Chapter 70: Chapter 65: Must Help Even If Unwilling
Zheng Haijuan and Jhiang Cuifeng felt a “thud” in their hearts again.
Seeing Qiao Licheng’s even more agitated reaction than before, panic increased in their hearts.
“Who called the police? The hospital?! Wasn’t it that dead girl Qiao Jing?!”
Hearing what Qiao Licheng said, Zheng Haijuan and Jhiang Cuifeng had a rough idea of what was going on.
Unsurprisingly, it might have been about yesterday’s incident at the hospital where Qiao Licheng had beaten Qiao Jing with a belt.
After hanging up the phone, Qiao Licheng raised his hand and fiercely smashed the phone onto the ground.
“Qiao Jing, that stinking girl, why doesn’t she just die! Which hospital called the police? I don’t believe for a second that the hospital would meddle in such trivial matters; it must have been Qiao Jing who reported it!”
Zheng Haijuan thought it over, and considering what had just happened, she suddenly came to another conclusion.
“Husband, I don’t think it was Qiao Jing who called the police.”
“After all this, you still speak for her?”
“It’s not about speaking for her, think about it; if it really was Qiao Jing who had called the police, she would have reported you for abandonment, not something that happened at the hospital. Moreover, I don’t believe Qiao Jing has the courage to call the police, she would have done it long ago if she dared. Besides, she is your daughter, and if she really had called the police, sending you to the station herself, it wouldn’t sound good for her either.”
On hearing this, Qiao Licheng seemed to see the sense in it.
“Could it really have been the hospital that called the police?”
“Husband, don’t you think these two incidents are too coincidental?”
Reminded by Zheng Haijuan , Qiao Licheng suddenly realized.
First it was the stock issue, and now following close on its heels, something happened; to say these two incidents are unconnected would be letting coincidences through the door, a sheer coincidence.
“So…it must be the Zhan Family!”
Qiao Licheng and the others all figured it out.
There was no mistake, it must be the Zhan Family trying to warn them, Qiao Jing was now their person, even if temporarily; they couldn’t let others bully her.
“Ah!” Zheng Haijuan suddenly remembered something.
“Mengtong!” Qiao Licheng remembered as well.
Qiao Mengtong had gone to the Angel Welfare Institute early in the morning to seek out Qiao Jing’s friends.
“Quick, call Mengtong, tell her to come back right away!” Qiao Licheng urgently shouted.
Zheng Haijuan dialed Qiao Mengtong’s number, both scared and hurried.
But no one answered despite ringing for a long time.
“I’ll go there myself!” Qiao Licheng said, frantic.
“No need to panic that much, Mengtong just went to win over one of Qiao Jing’s friends, there shouldn’t be any trouble,” Jhiang Cuifeng, who had been silent, spoke up.
Hearing what Jhiang Cuifeng said, Qiao Licheng and his wife gradually calmed down.
True, there was no need to panic. Besides, the Zhan Family was just showing them who’s boss, indicating that the Qiao Family now belonged to them, and that was it, as long as they didn’t trouble Qiao Jing anymore.
As for Qiao Jing’s friends, they didn’t believe for a minute that the Zhan Family would go that far.
Angel Welfare Institute.
Lin Xiuxiang was playing with the children when a woman’s voice came from behind her.
“Are you Lin Xiuxiang?”
Lin Xiuxiang turned around confused, not recognizing the speaker.
“My name is Qiao Mengtong.” Qiao Mengtong introduced herself.
“Surname Qiao?” Lin Xiuxiang frowned.
“Correct, I am Qiao Jing’s half-sister from the same father.” Qiao Mengtong hated the crow for the sake of the swan, and because she loathed Qiao Jing, her gaze towards Lin Xiuxiang wasn’t friendly either.
At the same time, a hint of hostility was also present in Lin Xiuxiang’s eyes as she looked at Qiao Mengtong.
Lin Xiuxiang knew about Qiao Jing—she had a wicked stepmother and a wicked stepsister.
“You’re looking for Qiao Qiao? She’s not here.”
Lin Xiuxiang’s dismissive attitude irritated Qiao Mengtong somewhat.
“I’m here to find you.”
“Find me?” Lin Xiuxiang looked at Qiao Mengtong with a puzzled expression.
Qiao Mengtong pulled out a check, “Here’s one hundred thousand. Qiao Jing married into the Zhan family and got quite a bit of money from them. All you need to do is to persuade her to turn over the money to the Qiao Family, and this one hundred thousand is yours.”
“Ah?” Lin Xiuxiang’s mouth hung open, unable to believe her own ears.
“Am I hallucinating? Qiao Qiao’s money, why should it go to you, the Qiao Family?”
“What ‘her money’? That is clearly our money! If my dad hadn’t given birth to her, could she be hopping around this world alive? Now that she has money, she should hand it over as a way of returning the favor!” Qiao Mengtong said arrogantly, standing tall and confident.
“I—” Lin Xiuxiang nearly swore in front of the children.
Being a teacher at the welfare institute, she couldn’t use foul language, as it would impact the psychological growth of the children. If they ended up twisted like Qiao Mengtong, then she would be the criminal poisoning the future flowers of the country.
“Teacher Li, please take the children to the classroom.”
“Alright.” Teacher Li also sensed that Qiao Mengtong’s arrival boded ill.
After the children had gone to the classroom, Lin Xiuxiang then spoke.
“I’ll say this once, Qiao Qiao’s money is neither the Zhan Family’s nor the Qiao Family’s—it is earned by her own two hands. She has the right to decide how to spend her money. If you truly believe that Qiao Qiao’s money is yours, then you are welcome to sue and take Qiao Qiao to court. Let the legal process determine whether the money belongs to you or is Qiao Qiao’s private property.”
Lin Xiuxiang spoke righteously, but to Qiao Mengtong, it felt like a slap to her face.
If the law was on their side, they wouldn’t need to bother with this hassle; they could have just taken Qiao Jing directly to court.
But the problem was, suing wouldn’t help; no judge would award them the money.
“This isn’t about the law, this is a matter of morality. As a member of the Qiao Family, Qiao Jing should give us the money. If she doesn’t, then she is nothing but selfish and unfilial!”
Hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang understood, realizing that Lin Xiuxiang and her family were bizarre. Discussing reason with such eccentricity was simply an assault on her own principles.
“Sorry, I won’t persuade Qiao Qiao, and I won’t take your money either. I still have to look after the children, so please leave.”
Qiao Mengtong’s eyes, filled with rage, glared at Lin Xiuxiang, and she shouted in a loud voice.
“Why won’t you do this for me? You have to help today, whether you like it or not!” After yelling, Qiao Mengtong, without another word, threw the check at Lin Xiuxiang.
Lin Xiuxiang glanced at the check fluttering to the ground, swept her eyes over it lightly, then turned and walked away.
Watching Lin Xiuxiang ignore her, images of Qiao Jing’s consistently aloof demeanor flashed in Qiao Mengtong’s mind.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, rushing forward to push Lin Xiuxiang.
Lin Xiuxiang heard the noise, but before she could react, Qiao Mengtong forcefully shoved her forward, causing her to stagger.
Just as she was about to fall, the next second she was firmly caught by a pair of particularly sturdy arms.
Lin Xiuxiang slowly looked up.
Upon seeing that face filled with justice, her pupils suddenly trembled, her face flushed, and her heart thumped wildly.