“Qiao Nan is from Ping Cheng and that’s why I am certain that she has no relations with He Yi. He Yi does not have any relatives in Ping Cheng. Qiao Nan doesn’t seem to be as simple as what we think. The people that are following her said that she stays in the quad in the military zone.”
Father Deng sounded somber at the mention of this. “In the capital, I know all the people who stayed in the quad in the military zone, but I can’t seem to remember there is someone by the name of Qiao Nan.”
Since Qiao Nan stayed in the quad in the military zone, it was no wonder the people he hired took so long before they found out some information about Qiao Nan.
“The quad in the military zone?” Deng Wenchang’s eyelids kept twitching. It could not be. She was just a useless eye-candy who engaged in immoral deals to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. How was she able to live in the quad in the military zone?
Could there be a mistake?
“Dad, Ping Cheng sounds familiar. Apart from Qiao Nan, do you know of anyone else from Ping Cheng who is living in the quad in the military zone now?” Since they had no clues on Qiao Nan, they could change the target to people from her hometown.
Father Deng put out the cigarette in his hands. “Have you forgotten that the Peng family used to stay in Ping Cheng? They returned to the capital a few years ago. Apart from the Peng family, the most eye-catching people would be the Zhai family and the Zhu family. The two families were transferred to the capital from Ping Cheng in the past two years. Qiao Nan came to the capital to study first before they moved to the capital half a year later.”
Father Deng had thought about this possibility, but he felt that it was highly impossible.
Zhu Chengqi from the Zhu family was devoted to his wife who had passed away. Usually, the wife had to observe widowhood after her husband passed away. This was why there was the custom of erecting a memorial arch in honor of a chaste widow.
However, it was the 21st century now. It was no longer popular for women to observe widowhood for her husband who had passed away. After the daughter from the Lee family passed away, Zhu Chengqi, who was still in his prime, remained single for more than twenty years. He led his life with his father and the child that he had with his late wife.
If it was him, Father Deng would not be able to live a simple and chaste life like him.
Although he did not go overboard, Father Deng still had his fair share of women apart from his wife. He was cautious and careful and did not develop a long-term relationship with any of the women. They would usually end the relationship swiftly and there were no strings attached.
It was odd that Zhu Chengqi was able to stay true to his late wife despite the fact that he was in his prime. Father Deng even suspected that he might have hurt himself in the army and became impotent.
“The Zhai family and the Zhu family?” Deng Wenchang had heard of the two families. “Zhu Chengqi only has one son, Zhu Baoguo. While the Zhai family has a son and a daughter, the daughter from the Zhai family is older than Qiao Nan by a few years old. Qiao Nan should not have any relationship with the Zhai family. Then, where does Qiao Nan fit in the picture and why can she stay in the quad in the military zone?”
Deng Wenchang grew to hate Qiao Nan even more.
Deng Wenchang wanted to stay in the quad in the military zone, but he was denied a chance. However, Qiao Nan managed to do it.
Qiao Nan had no idea that Deng Wenchang and his father were bent on finding out everything about her.
Ever since she knew that the Deng family and the Peng family were in cahoots, and Peng Yu knew the Zhai family inside out, even to the extent that he knew the Zhai family better than Zhai Sheng, Qiao Nan thought that Peng Yu should have told Deng Wenchang everything about her. Therefore, she had the impression that Deng Wenchang knew that she was married to Zhai Sheng and was the daughter-in-law of the Zhai family. Most importantly, she thought that he knew that she was Elder Lin’s disciple and that He Yi was her senior.
During the day, Qiao Nan thought that Deng Wenchang was there to get hold of her chink in her armor. She had no idea that he thought that she had an affair with He Yi.
She thought that Deng Wenchang believed that she got in through the back door with He Yi’s help, and He Yi took everything that used to be his and gave them to Qiao Nan. Despite having a totally different understanding of things, strangely, Qiao Nan and Deng Wenchang still ended up being quite in sync.
Therefore, when Qiao Nan knocked off work that day and Zhai Sheng came in his car to fetch her, Qiao Nan walked toward Zhai Sheng without any hesitation. She also passed the thick stack of information to Zhai Sheng. Deng Wenchang, who witnessed the scene, widened his eyes in shock.
This was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was He Yi’s territory.
Weren’t Qiao Nan worried that she would offend He Yi by having physical contact with another man in public? If He Yi was upset that Qiao Nan made him a cuckold, he might send her out of the ministry. Qiao Nan would not have the chance to return to the ministry and all her efforts would go down the drain.
Deng Wenchang was slack-jawed that Qiao Nan behaved intimately with another man outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Qiao Nan must be out of her mind to do such a foolish thing. But he had a bigger shock by what he saw thereafter.
He Yi was not the least angry when he came out and saw how Qiao Nan behaved intimately with another man. Instead, he walked up to them happily. “Actually, we should have met each other long ago, but you were too busy. It is a pity that we only met today.”
Zhai Sheng knew that He Yi had been taking care of Qiao Nan. He was very nice to him. “Yes. If there’s a chance in the future, let’s have a meal together.” Since he took care of Qiao Nan, Zhai Sheng was very polite to him.
He Yi smiled. He knew that Zhai Sheng treated him nicely on account of Qiao Nan. If not, even though he was the minister of foreign affairs, given Zhai Sheng’s family background and position, there was no need for him to be so polite. He did not deserve or dare to be treated as such.
Therefore, it was good to have Qiao Nan as his junior.
He Yi, who felt that he was being respected, looked at Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng as if he was their elder. “Alright, it’s getting late. Both of you should hurry back. Before Master went overseas, he ordered that anyone can work overtime except for your wife. Your three children are the apple of his eye. My master will kill me if anyone dares to make them unhappy.”
He Yi was full of admiration for Lin Yuankang. He sincerely admired him and respected him very much.
Qiao Nan’s three children were Lin Yuankang’s favorites. He Yi, who was no longer young, was not jealous of them. In fact, Qiao Nan’s children were considered the disciples of his little junior. “Luckily, I remembered to bring this with me when I left my house today. Qiao Nan, take them. You must not reject them.”
He Yi handed three small boxes to Qiao Nan. These were his gifts to her children. They were pendants that were veneered with gold and encrusted with jade.
