Cen Xi’s cold pupils constricted.
They stared at each other for a few seconds before Qiao Yanze quickly looked away. He took the ice pack from Qing Yan and said softly, “I’m fine.”
Qiao Yanze extinguished the cigarette before he turned around, planning to return to the arena.
But Qing Yan stopped him. “What are you thinking? Qiao Yanxuan is clearly humiliating you in front of the Qiao family members and higher executivesー”
Seeing the worry and concern in Qing Yan’s eyes, he patted her shoulder. “Thank you for your concern.”
…
Some time later, Cen Xi’s slender back was still pressed tightly against the wall. She stood there unmoving until Bai Lin came to look for her.
“Xiao Xi, are you alright? It’s been a while since you came out.”
Cen Xi shook her head as she smiled softly. “I’m alright. Let’s head back!”
For the second half of the game, Cen Xi focused on watching the game. After the game was over, Bai Lin pulled Cen Xi forward to get a signature and photo with Parker.
Qiao Yanze stood beside Qiao Yanxuan, passing him a bottle of water. He didn’t even glance at Cen Xi. So Cen Xi also treated it as if she didn’t see him.
With her understanding of him, he must have his own plans and reasons to remain by Qiao Yanxuan’s side in such a pitiful state.
A while back, he wasn’t even willing to mention Qiao Yanxuan when he was still staying with her, not to mention going to work for Qiao Yanxuan. Perhaps, after his inhuman actions to her that night, he had understood some things.
After taking the photo, Cen Xi and Bai Lin left the arena. Qiao Yanxuan observed Qiao Yanze and Cen Xi’s actions quietly. Seeing Cen Xi glance at Qiao Yanze with resentment when she left, Qiao Yanxuan’s lips smirked slightly.
It seemed as though Parker was today’s match’s highlight. But the truth was that the highlight to him was Qiao Yanze looking like a downtrodden dog, following his orders, getting the ball thrown in his face and still not being able to retaliate.
My, how the strong and mighty had fallen.
He wanted everyone to see that he, Qiao Yanxuan, was not worse than Qiao Yanze, that he was the true Qiao family’s pride.
After returning to the Qiao manor, Qiao Yanxuan stopped Qiao Yanze, who was about to head back to the servant’s rooms.
“Grandma said that she made some good food today. You can come with us!”
So Qiao Yanze followed behind Qiao Yanxuan with his head down. The two of them entered the dining hall.
After learning that Qiao Yanze had returned to the Qiao manor, Old Madam Qiao had been rather unhappy. Even though Qiao Yanxuan said that Qiao Yanze had lost his fighting spirit and was a dog by his side, not daring to head west if he pointed to the east, the old madam still didn’t really believe him.
It was only in the recent few days that she realized that Qiao Yanze really seemed to have changed. No matter how she and Qiao Yanxuan humiliated or tortured Qiao Yanze, he had no temper at all. That blood letter seemed to be the final straw in pushing him down.
“Grandma, Yanze’s behavior was really good today. Let him stay and eat with us!” Although Qiao Yanxuan sounded like he was discussing with the elder, his words were actually a form of charity. He wanted to humiliate Qiao Yanze at all times and make himself look better.
Old Madam Qiao glanced at Qiao Yanze, who had his head low and remained silent, disliking him even more. “He can eat. But he can only eat after we’re done.”
Old Madam Qiao placed the poodle in her lap on the floor, instructing the servants to bring water over for her to wash hands before she started eating with Qiao Yanxuan.
After Qiao Yanxuan was adopted by his second uncle, the Old Madam was the only one that doted on her usually. That was why Qiao Yanxuan usually followed the Old Madam’s words.
Qiao Yanze stood behind the dining table as he watched the grandmother and grandson eat. Seeing the Old Madam give Qiao Yanxuan some food, Qiao Yanze could not help but recall the memories he had with Mother in the past.
Mother had really doted on him. In the past, when he was playful and rebellious, he would be impatient if his mother nagged on him a little more. When he ate with his mother, she would be the only one that gave him food. He rarely took notice of what she liked to eat and if she was full.
After recalling so many memories, he realized how absurd he had been in the past!
As Qiao Yanze was immersed in his memories, he didn’t notice the Old Madam’s pet poodle running over.
He felt a heated wetness at the tip of his shoes. He looked down. Seeing the Old Madam’s pet poodle running over to pee at his shoes, all of his blood surged towards his brain.
The anger tendencies within him instantly surged within him. His lips pursed into a tight line as he held himself back. In the end, he remained standing there like a statue and didn’t kick that d*mned dog away.
The Old Madam saw this scene from the corner of her eyes. Seeing Qiao Yanze looked down, not even daring to say anything, the Old Madam was rather amused.
If Pei Lin was still alive and saw this, her heart would probably ache terribly!
“Yanxuan, come and eat more.”
“Thank you, Grandma, you’re really good to me.”
“You have to learn how to cherish the people that are good to you. If not, if the person is gone, you won’t have the chance to cherish them even if you want to.”
“Grandma, don’t worry. I will definitely treat you well.”
…
The night was dark.
Qiao Yanze opened his eyes and glanced at the servant sleeping in the bed opposite him. He got out of bed and left the servants’ quarters.
The Qiao mansion was a place he had grown up in, so it could be said that he was at least a hundred times more familiar with the place than Old Madam Qiao and Qiao Yanxuan were.
He knew how he could get around the mansion without being discovered by others.
The back of the Qiao mansion was a small mountain that had been developed into a private garden. Qiao Yanze arrived at the small mountain, where Da Zuo was already waiting for him.
“Young Master.”
Qiao Yanze nodded as he took a document folder from Da Zuo.
“Young Master, the Old Madam has been selling several Qiao family estates without the Second Young Master’s knowledge recently.”
As Qiao Yanze saw the photos and information in the document folder, a cold smirk appeared on his lips. “It seems like the two of them are only the nice grandmother and filial grandson in appearance.”
“Young Master, what should we do next?”
Qiao Yanze leaned towards Da Zuo’s ear and instructed him quietly.
…
Qing Yan went to the hospital to visit her hospitalized father before she returned to her apartment.
The residential area she lived in was made of buildings with only stairs. The voice-control at the stairway of the third floor was spoiled, while her phone’s battery was flat as well. That was why she could only go up in the darkness.
When she arrived at the third floor, she smelled a faint cigarette smell. In the pitch-black space, a bright red light flickered.
Qing Yan’s gaze hardened a little as she felt the danger and turned around, about to run downstairs.
However, in the next second, her arm was grabbed ruthlessly. She was thrown to the side by the person ruthlessly, the back of her head hitting the wall and exuding a loud bang.
Qing Yan massaged the back of her forehead as she stared at the man standing in the dark. “Are you crazy?!”
The moment she finished speaking, the man grabbed her neck hard. The man’s dark voice seemed to boom in the quiet space. “Even if you’re a woman I’m tired of playing with, I forbid you from approaching Qiao Yanze. If I see you with him again, I will strangle you to death.”
Qing Yan’s slender neck was strangled by his large palm tightly, making it difficult for her to breathe. “Qiao Yanxuan, you are jealous of, despise and hate your younger brother not only because you’re inferior, but because you’re not as capable as him!”
Slap!
Qing Yan received a ruthless slap.
“Jealous? He’s following beside me like a dog now. What is there to be envious and jealous of? However, you said something right. I do hate and despise him. That is why I will take everything from him, even you, the b*tch I’ve once abandoned!”
