Yu Xiaoxiao felt exasperated. “I didn’t say that I won’t help you. It’s just that I won’t be of much help. I will still try to relay your words to Qiao Nan.” The problem was Qiao Nan was seldom affected by other people.
“Thank you, Xiaoxiao. You are the best.” Lü Yan could not care much. She turned grief into happiness when Yu Xiaoxiao promised to help her. She could finally see a glimmer of hope.
Like Yu Xiaoxiao, Qiao Nan could no longer put up with the ‘former love rival’ that was standing in front of her. She had a headache at the sight of her. “Miss Qiu, long time no see. If you want to catch up, this is not a good place. If you don’t mind, I suggest that you go to the Zhai family’s residence.”
Qiao Nan was stopped by Qiu Chenxi on her way back home.
“What if I mind? I prefer to talk at a cafe.” Qiu Chenxi was never easy-going. Qiu Chenxi had never liked Qiao Nan since the first time she saw her. She did not expect that Qiao Nan, whom she looked down on, would ‘take her place’ and have everything that she wanted to have.
She received the Lee family’s recognition, was taken good care of by the Zhu family, and had Lin Yuankang as her master.
Other than having Zhai Sheng as her husband, there was another thing that Qiu Chenxi found most intolerable. Qiao Nan was her biggest enemy in this life. However, instead of taking care of her and standing on her side to deal with Qiao Nan, her uncle treated Qiao Nan like her niece.
Compared to her, her uncle was much closer to Qiao Nan.
At times, she could not even tell whether she and Shi Qing were her uncle’s relatives or whether Qiao Nan was his kin.
“I am sorry. As a mother of three, my time is very precious. You should know that my three children have not reached two years old. They could not stay apart from their parents for too long.” Qiao Nan smiled. She was no longer the young girl a few years back who would suffer quietly and please everyone.
Qiu Chenxi could tell the change in Qiao Nan. “Your status has changed indeed after marrying Zhai Sheng. How dare you act arrogantly in front of me just because you have Zhai Sheng to back you up! If it was a few years back, you won’t dare to say this to me!”
Qiao Nan remained unaffected. “That’s true. If Brother Zhai was not a good catch, you would not condescend to go against a student like me.”
Qiu Chenxi made a dig at Qiao Nan, saying that she climbed up the social ladder with Zhai Sheng’s help. Qiao Nan pointed out directly that Qiu Chenxi liked Zhai Sheng because of his status and the Zhai family.
“Qiao Nan, do you still remember that you are married with kids? Do you still remember that you have a husband? I thought you have long forgotten about it. College life is indeed exciting. There are a lot of temptations around you. It’s understandable that you can’t resist temptations. The love confession was so romantic. There aren’t many men who confessed his love to me. Qiao Nan, are you moved?”
Qiu Chenxi crossed her hands about her chest, her eyes full of mockery.
Zhai Sheng did not like it that she had been leading an exciting life while he was away. This was the reason why they did not end up together.
Actually, no girl would like dull and boring life. Qiao Nan was younger than her. It was the youngsters’ nature to play and have fun. No matter how Zhai Sheng picked and chose, he ended up with a similar girl.
On the contrary, now that she had grown older, she was much more mature than before. Qiao Nan would embarrass Zhai Sheng, but she would not. Like what she had said long ago, Zhai Sheng made the worst decision in his life by giving up on her and choosing Qiao Nan.
Qiao Nan was amused. “It is just a love confession, so what about it? Like you have said, someone confessed his love to you when you were a student. I don’t really care about what’s going on in school, but I am still aware of the rumors going around the school. I may not be the school belle, but I am the faculty belle. It is not odd that students confess their love to me. It will be weird if they don’t.”
What was up with all these people? All of them seemed to be very free.
There was so much important news happening in the country and around the world. A Peking University student confessing his love to a female student—how could this be compared to the important news around the world? Why was it that many important figures took notice of it and knew all the details? They remembered the details much better than her, the party concerned.
Qiu Chenxi snorted. “Carry on with your pretenses. Aren’t you touched? Didn’t you accept his confession? If you didn’t do anything, would the man kneel down and confess his love to you in public?” Everyone was once young and many of them were the only child in the family. Qiao Nan must have reciprocated the feelings in order for the student to let go of his pride and kneel down to confess his love.
Qiao Nan yawned. “I am sorry. My driver must be waiting for me anxiously. Besides, I am starving. You can go ahead to make guesses, but they are not the truth. Miss Qiu, I will make a move.”
Qiao Nan parked her bicycle at the usual place and ran toward the school gate.
Why was it that everyone was into stopping people in the middle of their way and was bent on talking about these topics in the public? Was Qiu Chenxi dying for everyone to know what kind of person she was?
Shi Peng had been transferred to the capital. Old Master Shi and his wife also moved out of Mo Du to stay with their son in the capital.
Qi Minlan had been staying with Qiu Chenxi at her parental house but when Old Master Shi and his wife stayed with Shi Peng, Qi Minlan and Qiu Chenxi moved in with them as well. This was when things got awkward.
It was alright if the sister who was married stayed for a few days at her elder brother’s house when she visited her parental family.
After Qi Minlan was divorced, she and her daughter moved to stay with her parents. Although Old Master Shi was advanced in age, it was still acceptable for the parents to support their children.
However, now that Old Master Shi was staying in his son’s house, his divorced daughter moved in with him as well and her elder brother had to provide for her. It was generous of Shi Peng to be willing to take care of Qiu Chenxi. But if he refused, no one would fault him. Instead, they would feel that it was Qi Minlan and Qiu Chenxi who were imposing on them.
Qiu Chenxi had a job and a career with Old Master Shi’s help.
Although she could not buy a house in the capital, she was still able to rent a house. She should be able to support herself if she cut down on her expenses.
However, despite the fact that they could support themselves, Qi Minlan still stayed with her brother and lived on her brother. Everyone was displeased with her behavior.
