outward appearance.


    Could his sister¡¯s incident truly be orchestrated by someone else?


    He fell silent.


    He had two younger sisters, one by blood, the other adopted.


    However, the one related by blood was not close to him.


    Yet the adopted one always followed him around, looking up to her with adoring eyes, cheerfully calling out ¡°brother¡±¡­


    He naturally doted on this sister more.


    Moreover, he liked her very much.


    And An Xiaolan was so nervous her fingers were tightly clenched together, her complexion turning pale.


    For a moment, the atmosphere in the hospital room became somewhat delicate.


    Standing at the door, Gu Qiaoqiao witnessed such a scene.


    She exchanged a glance with Qin Yize, uncertain whether to enter or leave.


    She hesitated.


    An Xiaotong caught sight of Gu Qiaoqiao, and her eyes lit up with eager light. This girl, this girl who was two years younger than her, had saved her once again.


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, come in quickly,¡± An Xiaotong called out loudly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao smiled and walked in.


    Meanwhile, Du Tian approached Qin Yize.


    With a slight smile, they both unspokenly proceeded to walk out of the hospital room.


    As Du Tian passed by An Chen, he snorted coldly, ¡°Idiot!¡±


    An Chen¡¯s expression changed, about to retort, but Du Tian had already left the hospital room.


    He was so angry that he clenched his teeth. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An Xiaolan, however, was holding his arm, gently shaking her head, and whispered, ¡°Brother, this is a hospital.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t expected that this family had also just arrived.


    She greeted Grandma An and Chairman An.


    Chairman An, she had met twice in her previous life, once during an inspection of the kitchen, another time at an all-staff meeting.


    She was grateful to him.


    The first savings of her life were awarded by him.


    Yet she hadn¡¯t expected to meet this way in this life.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at An Xiaotong and nodded with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re recovering well. By the way, the traffickers have been caught and are currently being interrogated. I believe the bad guys will get their just deserts.¡±


    An Xiaotong moved her lips, remembering that scene, she still felt a shiver. She grasped Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, ¡°I can be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, will you still meet with me afterward?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao laughed heartily, ¡°Are you afraid of the rope for ten years after being bitten by a snake once? Why be scared? We haven¡¯t done anything wrong. The ones who should be scared are the people who harmed you. Once you¡¯re better, we¡¯ll go shopping together.¡±


    An Xiaotong then exhaled a sigh of relief.


    She had been worried that Gu Qiaoqiao would think she was a fool, a nuisance, and would never pay attention to her again.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll be on summer vacation soon, and I¡¯ll be interning at our family¡¯s hotel. Before that, let¡¯s meet up and have a good chat. I have a lot to tell you.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°No problem.¡±


    Grandma An smiled, watching the two girls with a face full of contentment.


    But when she noticed Mrs. An and An Xiaolan, who had been silently standing at the door, her eyes darkened again.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Mrs. An, ¡°Lady An, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you with Xiaotong¡¯s matter while you were enjoying a hair treatment with your foster daughter. When I went back yesterday, I thought I might have been too impulsive. After all, Sister Xiaotong had only been missing for less than twenty-four hours. I was so anxious, I made a mountain out of a molehill. It¡¯s normal for you to be upset. I truly am sorry.¡±

 Chapter 234 - 234 234 Who is An Xiaolan (Added)

    ?Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Who is An Xiaolan? (Added) Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Who is An Xiaolan? (Added) An Xiaotong¡¯s complexion changed abruptly.


    Chairman An¡¯s expression also darkened. He knew that something had happened to his daughter and had rushed back overnight without even having a sip of water.


    Yet this woman had the nerve to accuse Gu Qiaoqiao of disrupting her and Xiaolan¡¯s hair appointment.


    How could this woman, unable to distinguish what was important and urgent, think that her daughter¡¯s safety was less important than some ruined hairdo?


    Mrs. An¡¯s face turned a ghastly pale with anger, unable to miss the sarcasm in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s words.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t refute it.


    Because just yesterday, she truly believed that Gu Qiaoqiao was making a mountain out of a molehill.


    Chairman An glared at her fiercely yet did not speak.


    After all, they were in a hospital ward, and if he wanted to teach her a lesson, he would have to wait until they were back home.


    Gu Qiaoqiao knew she might have been impulsive, maybe she was taking her anger out on Xiaotong,


    After all, to her, Gu Qingfeng was just as foolish and indifferent.


    But she couldn¡¯t allow An Xiaotong to harbor any illusions about her indifferent mother.


    That would be dangerous in the future.


    An Xiaotong, like her in a past life, was always cautiously trying to please the unkind people around her.


    Yet she didn¡¯t realize,


    When someone doesn¡¯t like you, no matter what you do, it¡¯s futile.


    So, there¡¯s no need!


    It¡¯s most important to stand up for yourself.


    Only then, when others want to harm you, will they hesitate. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like that time when Gu Tianfeng got into trouble.


    If the attempt had been successful, the next target would have been the other members of the family.


    Gu Qiaoqiao swept a cold glance at Mrs. An and An Chen, thinking if these two were to die at An Xiaolan¡¯s hands, would it be considered just desserts.


    Evildoers grind each other down, after all.


    But for now, without any evidence, they could only wait for the trafficker to confess.


    However, she believed that this time, there would be results.


    Because those individuals were core members of the gang.


    And just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the ward.


    The ajar door was pushed open.


    Two police officers entered, dressed in uniform.


    Another followed behind them.


    All had serious expressions, and one of the men, who looked to be in his thirties, showed his identification before addressing those in the room, ¡°Who is An Xiaolan?¡±


    Ah?


    A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples!


    Gu Qiaoqiao narrowed her eyes and exchanged a look with An Xiaotong; as expected.


    The others hadn¡¯t processed what was happening.


    They just stared blankly at the talking officer.


    Qin Yize and Du Tian, however, stood silently in the corridor.


    The atmosphere was somewhat tense for a moment.


    An Xiaotong pointed at An Xiaolan and said in a fragile voice, ¡°Officer comrade, she is An Xiaolan, our An Family¡¯s adopted daughter. Are you looking for her for a reason?¡±


    Adopted daughter, adopted daughter¡­


    Today I kept hearing those two words.


    An Xiaolan was both shocked and angry.


    Her hands trembled.


    Didn¡¯t they say they absolutely wouldn¡¯t drag her into this?


    Why would the police officers come directly to find her?


    A square-faced officer approached An Xiaolan and said gently, ¡°Are you An Xiaolan?¡±


    An Xiaolan tried to maintain her composure and nodded, ¡°I am An Xiaolan, but haven¡¯t you mistaken me for someone else? It was my sister An Xiaotong who was almost abducted. Are you looking to ask her questions?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. Impressive, quite the talent.


    Even now she thought of diverting the attention.


    No wonder An Xiaotong suffered losses time and again.


    The officer frowned and said, ¡°We¡¯re looking for you. Fang Yueqin accused you of directing her to deceive An Xiaotong, so we hope you¡¯ll accompany us to the station to assist with the investigation.¡±


    Crack¡­


    The glass cup Grandma An was holding in her hand fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.


    She pointed at An Xiaolan with trembling fingers, ¡°You¡­ you directed Fang Yueqin to deceive Xiaotong, you ungrateful wretch¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she was about to pick up another cup and throw it at An Xiaolan.


    A sudden change erupted in the hospital room.


    Gu Qiaoqiao hurried to intercept her.


    If she was injured, how could they take her away for questioning?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, Grandma An,¡± she advised in a low voice.


    An Xiaolan suddenly shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t, I didn¡¯t, Fang Yueqin is framing me¡­¡±


    Suddenly, sorrow welled up from within her, ¡°Is it just because I¡¯m an adopted daughter? So one by one, you all wish for my death, right? The An Family are my benefactors, my family. How could I harm my own sister¡­¡±


    The officer said sternly, ¡°Miss An, we are only asking you to accompany us to assist with the investigation. Rest assured, we will not wrong a good person, nor will we let a bad person go!¡±


    Mrs. An suddenly came forward, anxiously saying, ¡°Have you made a mistake? Xiaolan and Xiaotong are as close as real sisters. Xiaolan would never arrange for someone to deceive Xiaotong.¡±


    An Xiaotong told herself not to be sad, but her heart still ached uncontrollably.


    She sniffled, and with a hoarse voice laced with mockery, she said, ¡°Mom, you really are a qualified adoptive mother. I¡¯ve just realized that it¡¯s not good to be your biological daughter. It¡¯s better to be your adopted child. Next, if it really was her doing, are you going to help her take the fall? Make sure you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    Mrs. An was taken aback.


    She looked incredulously at her daughter, who had always lacked presence. Were those her own words?


    Such an unfilial daughter!


    Chairman An looked at the people in the room, his eyes taking on a harsh glint, and said to the officer, ¡°Take her for an investigation. If she did it, I will show no leniency. If she didn¡¯t, I will also pursue Fang Yueqin for the crime of false accusation.¡±


    Chairman An¡¯s words stunned the weeping An Xiaolan.


    ¡°Dad, it really wasn¡¯t me, Fang Yueqin is framing me. I am the deputy manager of Lijing Ho. Going to the station will surely impact our hotel¡¯s reputation.¡±


    An Chen was also anxious. He couldn¡¯t believe the kind and cheerful Xiaolan would do such a thing, ¡°Dad, Xiaolan is a girl; she can¡¯t go there. There must be some misunderstanding here¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough from all of you¡­¡± An Xiaotong couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.


    She got out of bed, stood barefoot on the floor, pointed at Mrs. An and An Chen, and roared lowly, ¡°From now on, I have no mother or elder brother who can¡¯t discern right from wrong.¡±


    Then she pointed at An Xiaolan, ¡°An Xiaolan, only you knew about my meeting with Gu Qiaoqiao. If you didn¡¯t do it, why are you afraid to go to the police station? You¡¯re acting like a thief with a guilty conscience. Let me tell you, An Xiaolan, whether it¡¯s you or not, I, An Xiaotong, will never stand by you!¡±


    Afterward, the angry girl pointed at Chairman An and cried out in pain, ¡°Dad, your biological daughter was trafficked twice, and you never worried about reputation. An Xiaolan is just going to assist with an investigation, yet your wife and son obstruct it repeatedly. Why is this? What did I do wrong? Is it only if I disappear or die that you all would be happy¡­¡±


    An Xiaotong looked somewhat deranged.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, people are driven to extremes.


    Without being pushed, one never knows what they¡¯re capable of.


    Tears welled up in Chairman An¡¯s eyes, and he quickly went to support his daughter, urgently saying, ¡°Xiaotong, you are dad¡¯s own daughter. Dad loves you the most. Don¡¯t talk about dying or disappearing. Rest assured, dad will definitely see justice done for you.¡±


    An Xiaotong could no longer hold back, and she burst into her father¡¯s arms, sobbing loudly.

 Chapter 235 - 235 235 Who knows who will win until the very

    ?Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Who knows who will win until the very end? Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Who knows who will win until the very end? One of his hands patted his daughter¡¯s shoulder, while the other pointed at Mrs. An and An Chen as he rebuked them harshly, ¡°You two fools, if you dare to obstruct the police again, you¡¯ll both be kicked out of the An Family!¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    Mrs. An and An Chen¡¯s hearts trembled, and they dared not speak any further.


    Everyone watched Chairman An, who was seething with anger.


    He continued, ¡°Xiaolan, go and assist the police with their investigation. Rest assured, if you have indeed been wronged, I will ensure justice for you.¡±


    An Xiaolan stared blankly at Chairman An, realizing that in the end, this was how the head of the An Family treated her.


    All her filial devotion, as if he were her own father, was in vain.


    Two police officers stepped forward, stood in front of An Xiaolan, and gestured for her to come with them.


    Her face filled with despair, An Xiaolan followed the officers out.


    In her heart, however, she loathed An Xiaotong to the extreme.


    And Gu Qiaoqiao, Qin Yize, and Du Tian¡ªthese three were the most detestable.


    If it weren¡¯t for them, An Xiaotong would be suffering untold hardships as a bride in some remote mountain village right now.


    She clenched her teeth tightly.


    Until the very end, no one knows who will be the victor. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An Xiaolan was led away.


    Mrs. An looked anxiously at Chairman An, but she too knew that there were some things that were not suitable to be said here.


    And An Chen furrowed his brows.


    His father¡¯s words deterred him from rash action, yet he could not agree with them.


    Xiaolan had always spoken of Xiaotong¡¯s virtues in his presence; how could she harm Xiaotong?


    And where would she get the power to do such a thing?


    He opened his mouth, but on seeing the resentful look in An Xiaotong¡¯s eyes, he shut it again and chose to remain silent.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had not expected to encounter such an incident,


    nor had she anticipated the police to act so swiftly.


    After exchanging a few words with An Xiaotong, she took her leave.


    She believed that the astute and wise Chairman An would protect his own daughter first, whether the accusations were true or false.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was unaware of the inside story behind An Xiaolan¡¯s adoption but always felt that Mrs. An¡¯s affection for her was genuine.


    The sadness, anxiety, and grief were real.


    This was quite different from her reaction when she heard that something might have happened to An Xiaotong the day before.


    Was this normal?


    Perhaps so.


    After all, Old Patriarch Gu was the same¡ªregardless of what happened in the past, driving his own son away was true, as was raising someone else¡¯s son.


    Sometimes, some people are beyond reason.


    And one shouldn¡¯t try to understand them with the logic of a normal person.


    Gu Qiaoqiao left the hospital room.


    Outside in the corridor, Qin Yize and Du Tian were talking.


    By the looks of it, their relationship was surprisingly good.


    In her last life, she had never come into contact with Qin Yize¡¯s friends.


    She left the Imperial Capital after the Spring Festival.


    She had heard of Chu Chengfeng, but not of Du Tian.


    But in this life, because of those two matches, she had become familiar with them.


    After exchanging a few words with Du Tian, Gu Qiaoqiao left the hospital with Qin Yize.


    Upon getting into the jeep, Gu Qiaoqiao became somewhat pensive.


    It was clear that Du Tian had a liking for An Xiaotong.


    And the Du Family¡¯s influence in the Imperial Capital was not small. Even though she was reborn, without any contact with her, those people¡¯s fates would still follow their predestined trajectories.


    Therefore, in the previous life, at the end of February 1986 during the school winter break, An Xiaotong was abducted and sold into a remote mountain.


    After that, there was no news of her.


    What about Du Tian then?


    Given the capabilities of the Du Family and the An Family, couldn¡¯t they find just one An Xiaotong?


    The least they could do was ask Qin Yize for help.


    His abilities were certainly sufficient to locate An Xiaotong, just like he found her.

 Chapter 236 - 236 236 Since were not going to the store lets

    ?Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Since we¡¯re not going to the store, let¡¯s go see a movie. Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Since we¡¯re not going to the store, let¡¯s go see a movie. What were they doing at that time?


    It seemed that after Qin Yize had settled her in, he left on a mission and was gone for over a month.


    Afterward, he was often not at home either.


    Days like today, spending time together with her, were indeed very rare.


    So what about Du Tian?


    Did he go to look for An Xiaotong?


    Gu Qiaoqiao furrowed her brows slightly, carefully recalling. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t start the car but placed his hand on the steering wheel, gripped it, and asked Gu Qiaoqiao in a deliberate manner, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao came back to her senses and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.


    Currently, she was walking on thin ice; no matter what, An Xiaotong¡¯s only enemy might be one person, but herself? She had a whole family.


    She then shook her head, ¡°Just thinking about nothing in particular.¡±


    Qin Yize pondered for a moment and slowly spoke, ¡°Can we set off in a week¡¯s time?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was already able to get out of bed and walk around the house for a while.


    The sooner this matter was handled, the better.


    As the saying goes, more dreams come from longer nights.


    What puzzled Gu Qiaoqiao, though, was that since that day, Gu Qingfeng had not inquired about Grandma Yu¡¯s information, nor had he asked about Grandpa¡¯s matters.


    Was it his natural indifference, or did he have other plans? Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t tell.


    Qin Yize¡¯s fingers tapped on the steering wheel a few times as he raised his eyebrows. His obsidian eyes seemed casual yet were slightly urgent as he stared at her and asked softly, ¡°Do you have any other plans coming up?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought for a moment; she didn¡¯t have much going on today.


    Without any good materials on hand, she hadn¡¯t gone to do any carving.


    And she hadn¡¯t touched the piece of Jadeite that Gu Qingfeng had given her because she hadn¡¯t yet decided how to handle it.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao turned to look at Qin Yize, ¡°Nothing¡­¡±


    Qin Yize gave a slight smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look at the shop, one of them will be ready by the end of the year.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment before declining. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to manage a shop anyway, visiting would be a waste of time.¡±


    The affairs of Qin Yize¡¯s two shops were currently coveted by many, and she didn¡¯t want to get involved for the time being.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can lease it out, or we could collaborate. With your capability, business is bound to prosper,¡± Qin Yize said teasingly.


    Qin Yize had mentioned this several times already, and Gu Qiaoqiao felt it would be rude to refuse again, so she hummed a soft affirmation. Qin Yize then started the car and drove towards the Southwest direction.


    She didn¡¯t expect that, on a main street, Qin Yize would gradually pull the car to a stop.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled; this wasn¡¯t the place.


    Qin Yize glanced at the girl beside him, his eyebrows slightly frowning, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you don¡¯t really want to go, do you?¡±


    What was this about?


    Indeed, Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t really want to go.


    So she nodded, ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t have plans to open a shop at the moment.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like being tied down at present.


    And she had realized that, with her abilities, amassing wealth wasn¡¯t a difficult feat.


    Becuase those who knew the value of things were more numerous than she had imagined.


    Elder Luo, Elder Shen, Old Grand Master Qin, and Zhang Yi¡­


    Qin Yize laughed, seemingly not wanting to put Gu Qiaoqiao on the spot anymore, ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to go, then let¡¯s not.¡±


    Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, Qin Yize spoke again, ¡°Since we¡¯re not going to the shop, let¡¯s go to a movie instead.¡±


    Saying this, Qin Yize turned the car to the left.


    To a movie?


    By the time Gu Qiaoqiao reacted, Qin Yize had already stopped the car, then opened the door for Gu Qiaoqiao, his face carrying a bright and colorful smile, ¡°Qiaoqiao, get out of the car.¡±

 Chapter 237 - 237 237 This is the First Time Watching a

    ?Chapter 237: Chapter 237 This is the First Time Watching a Movie with Qiaoqiao Chapter 237: Chapter 237 This is the First Time Watching a Movie with Qiaoqiao Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car.


    And then, a few dozen meters ahead, she indeed saw a movie theater.


    This¡­


    Who goes to watch a movie early in the morning?


    Gu Qiaoqiao squinted her eyes, leaning against the car door without moving, watching Qin Yize with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She couldn¡¯t always be led by the nose by him.


    Qin Yize, however, remained calm and collected, though his ears were somewhat hot.


    But in a standoff like this, it would be bad to lose.


    He kept a composed face, using his gaze to question Gu Qiaoqiao.


    After a few moments, Gu Qiaoqiao conceded defeat; when it came to a standoff, she couldn¡¯t beat Qin Yize.


    Helplessly, she said, ¡°Are you using checking on the store as a cover, but you actually wanted to come watch a movie?¡±


    Qin Yize naturally wouldn¡¯t admit it, pointing at the movie theater with an innocent smile, ¡°Just passing by.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao raised her eyebrows, still not believing him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy traveling these past years, I¡¯ve almost forgotten what it feels like to watch a movie,¡± Qin Yize said, his voice surprisingly tinged with melancholy.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t agree or disagree.


    In the end, Gu Qiaoqiao was still pulled into the movie theater by Qin Yize.


    This was an old film.


    Surprisingly, it was showing in the morning.


    Today was Sunday, and unexpectedly, there was a decent crowd.


    The two of them sat in the middle seats.


    The atmosphere was somewhat subtle.


    Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t quite identify the feeling in her heart.


    It was a bit awkward, and also inexplicably sour¡­


    Just that she hadn¡¯t expected that, halfway through, Qin Yize would actually fall asleep¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao, speechless, looked at the man next to her who even in sleep sat up straight.


    That tired?


    Or was the movie boring?


    She suddenly remembered hearing noises from the living room last night; had he gone out again in the middle of the night?


    Perhaps that was the case.


    Otherwise, why would he be so tired?


    A trace of unexplainable emotion rose in the depths of Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart. Why was he pushing himself so hard?


    Were ideals and beliefs really that important?


    But at that moment, Qin Yize¡¯s long eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t move her gaze away in time, and suddenly found herself falling into a pair of eyes as deep as the cold waters of autumn.


    In those eyes, different from usual, was the grogginess of awakening, and a flash of joy upon seeing Gu Qiaoqiao right beside him.


    Her heart quivered.


    In a fluster, she looked away.


    Qin Yize turned his head to watch the movie that was still projecting, annoyed with himself for falling asleep during a movie when he could go several days and nights without sleeping.


    This was, after all, the first time watching a movie with Qiaoqiao.


    The movie was still playing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao had seen this movie before and wanted to ask Qin Yize if he didn¡¯t like it, they could leave early.


    However, at this moment, Qin Yize seemed to be watching very intently.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao didn¡¯t speak.


    Meanwhile, at a certain hospital in the Imperial Capital,


    Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng arrived at the hospital corridor where Gu Qingfeng was admitted and, this time, successfully met with him.


    Thinking about it, Ning Wanru hadn¡¯t seen him for more than a decade.


    Since the end of that campaign, she had moved into the North Mountain Villa, while Old Master Gu remained in Gu Garden.


    Gu Qingfeng had aged.


    But his demeanor and attitude were the same as before.


    Seeing her, he didn¡¯t talk much, just calmly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Ning Wanru hid the complex thoughts in her eyes, sat down on a chair, took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes, and choked up, ¡°Cheng, show the photo to the Old Patriarch.¡±


    Gu Cheng handed the photo to Gu Qingfeng.


    Gu Qingfeng and Uncle Gu exchanged glances; it was more or less what they had guessed.

 Chapter 238 - 238 238 She Doesnt Seem to Want to Acknowledge

    ?Chapter 238: Chapter 238: She Doesn¡¯t Seem to Want to Acknowledge Him as Her Great Grandfather Chapter 238: Chapter 238: She Doesn¡¯t Seem to Want to Acknowledge Him as Her Great Grandfather A few days after Ning Wanru left, he and Uncle Gu analyzed the woman¡¯s intentions.


    Combining all sorts of signs from the past, Gu Qingfeng guessed that Ning Wanru must have known about Gu Kun¡¯s situation in advance.


    Then she set up a series of traps, creating a fake Gu Kun. Afterwards, she prepared to put him to death, but alas, she never succeeded.


    Perhaps it was fate¡¯s intervention.


    He survived.


    Then Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng¡¯s plans failed, forcing them to change their strategy. Taking advantage of the moment when Qiaoqiao came to the hospital, Ning followed suit, creating a so-called coincidence.


    Because Qiaoqiao bears an extreme resemblance to Lady Yu.


    That indirectly proved that Qiaoqiao is his descendant.


    Otherwise, Ning Wanru wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths.


    Then everything that followed made perfect sense.


    Having realized all this, Gu Qingfeng felt a mix of joy and sorrow, both shock and anger.


    After hearing about the recent events in Qiaoqiao¡¯s family, Gu Qingfeng was sweating profusely. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Tianfeng, his only legitimate grandson, had almost died in the cold river water.


    And the culprit had not yet been found.


    Shockingly, Gu Cheng¡¯s eldest son was serving as the general manager in a company in Qingshui County, ostensibly for training, but Ning Wanru¡¯s intentions were now crystal clear.


    In that moment, Gu Qingfeng wished he could kill Ning Wanru¡¯s entire family, but he had no evidence. However, he didn¡¯t need any evidence.


    If he believed it to be true, then it was true.


    There was no room for argument.


    Therefore, these past few days, Gu Qingfeng had been sending people to secretly protect Gu Tianfeng¡¯s family in Stone Town, while waiting for Ning Wanru to bring the evidence she had long since prepared.


    And, deep down in his heart, Gu Qingfeng wished so much for Qiaoqiao to come to the hospital to tell him in person that she was his great-granddaughter.


    She clearly already knew her own identity.


    She also knew the whereabouts of the jade pocket watch and had seen the photo inside, yet she bargained with him.


    Her capabilities were just like those of the great grandfather, enabling her to easily open the jade pocket watch, and her desire for the Red Spirit Jade Marrow must surely be related to the Mysterious Dragon Box.


    Yet, she seemed not to want to recognize him as her great grandfather.


    It turned out, he had really become old.


    Old enough for everyone to disregard him.


    He remembered the words Qiaoqiao said at the time, and thought, maybe this was retribution.


    And during this brief period of less than a week, Gu Qingfeng felt as if he were both in heaven and in hell.


    He had descendants.


    His son was gone, but he had a refined and talented grandson, a capable granddaughter-in-law, two great-granddaughters, and a mischievous great-grandson.


    Most importantly, his great-granddaughter Qiaoqiao had astonishing talent; everything she carved was a treasure.


    The Gu Family wouldn¡¯t come to an end in his hands.


    Whenever Gu Qingfeng thought of this, he would be overcome with tears of joy.


    And at this moment, even though he had prepared himself, when he saw the wedding photo of his son and daughter-in-law, his hands couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    In the photo was his son¡ªGu Kun.


    He left at fourteen, and in this picture, he appears to be about eighteen or nineteen.


    He stared intently at the photo, the room in complete silence.


    After a long while, he looked up and asked Gu Cheng, ¡°Where did you get this photo?¡±


    Gu Cheng was naturally prepared, ¡°Jianhua has been in Qingshui County, hasn¡¯t he? He went to town for business. A photography studio approached him, claiming they had a fire recently. Although there was damage, some photos survived, including one left by a customer from the Imperial Capital with the surname Gu. They couldn¡¯t contact the person, but heard Jianhua was also from the Imperial Capital, so they asked him to help locate this customer¡­¡±

 Chapter 239 - 239 239 Congratulations on the reunion of you

    ?Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Congratulations on the reunion of you and your son Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Congratulations on the reunion of you and your son Ning Wanru then spoke up, ¡°I received this photo in the middle of the night, and I didn¡¯t sleep at all. I came here early in the morning, and it looks exactly like Kunkun¡­¡±


    Gu Cheng curiously asked, ¡°Dad, where was this photo taken?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng didn¡¯t speak, running his fingers over the photo. He knew Ning Wanru had something in her hands, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be Kunkun¡¯s wedding photo.


    If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, she had had this photo for a few months now.


    At this very moment, Gu Qingfeng¡¯s back broke out in a cold sweat.


    He squinted his eyes, looking at the two people in front of him, a hint of killing intent flashed through his eyes and then disappeared.


    A moment later, he calmly said, ¡°You¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble. You may go back now; I need to be alone to reflect.¡±


    Ning Wanru didn¡¯t waste words but stood up, gave Gu Cheng a look, and then said to Gu Qingfeng, ¡°Brother Gu, congratulations on your reunion with your son. Don¡¯t get too excited; take care of your health.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng suddenly looked up. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This wench, with what kind of feeling was she smiling as she spoke of a father and son reunion?


    After a long pause, he nodded slightly and said word by word, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t get too excited.¡±


    Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng left.


    Gu Qingfeng nearly collapsed onto the ground.


    Uncle Gu, quick to react, held him steady and urgently asked, ¡°Old Patriarch, are you alright?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng shook his head, looking down at the photo and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    To finally confirm everything one last time, Uncle Gu summoned Liu San, who had taken the photographs at the Gu Family.


    At last, Gu Qingfeng had found his son¡¯s family.


    Only, his only son was separated from him by life and death.


    At this point, Gu Qingfeng found new strength, grabbed the photo, got out of bed, and, leaning on his walking stick, commanded Uncle Gu, ¡°To the Qin Family!¡±


    Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital¡¯s movie theater, the film had finally finished playing.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt like she heard Qin Yize let out a sigh of relief.


    The two of them followed the crowd out of the theater.


    By now, it was almost noon.


    Qin Yize led Gu Qiaoqiao into a nearby restaurant.


    He felt that watching a movie might have been a miscalculation.


    He had slept through the first half, and he hardly exchanged a word with Qiaoqiao during the second half.


    It would have been better to go to the shooting range.


    Or maybe to play golf.


    But then he dismissed these ideas one after the other.


    Being too visible could invite trouble.


    Qiaoqiao was too outstanding.


    Attracting too much attention would always lead to unnecessary trouble coming their way.


    Like that Xino.


    Xino himself was simple, but his family¡¯s background was too mysterious.


    The meal was simple but cozy.


    Qin Yize wasn¡¯t a romantic person to begin with, and at this moment, he felt it was best to let things take their own course.


    Especially with someone like Gu Qiaoqiao, who was like a startled bird.


    Nowadays, Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao were becoming more and more casual with each other.


    It was just that neither of them had noticed it yet.


    Qin Yize ate quickly, and Gu Qiaoqiao was not one to linger over a meal.


    The two finished eating in no time.


    But they hadn¡¯t expected that, just as they stepped outside, they would run into Xino and Alina.


    This was the hotel lobby, surrounded by green plants, with fresh flowers placed on a tea table in a corner.


    Xino recognized Gu Qiaoqiao immediately.


    A flash of joy appeared in his amber eyes.


    He then smiled, ¡°Miss Gu, we meet again. What a fate.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled, while Qin Yize unobtrusively stepped in front of her and asked the foreign man, ¡°Are you Xino?¡±


    Xino¡¯s smile gradually faded from his face, and if he was not mistaken, this man seemed rather dangerous.

 Chapter 240 - 240 240 Well Done

    ?Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Well Done! Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Well Done! He nodded, ¡°I am Xino, may I ask who you are¡­¡±


    ¡°I am Qin Yize, her husband.¡±


    Qin Yize slowly approached, he had been planning to look for him, but he didn¡¯t expect him to show up on his own.


    His eyes were fierce as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°I hear you want to invite my wife to your club?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xino blinked, the other man¡¯s presence was overwhelming, and he couldn¡¯t gauge what he was going to do, but he still nodded firmly, ¡°Yes¡­ that was my intention¡­ ¡±


    ¡°How did you invite her?¡±


    ¡°I sent people¡­¡± Xino¡¯s voice choked, finding it hard to continue, but he couldn¡¯t push a woman to the front at this time, Alina wasn¡¯t important, and he couldn¡¯t use her as his shield.


    That would disgrace the Xino Family.


    He still spoke forthrightly, ¡°I ordered people to grab her into the car, but¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, he was met with an iron fist accompanied by the sound of rushing wind.


    As a Taekwondo expert, Xino instinctively tried to dodge, but he didn¡¯t anticipate that the speed of Qin Yize¡¯s punch was faster than his twisting movements.


    A hit was certain.


    Once Qin Yize made his move, would it ever miss?


    He threw another punch that landed on Xino¡¯s soft ribs.


    Afterward, he pulled back his hand and stepped back nonchalantly, looking at Xino who was clutching his stomach and gritting his teeth without crying out in pain, he gave a slight smile, ¡°Xino, remember, this is a form of greeting, just like how you invite people for a talk¡­¡±


    Tall men from foreign lands were very favored in this country, in this era.


    Ever since stepping onto this land, what he received was admiration and envious gazes.


    His treatment was also of high standard.


    When had he ever been beaten like this?


    Alina and Gu Qiaoqiao did not react in time, by the time they did, everything had already ended.


    Alina exclaimed and was about to go help Xino.


    After all, having trained since he was young, he clenched his teeth and pushed Alina¡¯s hand away, slowly straightening his back.


    Yet he still drew a sharp breath.


    This man from Hua Country, his punches were truly ruthless!


    Qin Yize¡¯s eyes glittered with a dark light, and he nodded inwardly, not bad for someone trained by a family since childhood, it¡¯s normal to be slightly slower in reaction.


    That¡¯s because he was up against Qin Yize.


    But after taking two punches from him and still being able to stand straight up, that was indeed rare.


    Qin Yize stood tall before Xino, like a Green Pine tree.


    The two men were similar in height, and both had outstanding appearances and auras. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The receptionist at the door blinked for quite some time, and didn¡¯t dare to approach.


    And at that moment, coincidentally, there were no guests coming in or out.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also stunned for a moment.


    However, she quickly realized, given Qin Yize¡¯s character, Xino couldn¡¯t escape this beating.


    It was just a matter of sooner or later.


    Still, since Xino was a foreign guest, wouldn¡¯t there be trouble?


    But upon seeing Qin Yize¡¯s upright stature, Gu Qiaoqiao felt at ease.


    Qin Yize indeed enjoyed fighting.


    But he also knew where to draw the line.


    She didn¡¯t need to worry.


    As expected, Xino didn¡¯t fight back, staring at Qin Yize with a resentful gaze for a long time before speaking, ¡°Are we even now?¡±


    ¡°Suppose so¡­¡± Qin Yize said somewhat reluctantly.


    Xino glanced at Gu Qiaoqiao and took a deep breath, then slowly followed Alina into the restaurant with a hint of a smile on his face.


    Before Alina entered, she gave Gu Qiaoqiao a harsh glare.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, on the other hand, responded with a slight smile.


    Though she was at some distance, she could still clearly hear Alina¡¯s cold snort.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes sparkled with laughter as she turned to face Qin Yize and praised him, ¡°Well done!¡±

 Chapter 241 - 241 241 Are You Disgusted with My Hands

    ?Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Are You Disgusted with My Hands? Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Are You Disgusted with My Hands? Qin Yize stood up for her and vented for her, so if she kept worrying about this and that, wouldn¡¯t she be boosting others¡¯ morale while undermining her own prestige?


    Indeed, Qin Yize¡¯s eyes lit up as he took a deep look at Gu Qiaoqiao, grabbed her hand without saying a second word, and walked briskly outside with a smile in his eyes. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not pull away, letting Qin Yize¡¯s large hand envelop her smaller one.


    At this moment, what if Xino and Alina were secretly watching them in the restaurant? Wouldn¡¯t that embarrass Qin Yize?


    Gu Qiaoqiao was also very curious.


    She looked down at Qin Yize¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Your punch was so fast, how long have you been training?¡±


    Qin Yize opened the car door, reluctantly let go of her hand, and let Gu Qiaoqiao get in the car first. He leaned against the car door, his pose lazy, his voice filled with the pleasure of laughter, ¡°Do you really think it was fast?¡±


    ¡°Mm, so fast that even Xino didn¡¯t react¡­¡±


    ¡°I was brought to the Qin Family¡¯s Courtyard by my Great Grandfather when I was five. He hired a martial arts instructor with excellent skills for me. I had to punch the sandbag for three hours every day. If I didn¡¯t, I wasn¡¯t allowed to eat.¡±


    Having said that, Qin Yize closed the car door, walked around the front of the car, and got in.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought about when she was five years old.


    What was she doing at that age? It seems like she was carving wooden bowls with her grandfather.


    She looked at Qin Yize and suddenly felt a sense of empathy.


    His hand rested on the steering wheel.


    His hands, with their distinct joints, were as beautiful as jade carvings.


    Yet she had never imagined they were filled with endless strength.


    She shifted slightly to the side and leaned in closer to have another look. Qin Yize watched her with amusement, ¡°Are you checking for wounds or calluses?¡±


    As he spoke, he loosened his grip and extended his hand to Gu Qiaoqiao, slowly unfolding it. His voice was soft and gentle as water, ¡°There are calluses in the palm of my hand. I remember that time in the mountains, you were complaining about my hands¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s clear eyes shifted, and she defended herself with a bit of embarrassment, ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡±


    Qin Yize laughed softly.


    A moment later, he asked Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Do you think the Great Grandfather was too strict to have a five-year-old practice with the sandbag?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, her gaze fixed ahead as she reminisced, ¡°Not really, when I was five, I also learned carving with my grandfather. My first creation was a wooden bowl. At that time, my mom had raised twelve chicks, so I carved chicks all around the bowl. My grandfather said I had amazing talent, and he held the bowl with tears in his eyes. I didn¡¯t understand at the time and told him that he could use the bowl for eating, assuring him it wouldn¡¯t break¡­¡±


    At this point, Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s lips curled up into a smile.


    Qin Yize turned his head and said with a smile, ¡°You must have been scolded¡­¡±


    ¡°You know the story about the wooden bowl too?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked in surprise.


    ¡°Of course, the elders always hope their children are filial, so they often use the story of the wooden bowl to admonish them¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao laughed softly, ¡°I have a good memory. I remember what happened when I was five. I was scolded by my mom, but my grandfather didn¡¯t care at all. He said, when he got old and his hands became shaky, he would use my wooden bowl to eat.¡±


    Although Gu Qiaoqiao was laughing, her eyes were filled with tears.


    Even though she didn¡¯t understand why her grandfather hid her family background from her, he was the best grandfather in the world.


    He and my grandmother were very much in love.


    My grandmother passed away before my grandfather.


    After that, my grandfather actually was not happy at all.


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought, my grandfather and grandmother passed away one after the other, with three years apart.


    It really lived up to the saying: ¡°Waiting on the bridge of helplessness for three years.¡±

 Chapter 242 - 242 242 No He Has to Give Qiaoqiao a Set of

    ?Chapter 242: Chapter 242: No, He Has to Give Qiaoqiao a Set of House Chapter 242: Chapter 242: No, He Has to Give Qiaoqiao a Set of House Gu Qiaoqiao watched as a clump of roses angrily bloomed, swaying gently in the wind.


    She thought, without her grandfather at home, Grandma Qin must be his only sustenance and attachment. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao firmly believed that her grandparents must be living together just as warmly and happily as before.


    At that moment, a crisp and cool breath slowly approached her.


    Carrying a trace of seductive heat.


    She turned her head and saw Qin Yize with worried eyes.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled.


    Qin Yize spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for reminding you of sad things¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao shifted uncomfortably, shaking her head and speaking in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all in the past¡­¡±


    For her, it truly was in the past¡­


    Compared to the tragic death of her parents in her previous life, her grandfather had been fortunate; so whenever she remembered him, it wasn¡¯t with the same heart-wrenching pain.


    Qin Yize quietly moved away, settling himself firmly in the driver¡¯s seat, yet a subtle emotion slowly suffused the depths of his heart.


    It seemed as if their two hearts were no longer so far out of reach.


    Gu Qiaoqiao lifted her head, her eyes like limpid pools brimming with ripples, and softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Qin Yize¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He then started the car and drove towards the West City District.


    At this time, the Qin Family welcomed two uninvited guests.


    They were the Old Patriarch of Imperial Capital¡¯s Imperial Treasure Chest and Uncle Gu.


    They were also old friends of the elderly master.


    Today was Sunday, and both Qin Xuan and Shen Manru were off work.


    Qin Xiaoyu had been sticking close to Grandma Qin, whining that her older brother and sister-in-law had gone out to have fun without her, but was scolded with laughter by her grandmother.


    When they opened the front door, Qin Xuan was momentarily stunned.


    He recognized the Old Patriarch.


    He quickly welcomed the guests inside with enthusiasm.


    Uncle Gu, having met Grandma Qin before, was very polite as he said, ¡°Madam, our Old Patriarch is here today because he¡¯d like Qiaoqiao to help appraise something. Is Qiaoqiao here?¡±


    Grandma Qin¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment, reminded of Uncle Gu¡¯s last visit which also had something to do with Qiaoqiao.


    Qiaoqiao¡¯s carving skills were astonishing, but that didn¡¯t mean they were something others could covet.


    The Qin Family was well-off, there was no need to have their daughter-in-law work for Yubao Square.


    She became guarded and smiled, ¡°Qiaoqiao and Ah Ze went out early this morning to play. I don¡¯t know when they will be back.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng spoke slowly, ¡°No problem, I will wait here for her return. I apologize for the intrusion.¡±


    Now that the truth was out, how could he continue to stay in the hospital, lost in wild thoughts?


    Before he was sure, it was because of his own selfishness.


    He knew that Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather had passed away.


    So, instinctively, he hoped that man was not Gu Kun.


    They say one won¡¯t cry until they see the coffin, and that was the kind of person he was.


    Shen Manru and Qin Xuan exchanged glances, unsure of what the Old Patriarch was plotting.


    But there wasn¡¯t much to worry about.


    After all, Ah Ze and Qiaoqiao were together.


    Shen Manru quickly served the two guests warm tea and fruit.


    The Old Patriarch was of an age where, even in summer, he couldn¡¯t drink cold beverages.


    Gu Qingfeng elegantly picked up the teacup, gently sipping, his eyes casually sweeping over the Qin¡¯s living room layout. Evidently, Qiaoqiao was living with her family.


    That won¡¯t do, he thought, he must gift Qiaoqiao her own apartment.


    A young couple should live by themselves.


    Otherwise, with the Qin¡¯s old and young, Qiaoqiao would surely have a hard time.


    He also wondered how the Qin Family treated Qiaoqiao.

 Chapter 243 - 243 243 There Arent Many Who Are Worthy of

    ?Chapter 243: Chapter 243: There Aren¡¯t Many Who Are Worthy of Being a Successor to the Gu Family Chapter 243: Chapter 243: There Aren¡¯t Many Who Are Worthy of Being a Successor to the Gu Family After all, before being recognized, Qiaoqiao and the Qin Family were a mismatch in social status.


    However, it was obvious that this marriage had been arranged single-handedly by the departed Kunkun.


    Sigh¡­


    Gu Qingfeng let out an almost imperceptible sigh.


    A trace of pain surfaced in his eyes.


    In his heart, there was disappointment, resentment, and an uneasy feeling that he couldn¡¯t quite explain.


    The child, Qiaoqiao, was not an ordinary child at all.


    But today, he was determined to wait for her.


    Although Qin Xuan was initially a bit reserved, he soon struck up a conversation with the Old Patriarch.


    Qin Xuan¡¯s hobby was collecting antiques and calligraphy.


    Now, sitting before him was the most renowned connoisseur of antiques in the Imperial Capital, and he was actually very excited.


    Later, Grandma Qin and Shen Manru went out to buy groceries, indicating that they would be having lunch here as well.


    They were naturally very welcoming.


    Meanwhile, Qin Xuan began showing his treasured collection, one by one, asking the Old Patriarch to appraise them.


    Such an opportunity was rare indeed.


    To think of having the Old Patriarch appraising artifacts personally was beyond even their wildest dreams.


    If it were any other day, Gu Qingfeng wouldn¡¯t have had so much patience.


    But not today.


    Even if it meant waiting until midnight, he needed to wait for Qiaoqiao to return.


    Thus, he began to examine the antiques and calligraphy in Qin Xuan¡¯s collection with great patience.


    Upon examination, unbelievable as it was.


    There were indeed a few fakes in the collection.


    Qin Xuan blushed, his forehead breaking out in sweat.


    Gu Qingfeng burst into hearty laughter.


    This laugh somehow brought them closer.


    Gu Qingfeng thought to himself, the Qin Family was well-educated, and Qiaoqiao hadn¡¯t even finished high school. Upon entering the Qin Family, she probably faced quite a bit of bullying at first.


    But from now on, that wouldn¡¯t happen again.


    There weren¡¯t many who were worthy of being the Successor of the Gu Family.


    At this point, Gu Qingfeng, although slightly upset about Gu Qiaoqiao deceiving them, had already accepted her as the Successor of the Gu Family.


    Perhaps the moment he handed the wooden key to Gu Qiaoqiao, he had already suspected what was going on.


    And they waited until noon. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lunch was sumptuous, and Qin Xuan and Grandma Qin were very thorough and enthusiastic in their hospitality.


    At this moment, they were unaware of the relationship between Gu Qiaoqiao and the Old Patriarch Gu.


    They simply thought that the Old Patriarch admired talent and wanted to meet the young sculptor or possibly didn¡¯t believe the stories and wanted to verify them personally.


    After lunch, the two had not yet returned.


    Gu Qingfeng still sat in the living room, discussing the knowledge of antiques with Qin Xuan.


    On this day, Qin Xuan learned immensely.


    And Uncle Gu, seeing the Old Patriarch in good spirits, was also relieved.


    After all, how could Gu Qingfeng, such a stubborn person, possibly wait in the hospital for news?


    Grandma Qin and Shen Manru went back to their room, after all, after a long time, there wasn¡¯t much to talk about, and they didn¡¯t want to embarrass the Old Patriarch.


    Qin Xiaoyu, however, was incredibly curious.


    The Old Patriarch was waiting for his sister-in-law, and it was getting late.


    She had previously heard from Bai Yun that the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square had a bad temper, was arrogant, and looked down on others.


    Especially the Bai Family, for reasons unknown to her.


    Even though they were related to Zhang Yi, it still wasn¡¯t good enough.


    And today, this serious-looking old man had actually stayed at their house for the entire morning, even had a meal.


    Inconceivable.


    So she couldn¡¯t sit still in the room any longer and ran to the front gate to wait for her elder brother and sister-in-law to return.


    She was the same age as Gu Qianqian.


    Both of them were going to take the high school entrance exam this year.


    She was in good spirits, with the middle school exams coming up in just a week.


    As for the key high schools, she had no expectations.

 Chapter 244 - 244 244 How Dare You Play Dumb When You Know

    ?Chapter 244: Chapter 244: How Dare You Play Dumb When You Know Better Chapter 244: Chapter 244: How Dare You Play Dumb When You Know Better The Qin family would have been content if she¡¯d managed to get into an average high school.


    After all, her grades had always been above average.


    Sometimes studying depended on talent, just like her freakishly brilliant older brother.


    He never reviewed, never took extra classes, but always came out on top.


    But in the recent half-month, it was as if she had unlocked the Ren and Du meridians, just like in the martial arts novels.


    During the last mock test, she had surprisingly ranked eighty on the big leaderboard.


    She used to be ranked after three hundred!


    Her family was overjoyed.


    Especially her mother, who kept reminding her to wear the peace Buddha pendant every day.


    She knew that if she could keep it up, getting into a key high school wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Moreover, she felt it wasn¡¯t just a stroke of luck, but her own ability.


    Because recently, her memory had been exceptionally good.


    So, Qin Xiaoyu took a day off on Sunday, preparing to continue her sprint the next day.


    She waited at the main gate, playing with Big Yellow and Mao Mao while watching the distant road.


    Finally, a military-green jeep came into view.


    Qin Xiaoyu excitedly stood at the gate waving her hand.


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize with surprised eyes. What was happening? Why was Xiao Yu so happy?


    It wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t seen each other since the morning.


    Then they saw a black car parked in front of the gate.


    Gu Qiaoqiao found it familiar.


    It seemed to be Uncle Gu¡¯s car.


    Her expression sharpened.


    Qin Yize also frowned slightly, then, Qin Xiaoyu cheerfully opened the main gate, and the jeep drove in.


    Gu Qiaoqiao got out of the car.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, the old gentleman from Yubao Square has been waiting for you all morning¡­¡± Qin Xiaoyu chattered.


    Been waiting all morning?


    Could it be¡­


    Qin Yize smiled and patted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Trouble should be confronted, just like obstacles are faced head-on¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize entered the house.


    Behind them was a curious Qin Xiaoyu.


    On the living room sofa, Gu Qingfeng was holding his cane, slowly straightening up.


    It wasn¡¯t her first encounter with Gu Qiaoqiao,


    But this time was different from the previous ones.


    A sadness that no one could understand flickered in his eyes.


    He stared at the graceful girl who resembled Lady Yu.


    His lips moved, but he didn¡¯t know how to start.


    Qin Yize greeted the Old Patriarch with a smile, then pulled Gu Qiaoqiao to sit on another sofa.


    Seeing Gu Qingfeng¡¯s demeanor, Gu Qiaoqiao knew he was aware.


    She wondered how he had found out.


    Had he investigated?


    So soon?


    At that moment, the air seemed to momentarily freeze.


    A few seconds later, Gu Qiaoqiao warmly greeted him, ¡°Old Patriarch, you seem to be recovering well¡­¡±


    Old Patriarch?


    He was her Great Grandfather!


    How dare she feign ignorance.


    He said to Uncle Gu beside him, ¡°Give Qiaoqiao the photograph¡­¡±


    The photograph?


    Gu Qiaoqiao hesitantly accepted the photo that Uncle Gu handed her.


    When she saw the photo, Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was her grandparents¡¯ wedding photo.


    How did it end up in Gu Qingfeng¡¯s hands?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes showed a cold sharpness. No, the picture had a frame.


    So¡­


    An idea surfaced in her mind.


    Someone had entered her home.


    When did this happen?


    Why hadn¡¯t her parents said anything?


    Could it have been a stealthy intrusion?


    Gu Qiaoqiao suddenly stood up, holding the photograph, and asked Gu Qingfeng with a cold voice, ¡°Old Patriarch, where was this photo taken?¡±


    Still the Old Patriarch?


    Anger thumped Gu Qingfeng¡¯s cane as he suppressed his rage, and asked sternly, ¡°Tell me, do you recognize the two people in the photograph?¡±

 Chapter 245 - 245 245 Its Dangerous to Be Your Descendant

    ?Chapter 245: Chapter 245: It¡¯s Dangerous to Be Your Descendant Chapter 245: Chapter 245: It¡¯s Dangerous to Be Your Descendant Qin Xuan was stunned.


    He didn¡¯t know what was happening.


    What photo?


    Why ask if Gu Qiaoqiao recognizes it?


    Gu Qiaoqiao paused for a long moment before she slowly began. ¡°They are my grandparents.¡±


    Hearing Gu Qiaoqiao admit it herself, Gu Qingfeng felt a weight lifted from his heart, and he tried to soften his voice, but it slightly choked up as he said. ¡°Qiaoqiao, your grandfather is the biological son I¡¯ve been searching for fifty years. His name is Gu Kun, not Gu Dashan¡­¡±


    In the spacious living room, everyone except Uncle Gu, Qin Yize, was shocked.


    Shen Manru, who was bringing out a plate of fruits, trembled, almost dropping the plate on the floor.


    Fortunately, Qin Xiaoyu, who was quick to react, helped steady the plate in time.


    Qin Xiaoyu was young and didn¡¯t think much, so she was just curiously watching Gu Qingfeng and Gu Qiaoqiao.


    Her sister-in-law¡¯s grandfather is the son of the Old Patriarch.


    Then, what should the sister-in-law call that old man?


    She should probably call him Great Grandfather.


    But, this felt like something out of a TV drama.


    It seemed a bit unreal.


    Shen Manru and Grandma Qin exchanged looks, with Grandma Qin shaking her head at Shen Manru, signaling that she should not come forward.


    This Old Patriarch was not here on mere business, he had come to recognize his kin.


    But this was too sudden.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Gu Qingfeng and spoke in a soft voice, ¡°My grandfather never mentioned he had a father, we all thought he was an orphan.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng felt a pain in his chest and, gritting his teeth, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Qiaoqiao, you are my great-granddaughter, I am your Great Grandfather.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao did not speak.


    Her face was somewhat pale.


    Qin Xuan did not know how to start speaking. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qin Yize stood up, smiled, and addressed Uncle Gu, ¡°Uncle Gu, it seems the Old Patriarch has something to say to Qiaoqiao, shall we take a walk to the backyard?¡±


    Uncle Gu came to his senses, also realizing it was inappropriate to have so many people here, so he followed Qin Yize and Qin Xuan to the backyard with a smile.


    Grandma Qin, meanwhile, pulled Xiao Yu and Shen Manru back to their room.


    At this moment, the Qin family¡¯s living room had only Gu Qiaoqiao and Gu Qingfeng.


    Gu Qiaoqiao asked Gu Qingfeng, ¡°Please tell me first, where did this photo come from?¡±


    ¡°It was taken at your house in April¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng chose to tell the truth.


    April?


    It had been that long, and she had been at home during that time.


    She didn¡¯t even know someone had broken into their house.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s expression turned slightly cold as she remarked sarcastically, ¡°Taken in April? Did you only just get it developed today?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng, looking at Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s demeanor, realized she did not want to recognize him.


    There was no joy or excitement.


    Only wariness and estrangement.


    And her words were all barbed.


    He took a deep breath, did not respond to Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s remark, but instead asked her, ¡°Did you already know your identity?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao slowly sat down, looking at the photo in her hand, then raised her head, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tears nearly came to Gu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes.


    His heart ached, a reaction to his frustration.


    He held back the pain and asked, ¡°Is the jade pocket watch you mentioned real?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°If the pocket watch is real, and it¡¯s a family portrait of us three, with Kunkun being just fourteen that year, why did you lie to me saying you don¡¯t recognize it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao looked at the old man in front of her.


    She confessed word by word, ¡°Because being your descendant is dangerous. One could meet with an untimely death any day, and if it weren¡¯t for Grandma Yu and the Red Spirit Jade Marrow, I wouldn¡¯t have even met you.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng clutched his cane, his heart tightening painfully as he asked hoarsely, ¡°Is this really the reason?¡±

 Chapter 246 - 246 246 Over 80 Years Old and Still So Naive

    ?Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Over 80 Years Old and Still So Naive? Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Over 80 Years Old and Still So Naive? ¡°Right, if one doesn¡¯t even have their life left, what use is the identity of the Gu Family?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao asked coldly in return.


    ¡°Do you really distrust me that much?¡± Gu Qingfeng seemed somewhat heartbroken.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°But I am your great grandfather¡­¡± The Old Patriarch¡¯s cane thudded on the floor, emitting a dull sound.


    Just as oppressive as the atmosphere at the moment.


    ¡°If I could choose, I¡¯d rather not be.¡± Gu Qiaoqiao responded sharply.


    ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng raised his voice in frustration. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I knew it, I knew it, it wouldn¡¯t be that easy¡­


    This child¡¯s temperament, why is it exactly the same as Kunkun¡¯s?


    ¡°Old Patriarch, don¡¯t get agitated, I¡¯m telling the truth. You¡¯ve been looking for fifty years, has it been useful? In the end, didn¡¯t others get there before you?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao clenched her fists, then asked, ¡°Sometime ago, my dad almost had an accident, you know about that, right?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng nodded with difficulty.


    ¡°If my dad had really died, our family would be ruined, and the evil person behind my father¡¯s harm will not rest until they see our whole family dead, so next would be my mom, me, and then my younger brothers and sisters¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, Qiaoqiao, this won¡¯t happen, no one would dare treat you all like that¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng murmured.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s body stiffened.


    Memories of the past flooded in like a tide.


    She stood up again, tears in her eyes, trembling hands holding the photo, recalling the pain and despair brought by the deaths of her loved ones in her previous life.


    Where was her great grandfather then?


    Not going to happen?


    Nobody dares to treat them that way?


    An octogenarian, still so naive?


    ¡°It will happen, this will happen,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng.


    Her voice hoarse with accusation, she said, ¡°Old Patriarch, if you hadn¡¯t gone looking for my grandfather, we really could have lived in peace. Don¡¯t you have a son, and a Second Lady? Just leave your wealth to them, wouldn¡¯t that make everyone happy? If you don¡¯t have the capability to protect us, then don¡¯t pretend to care by searching for a son and bringing us an apocalyptic disaster.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Qingfeng looked at the hatred and tears in Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes, stunned. Did the incident with Gu Tianfeng really hurt Qiaoqiao so much?


    ¡°So, after I learned the truth, I wasn¡¯t the least bit happy. I only feel hatred in my heart. I will not spare anyone who harms my family, that includes your precious adopted son and your mistress, the Second Lady.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao said mockingly.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s face reddened, his hand shaking on the cane. This child, she harbors such great resentment towards the Gu Family?


    ¡°I have been looking for you all along, for fifty years. Just as I was getting clues, I had an accident and ended up in the hospital. Thankfully, because of your nucleus carving, I¡¯m sitting here today. But truly, I¡¯ve been constantly worried about Kunkun, Lady Yu, all these fifty years. I¡¯ve lived in agony, Qiaoqiao. I was negligent before but not anymore. Anyone who dares to harm you, I, Gu Qingfeng, will make their life worse than death!¡±


    Gu Qingfeng assured her sorrowfully.


    Gu Qiaoqiao sneered, speaking coldly and dismissively, ¡°If you had that ability, you wouldn¡¯t have been harmed into a hospital visit from a car accident. Surely you don¡¯t think that car accident was a coincidence? Also, the son you recently recognized, how come he just died, and you haven¡¯t investigated it? Do you even know if the people around you are friends or foes?¡±

 Chapter 247 - 247 247 This Kid Even More Ruthless Than Him

    ?Chapter 247: Chapter 247 This Kid, Even More Ruthless Than Him! (Extra for Anitaqing) Chapter 247: Chapter 247 This Kid, Even More Ruthless Than Him! (Extra for Anitaqing) Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s unapologetic voice finally angered Gu Qingfeng.


    Over the years, no one around him, whether human, ghost, demon, or monster, dared to speak to him in this manner.


    This child, just like Kunkun¡¯s temperament.


    Stubborn, willful!


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine,¡± Gu Qingfeng said the word three times, his eyes glaring and his voice fierce, ¡°Gu Qiaoqiao, don¡¯t forget, even if you don¡¯t want to admit it, you are still a descendant of mine, Gu Qingfeng. I am your great grandfather, your father is my legitimate grandson, the heir to the Gu family¡¯s fortune. If you don¡¯t care about it, what about your father? Your siblings? Can you represent them?¡±


    While speaking, he rapped the floor with his cane.


    Clearly, the old man was truly angry.


    Gu Qiaoqiao, undaunted, her lips curling with a cold intent, said, ¡°Old Patriarch, don¡¯t think everyone else is like you, fond of such overflowing riches. You still don¡¯t understand your son, nor do you understand your grandson. In their eyes, a beautiful family is what¡¯s most important. Otherwise, my grandfather wouldn¡¯t have left without ever looking back.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng was suddenly stunned.


    He slumped into the sofa all at once, yes, he left without ever looking back.


    His heart was too burdened. He had been searching for fifty years. His son would rather suffer with his family outside than come home.


    If he had taken the initiative to come back.


    How could he not find his home?


    The Imperial Capital was still there.


    Yubao Square had changed its location and facade, but not its name.


    Gu Garden had been divided into several large plots, but the main garden hadn¡¯t moved; it was still in the old spot.


    Even under the wall of the western courtyard, the locust tree still bore the characters carved by Gu Kun in his mischievous days.


    His bedroom, study, and sculpture studio were all still there.


    He could not return before liberation; what about after liberation?


    He could have easily come home.


    He knew Qin Family¡¯s son, but still never mentioned his own background.


    Born but not raised, dead but not buried.


    He really meant it!


    This child, even more ruthless than him!


    Gu Qingfeng felt a burst of suffocation in his chest, as if all his organs were tangled together.


    Suddenly in pain, Gu Qingfeng gasped for air, his body tilting, and he collapsed onto the sofa. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Qiaoqiao was stunned.


    Then, without a second thought, she dashed over.


    Pushing the Old Patriarch¡¯s body, she cried out urgently, ¡°Old Patriarch, Old Patriarch, Great Grandfather¡­¡±


    She finally called out to him.


    She had so few relatives.


    Although Great Grandfather was quite despicable, he was still her closest kin.


    The reason she argued with Gu Qingfeng was because it was hard to accept.


    In her previous life, it was because this man was their Great Grandfather that her family members died one by one.


    No one knew the enormous burden she carried.


    Yet, even so, she never wanted Gu Qingfeng to have an accident.


    She still hoped he would live well.


    And Grandma Yu, who exactly was she?


    If Grandma Yu really couldn¡¯t remember, then only Gu Qingfeng knew the truth.


    She couldn¡¯t let either of these two persons leave the world with regrets.


    Gu Qiaoqiao placed her hand on Gu Qingfeng¡¯s chest, and the cool spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips through the Peace Buddha pendant toward Gu Qingfeng¡¯s heart.


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s somewhat ashen face gradually regained its normal color.


    The breath he had been holding was finally slowly released.


    Old Patriarch Gu slowly opened his eyes.


    Staring tearfully at the girl, he choked up and asked, ¡°Qiaoqiao, did you just¡­ call me¡­ Great Grandfather?¡±

 Chapter 248 - 248 248 Gu Family Ancestor (Extra for

    ?Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Gu Family Ancestor (Extra for Anitaqing) Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Gu Family Ancestor (Extra for Anitaqing) Gu Qiaoqiao released her hand and then picked up a cup of tea, passing it to Gu Qingfeng, whispering, ¡°Please take a sip of water first¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng took the tea, gently sipped it, then placed it on the coffee table, calming his emotions. He did not continue the topic from before.


    Instead, he softly asked, ¡°Who knows the secret of your finger?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao was startled, frowning as she looked at Gu Qingfeng. Could it be, he has it too?


    No, that can¡¯t be right. If he did, there would be no today.


    It took Gu Qiaoqiao a long time to say, ¡°What do you mean, is there something else to say about this?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng did not go on to blame Gu Qiaoqiao for keeping secrets. He came to acknowledge his great-granddaughter today, not to make enemies.


    He spoke slowly and clearly, ¡°Your grandfather never told you about the Gu Family Ancestor, did he?¡±


    The Gu Family Ancestor?


    Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred years ago, there was an exceptionally talented individual from the Gu Family. His fingers were extremely dexterous, naturally imbued with Spiritual Energy. The things he carved with those hands could be traded for an entire city¡­ Later, he traveled the world. Before he left, he bequeathed the Mysterious Dragon Box and the Red Spirit Jade Marrow, then vanished, never to appear again. For five hundred years, none of the Gu Family descendants has been able to open it¡­¡±


    At this point, Gu Qingfeng looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°The Mysterious Dragon Box is with you, isn¡¯t it? Do you want the Red Spirit Jade Marrow for the Mysterious Dragon Box?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao bit her lip, keeping silent.


    Gu Qingfeng sighed with boundless melancholy, ¡°Kunkun has always been researching the secret of the Mysterious Dragon Box, but he has never been able to open it¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao thought of that book and finally began to speak up about the truth, ¡°When my grandfather was alive, he didn¡¯t tell us about the existence of the Mysterious Dragon Box. He put the box inside the Organ Box on his desk. I found it after returning home after the Spring Festival¡­¡±


    Seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s attitude soften considerably, Gu Qingfeng also relaxed a breath.


    How many more days does he have to live?


    Before dying, he must arrange everything properly.


    ¡°The Mysterious Dragon Box is yours; you can deal with it as you wish. It would be best if you can open it, letting Great Grandfather know the secret from five hundred years ago before he dies, so I can face the ancestors of the Gu Family with some dignity¡­¡±


    At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao had lost her earlier fighting spirit, and her words deflated, much like a punctured ball.


    Looking at the kind-faced old man, who was enduring patiently for her sake, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a sour bitterness in her heart.


    Is this how she returns to the Gu Family?


    In the future, when facing Ning Wanru, will there be obstacles?


    ¡°Qiaoqiao, let¡¯s leave it at this for now. We will go to Border City, as you mentioned, in three days. The Jade Pocket Watch is the birthday present I made for Great Grandma, it has a mechanism, and those who don¡¯t know can¡¯t open it.¡±


    ¡°But, can your body handle it?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao still asked with concern.


    The original plan was a week later.


    After all, Gu Qingfeng was a veteran of the Itinerant World and had lived a long life; he could regain composure quite quickly in many situations.


    He looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, his voice grave, ¡°Even if I have to crawl, I will make it to Border City. Besides, with you, Qiaoqiao, Great Grandfather might live a few more days, right?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao truly felt this old man was shamelessly thick-skinned.


    She hadn¡¯t acknowledged him yet.


    ¡°Old Patriarch¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Although Gu Qingfeng had regained his composure, he still did not wish to hear Gu Qiaoqiao call him the Old Patriarch. A frown of displeasure crossed his face as he corrected, ¡°You should call me Great Grandfather¡­¡±

 Chapter 249 - 249 249 He Has Been Wrong for So Many Years

    ?Chapter 249: Chapter 249: He Has Been Wrong for So Many Years Chapter 249: Chapter 249: He Has Been Wrong for So Many Years Gu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze and tone were both stubborn.


    He seemed to want to be more fierce, to overpower Gu Qiaoqiao with his presence, but unfortunately, his voice softened in the end.


    This child, impervious to both soft and hard approaches.


    Gu Qiaoqiao said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no rush about this matter. Let¡¯s talk after I¡¯ve met with Grandma Yu and my father. I can¡¯t make the decision alone. Besides, I have something to ask you¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng held back.


    After all this time, she still hadn¡¯t called him Great Grandfather.


    That¡¯s not right, in the urgency just now, she had called out.


    Maybe she thought then that he wouldn¡¯t make it.


    Gu Qingfeng looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, suppressing a trace of sadness, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Alright, ask¡­¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to deal with Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng¡¯s brow furrowed, the grudges between the adults were not for Qiaoqiao, a child, to intervene in; she should just be responsible for living a happy life.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about this. The Great Grandfather has his own plan.¡±


    ¡°Plan?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao couldn¡¯t help but let out a scoff, her voice cold and sharp, ¡°Are you reluctant to act? Let me tell you, my feud with Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng is to the death, and right now, this is just the beginning. So, think carefully before calling yourself Great Grandfather¡­¡±


    Gu Qingfeng truly became angry out of embarrassment.


    Time and again she challenged his limits.


    This child, once Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng were mentioned, her whole body instantly bristled with thorns.


    Striking whoever she caught.


    Both ruthless and accurate.


    Directly aiming for the heart.


    If Ning Wanru was behind what happened to Gu Tianfeng, he didn¡¯t want Gu Qiaoqiao to be the one to handle it.


    He would take care of it.


    Moreover, at this moment, he had to admit that over the years, the humble conduct of Gu Cheng and his mother had caused him to lose all his vigilance.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that, quietly, Ning Wanru¡¯s influence had grown so large.


    Not only had she gathered a number of powerful allies, but in high society circles, Ning Wanru was also a figure of considerable renown.


    If Gu Cheng were not limited in capabilities and had a bad reputation, if it weren¡¯t for upright and selfless people like Elder Shen keeping him in check, Gu Cheng might have become a high-ranking official by now.


    At that time, it would have been even more difficult to deal with them.


    Even now it was difficult. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ning Wanru was patient and resilient, capable of bending and stretching. Gu Cheng had used the Gu Family¡¯s financial resources to build extensive connections in the officialdom. Their eldest son graduated from a prestigious university, and now his future was bright.


    In Qingshui County, he had made significant progress in less than two months, forging extensive networks and demonstrating strong work abilities, and appeared to be modest and courteous.


    At least on the surface.


    With such a Gu Jianhua, it was foreseeable that under his hands, the industries of Gu Cheng and Ning Wanru would climb to new heights.


    Gu Qingfeng knew that they had grown to no longer need his clout¡­


    In time, Gu Jianhua might easily swallow up all that belonged to Gu Qingfeng.


    Therefore, this was not a matter that could be resolved overnight. Ice does not freeze three feet deep in one day; to chip through this glacier would not be accomplished in a day¡¯s work either.


    This needed long-term consideration.


    He had been wrong for so many years.


    In the time that remained, he wanted to make amends for the mistakes he had made.


    Moreover, as Gu Qiaoqiao had said, he could not let his descendants take risks.


    But if, out of fear, he dared not acknowledge his own kin,


    Gu Qingfeng may as well bash his head and die.


    It would be a disgrace to live on.


    Gu Qingfeng stood up, his hand gripping the cane tightened, and he straightened his back, looking at the seemingly defiant girl, a glint of admiration flickering in his eyes.


    But then, he suppressed this flicker of admiration, raised his eyebrows, his expression darkening as he scolded, ¡°Regardless of whether you acknowledge it or not, I am your great grandfather. If you dare speak to me with sarcasm or ridicule again, I will discipline you in place of your father!¡±

 Chapter 250 - 250 250 Always Feel That Qiaoqiao Got a Bad

    ?Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Always Feel That Qiaoqiao Got a Bad Deal in Marriage Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Always Feel That Qiaoqiao Got a Bad Deal in Marriage ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao glared at Gu Qingfeng, wanting to say, I haven¡¯t eaten a grain of your rice, or drunk a drop of your water, what right do you have to discipline me?


    However, since Old Man Gu was well into his eighties, she had, with great difficulty, pulled him back from the brink of death time and again, and did not want to upset him further.


    She just pursed her red lips in anger without speaking.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®You¡¯?¡± Gu Qingfeng, seeing Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s choked expression, laughed inwardly but still kept a stern face, ¡°First go to Border City, then to Stone Town. I¡¯ve heard that my other great-granddaughter not only performs well in her studies but is also sensible and well-behaved, and there¡¯s a great-grandson who dislikes studying, just like you¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®just like me¡¯?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s face turned red with anger.


    ¡°A perfect scholar you might be, marrying at such a young age, then having children in a few years; what else could you possibly achieve?¡±


    Gu Qingfeng spoke with a tone of frustration for failing to meet his expectations.


    Qiaoqiao is not an ordinary girl, nor a typical sculptor.


    What her future holds, what accomplishments she may achieve, or whether she will be like that ancestral figure, overseeing all, he couldn¡¯t predict.


    Thus, he always felt that Qiaoqiao¡¯s marriage was to her disadvantage.


    The successor from his Gu Family was not meant to simply support her husband and teach her children.


    She was destined to lead the Gu Family on a path of glory.


    But¡­


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Gu Qingfeng dumbfounded, thinking this old man shifts topics too quickly.


    They were clearly talking about Ning Wanru and the others, so why did he switch to discussing her not studying and marrying? sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What does he mean by this?


    Is he deliberately avoiding the true discussion?


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s eyes cooled, bringing up this matter with Gu Qingfeng had merely been a courtesy.


    As for what to do, no one could stop her!


    However, Grandma Qin, not reassured about Gu Qiaoqiao, happened to overhear this remark as she walked from the room to the living room.


    She felt somewhat displeased.


    This Old Patriarch Gu, if you acknowledge kinship, just do so, why drag marriage into it?


    And with a tone of disdain, too.


    Qiaoqiao is her granddaughter-in-law, and she was extremely pleased with her.


    And it wasn¡¯t just her who was satisfied.


    Her usually cold-hearted eldest grandson seemed to have placed Qiaoqiao at the very top of his heart.


    She could not let this old man spout nonsense that might sway Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s thoughts.


    If everything had been fine before this kinship, and if it affected Qiaoqiao and Ah Ze¡¯s relationship due to this recognition, then she felt it would have been better not to acknowledge it at all.


    Her Qin Family didn¡¯t need to secure any power through marriage; as long as the children agreed, nothing else was an issue.


    Though Grandma Qin had her own thoughts, in front of the Old Patriarch, she remained a junior, so she approached with a beaming smile.


    Looking at Gu Qingfeng fuming with anger, and Gu Qiaoqiao pouting unhappily.


    Without asking for reasons, she smiled and said, ¡°Old Patriarch, what¡¯s the matter? Have a seat and let¡¯s talk. My granddaughter-in-law Qiaoqiao is actually your great-granddaughter; I¡¯m a bit confused here. I remember Gu Cheng¡¯s eldest son is only in his thirties, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao almost laughed out loud.


    Grandma Qin asked well.


    This was indeed the truth.


    Externally, Gu Qingfeng and Gu Cheng never brought up the missing Gu Kun and the madam.


    Perhaps Gu Qingfeng of old thought it was a shameful matter.


    And Ning Wanru was even less likely to mention it, as she¡¯d rather the whole world forget that Gu Qingfeng had a son and daughter-in-law.


    So, it was very normal for Grandma Qin not to know.


    Gu Qingfeng felt extremely stifled.


    He had come joyfully to recognize his great-granddaughter, only to be infuriated by the little girl.

 Chapter 251 - 251 251 Gu Qingfengs Pain

    ?Chapter 251: Chapter 251 Gu Qingfeng¡¯s Pain Chapter 251: Chapter 251 Gu Qingfeng¡¯s Pain He struggled to suppress his emotions and said in a heavy voice, ¡°Gu Cheng is my adopted son, my biological son¡¯s name is Gu Kun, also called Gu Dashan, who was your husband¡¯s comrade-in-arms, Qiaoqiao¡¯s grandfather, he¡­¡±


    Reaching this point, Gu Qingfeng suddenly felt overwhelmed by sorrow, clenched the handle of his cane, held back his grief, and continued in a somber tone, ¡°I¡¯ve disturbed you today, I¡¯ll visit again another day.¡±


    With that, he began to walk towards the exit, leaning on his cane.


    His silhouette was straight, but it appeared utterly desolate.


    ¡°Old Patriarch, take a rest before you leave,¡± Grandma Qin hurriedly suggested in a gentle voice.


    Gu Qingfeng shook his head, continuing to walk slowly forward.


    Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s heart softened, maybe Gu Qingfeng would never be able to get over Grandpa¡¯s death.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stepped forward, hesitated for a moment, but still offered her arm for support, ¡°Uncle Gu is in the backyard, I¡¯ll go call him.¡±


    Gu Qingfeng didn¡¯t say anything, but he didn¡¯t refuse Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s support either.


    Stepping out of the main hall¡¯s door, they were in the Qin Family Old Residence¡¯s spacious courtyard.


    The begonia trees in the courtyard were laden with fruit the size of fingernails.


    In the corner were blooming rose flowers.


    Two dogs watched him warily.


    The thick, solid wooden door displayed the depth of the Qin Family Old Residence¡¯s heritage.


    The bluestone slabs on the ground were clean and weed-free.


    Gu Qingfeng discreetly averted his gaze, and soon after, Uncle Gu came running over.


    The first thing he did was check Gu Qingfeng¡¯s expression.


    Then he relaxed somewhat.


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, the car Gu Qingfeng had arrived in drove off, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt lost.


    There was no joy in their recognition.


    Only confusion remained.


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.


    She hadn¡¯t intended to acknowledge their relation so soon.


    So many obstacles hadn¡¯t been cleared, and Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng were still living comfortably.


    How could she be content with that?


    But even if she wasn¡¯t content, she had to accept the reality.


    Yet, what was it that she didn¡¯t know within this whole affair?


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt she should have a calm conversation with the Old Patriarch.


    But obviously, the Old Patriarch saw her as a child; some things he might discuss with her father, but not with her.


    Gu Qiaoqiao stood dazedly at the entrance, her mind still somewhat in turmoil.


    Qin Xuan gave Qin Yize a glance, as he had already learned the full story from Uncle Gu.


    Although it was sudden, he had quickly come to terms with it.


    Now that Gu Qingfeng and Uncle Gu had left, only the Qin Family remained.


    Qin Xuan moved his lips, about to say something, when Qin Yize looked worriedly at the distracted Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He shook his head at his father and their relatives.


    Then, he stepped forward, took Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s hand, and led her towards the back garden of the Qin Family¡¯s residence.


    Crossing through a Moon Gate, they arrived at a garden lush with greenery and blooming with vibrant roses.


    Along the stone path, at the end there was a grape arbor.


    Qin Yize led Gu Qiaoqiao to sit on the long wooden bench under the grape arbor.


    Letting go of her hand.


    He sat down beside Gu Qiaoqiao.


    He stretched out his long legs lazily, slightly lifted his gaze, and the fragmented sunlight filtered through the verdant grape leaves from above. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The heat diminished slightly, yet it bore the distinct mottled pattern unique to summer¡¯s sunlight.


    It seemed as though the days of iron horses and clashing swords could also have such poetic and picturesque moments.


    He subtly curled the corners of his mouth.


    What Gu Qiaoqiao needed now was to stay calm.


    But he was also worried about her overthinking things on her own.


    Regardless, he had been involved in this matter all along.


    He surely had some say in it.


    Of course, that was if Gu Qiaoqiao was willing to listen to him speak.

 Chapter 252 - 252 252 Pick On Whoever I Dislike

    ?Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Pick On Whoever I Dislike Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Pick On Whoever I Dislike For a long while, Gu Qiaoqiao seemed to recover from her emotions, her heart having been prepared, nothing was sudden to her.


    However, what puzzled her was the attitude of Old Patriarch; did he know something, or did he know nothing at all?


    The old man was extremely cunning.


    He wouldn¡¯t utter a single word that he shouldn¡¯t.


    She asked Qin Yize, ¡°Do you think this photo was taken by someone Old Patriarch sent?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not,¡± Qin Yize said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If this photo really was taken by someone from Elder Gu, they wouldn¡¯t have waited until today to find you. Or perhaps to put it this way, what father doesn¡¯t recognize his own son? So, the moment he saw this photo, he would have known who it was, and then he would have rushed to Stone Town¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean this photo was given to him by someone else?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Gu Cheng, Ning Wanru?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He nodded gently.


    Qin Yize had already thoroughly associated today¡¯s events in his head; he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, who was frowning at his side, worry still flashing through his mind.


    The situation was far more serious than he had imagined.


    He reversed his thinking for a moment; now, Ning Wanru and Gu Cheng had changed strategies, thinking that it was only a matter of time before Gu Qingfeng acknowledged Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s family, they might as well go with the flow and facilitate this matter.


    That way, they would become a family openly.


    Who among outsiders would know about their resentments and grudges?


    Moreover, except for the matter involving Gu Yajing, which was too blatant, what other evidence was there to prove anything?


    ¡°Qiaoqiao¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Qin Yize slowly started, ¡°Actually, this matter can be seen as both good and bad, it all depends on how you perceive it.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao hesitated and then blurted out straightforwardly, ¡°Make it clearer, I didn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Qin Yize chuckled lightly.


    Such laughter gently rippled through the tense atmosphere like water, softening it.


    He raised his eyebrows playfully, his voice light, ¡°Let me ask you first, do you want to completely drive Ning Wanru¡¯s family away from the Gu Family?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, pretty much,¡± Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.


    It was necessary. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. Your talent is astonishing, and the Jade Carvings you produce are unparalleled in the world. Old Patriarch would definitely cultivate you heavily, proclaiming you as the Gu Family Successor is not too far-fetched. Riding on the coat-tails of the powerful, you could learn to bully like the oppressive overlords of ancient times,¡± Qin Yize¡¯s words were crisp, seemingly tinged with a hint of ruthlessness.


    ¡°Bully others?¡± Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Qin Yize in surprise. Were these words really spoken by the serene Qin Yize?


    It was a bit thrilling.


    Qin Yize shot Gu Qiaoqiao a glance, the smile at the corner of his mouth slightly devilish, ¡°You don¡¯t know how to bully? Just do it one by one, take care of whoever you dislike. Don¡¯t be polite, don¡¯t leave any face, act like the future head of the Gu Family, and I believe Ning Wanru will surely be thrown into complete disarray. She wants to discipline you, but without legitimate reason¡ªit would be inappropriate, she doesn¡¯t have that right, she can only suffer in silence.¡±


    That can be done?


    In truth, Gu Qiaoqiao had intended to make her moves in secret.


    Just like with that Gold Jade Stone Carving.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid; I¡¯m just worried it might implicate my family,¡± she said.


    Qin Yize nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s why becoming a family could be both a good thing and a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°I understand now¡­¡± Gu Qiaoqiao reflected for a moment, then smiled faintly, turning her head towards Qin Yize, ¡°Bullying others doesn¡¯t need a title or a reason; it¡¯s just because I don¡¯t like the look of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Smart¡­¡± Qin Yize couldn¡¯t hold back and patted Gu Qiaoqiao¡¯s head, then withdrew his hand discreetly.

 Chapter 253 - 253 253 My Fist Can Help You Pave a Way

    ?Chapter 253: Chapter 253 My Fist Can Help You Pave a Way Through Blood Chapter 253: Chapter 253 My Fist Can Help You Pave a Way Through Blood He laughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even though the Old Patriarch is getting old, his power and influence still remain, and the foundation is there, and besides, there¡¯s me¡­¡±


    Ah?


    Gu Qiaoqiao moved her red lips and looked at Qin Yize with eyes that were brimming with waves of surprise.


    Qin Yize had a half-smile on his face, clenched and unclenched his hands, and teased, ¡°My fists can help carve out a bloody path for you¡­¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao stared at Qin Yize, dazed.


    This Qin Yize was like a mischievous grown boy, his starry eyes gleaming with a different kind of bright light.


    After a moment, she started giggling.


    So it turns out, Qin Yize could be this humorous.


    Her mood had inexplicably improved a lot.


    The tinkling laughter made Qin Yize breathe a sigh of relief, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    He really wasn¡¯t skilled at sweet-talking girls.


    But it seemed that Gu Qiaoqiao preferred it a bit more violent.


    This girl!


    But then, seeing her smile, which was like the rosy dawn breaking through the clouds, he felt it was all worth it.


    He felt slightly entranced at the bottom of his heart.


    He straightened up and reached out his hand; he was tall, and with an outstretched arm, he could easily reach the top frame of the grape trellis.


    There, a few pink flowers that resembled roses were climbing.


    Qin Yize didn¡¯t recognize them. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he easily plucked them off swiftly and then sat back down on the bench, his fingers nimbly starting to weave.


    Gu Qiaoqiao watched curiously and then suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re going to get scolded. The flowers in this courtyard are your mother¡¯s favorites¡­¡±


    Qin Yize was unfazed, continuing his quick movements, and swiftly crafted a flower bracelet.


    Then, when he pulled Gu Qiaoqiao closer, he slipped it onto her wrist without drawing attention.


    After examining it carefully, he smiled at Gu Qiaoqiao, ¡°Everyone¡¯s busy digesting what happened to you today; they don¡¯t have the time to care about this.¡±


    Gu Qiaoqiao had never worn a bracelet woven from fresh flowers and green leaves before.


    She lifted her wrist curiously.


    With a slight shake, the flowers that were exposed outside gently swayed a few times,


    Releasing a faint fragrance with the breeze.


    Pretty fun.


    Er, and quite nice-looking too.


    Qin Yize thought that if he were to buy her a bracelet, Gu Qiaoqiao probably wouldn¡¯t even wear it.


    The road ahead is long, and there¡¯s much work to be done.


    Thus, what should have been an agitating day passed by peacefully.


    Qin Xuan and Shen Manru didn¡¯t pester her with questions either.


    They already had a rough understanding of the situation.


    Moreover, these were matters from half a century ago, and aside from the people directly involved, no one else knew what had actually happened.


    As for Gu Qingfeng, he remained tight-lipped about it.


    So Gu Qiaoqiao knew even less.


    After exchanging a few words, Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize returned to their room.


    And Qin Yize enjoyed a stolen half day of leisure; neither of them went out again. One sat in a wicker chair on the balcony of the study reading a book, while the other organized her jade carvings.


    They would have to return to the Imperial Capital, so these things would not be taken along.


    Leaving them with the Qin Family was the safest option.


    And the Mysterious Dragon Box as well.


    She wouldn¡¯t take that either; Gu Qingfeng had tacitly acknowledged that the box belonged to her, so she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to open it.


    For some reason, Gu Qiaoqiao had a premonition in her heart.


    It was that the Red Spirit Jade Marrow wouldn¡¯t be so easy to carve.


    But the specifics would have to wait until Great Grandfather gave her the items.


    The carving tools needed to be taken; they were convenient to use.


    Gu Qiaoqiao cleaned up quickly, while Qin Yize continued to read his book quietly.


    Gu Qiaoqiao felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as if she had returned to those three years of her previous life.

 Chapter 254 - 254 254 Were going to the East Branch Bureau

    ?Chapter 254: Chapter 254: We¡¯re going to the East Branch Bureau right now to bring your sister back. Chapter 254: Chapter 254: We¡¯re going to the East Branch Bureau right now to bring your sister back. I just hope that in this lifetime, he will have a better life than in the last.


    Gu Qiaoqiao quietly left the study.


    Qin Yize simply flicked his eyelids and then continued to read his book with his head down.


    As the sun set in the west, the sultry weather improved quite a bit.


    But the air was also very dry.


    It had been many days since it last rained in the Imperial Capital.


    The leaves on the trees lining the streets were all sticky from the heat.


    Mrs. An, who had initially gone home with Chairman An Han Zhuomei, once again sneaked off to the hospital.


    She had friends inquire at the East Branch Bureau, but they failed to uncover any information.


    She was frantic with worry.


    Xiaolan had never experienced such humiliation before, and who knew how she was being treated in that bureau.


    This case was said to have received special attention from the higher-ups, to be handled as a major case.


    So, she blamed An Xiaotong; it was all because of that damned girl. If not for her, how could Xiaolan have possibly been taken away?


    Xiaolan was so gentle, so kind. How could she possibly harm that damned girl?


    She refused to believe it.


    So, pretending to bring Xiaotong food, she visited the hospital once again.


    Dr. Du Tian was not there; only An Xiaotong was alone in the hospital room, flipping through a book.


    Han Zhuomei closed the door firmly, her face piled with a smile, and said with a voice full of compassion, ¡°Xiaotong, are you still angry with mom? I was too worried this morning and spoke out of turn. Please don¡¯t be mad at mom, okay¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she opened the insulated box, ¡°These are all your favorite dishes, and there¡¯s also the porridge your grandma made for you¡­¡±


    While talking, she took out the porridge and dishes from the insulated box and placed them on the bedside table.


    An Xiaotong¡¯s face was tense. She glanced at the food, and her cold heart began to warm up slightly.


    Indeed, these were her favorite dishes.


    And the porridge made by her grandma was especially fragrant.


    An Xiaotong picked up the chopsticks and began to eat, her head bowed.


    But she did not speak.


    Han Zhuomei heaved a sigh of relief and softened her voice, ¡°Xiaotong, Mom¡¯s going to ask you for a favor¡­¡±


    An Xiaotong was startled.


    The hand holding the chopsticks stiffened.


    She gripped them tightly. The warmth that had just returned to her heart began to fade away once more.


    But she still wouldn¡¯t give up.


    Looking at Han Zhuomei, she asked hoarsely, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Han Zhuomei, seeing An Xiaotong¡¯s expression, spoke with rare tenderness, ¡°Later when you go to the East Branch Bureau, tell the officers that your sister is innocent. She wouldn¡¯t harm you. It must be Fang Yueqin falsely incriminating her. If you come forward, it will certainly help bring your sister back. Xiaotong, I¡¯m pleading with you. It¡¯s been a whole day now, I don¡¯t know whether Xiaolan has suffered. I¡¯m in agony¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Han Zhuomei actually burst into tears.


    In that moment, An Xiaotong¡¯s heart turned completely cold.


    She felt an immense chill inside.


    With a hoarse voice, she asked Han Zhuomei, ¡°Mother, am I your daughter?¡±


    Han Zhuomei was startled and, displeased, wiped away her tears. ¡°How can you talk like that? When I gave birth to you, it was a difficult labor. I almost died in the hospital¡­¡±


    Was it just because of this?


    ¡°Since I am your daughter, then when I was taken out of the Imperial Capital by human traffickers, drugged with a hallucinogen, and lay unconscious in the hospital for a whole night before waking up, why didn¡¯t you ask if I had suffered or endured hardship? Mom, even if An Xiaolan is your own flesh and blood, you shouldn¡¯t be this biased.¡±


    An Xiaotong choked up as she spoke.


    Han Zhuomei was taken aback, her complexion turning unpleasant. Since Xiaotong was born, she had everything she needed, but Xiaolan¡­ S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was only natural for her to dote on her a little more.


    Han Zhuomei¡¯s face went cold, and she commanded sternly, ¡°Get changed quickly. We¡¯re going to the East Branch Bureau right now to bring your sister back.¡±