Chapter 90: Chapter 84: An Indescribable Heartache
“It’s Miss Qiao’s father, Qiao Licheng.”
As soon as Zhan Qipei thought of how Qiao Jing’s eyes had been red just now, the rage inside him surged uncontrollably.
If he hadn’t been considering that the man was Qiao Jing’s biological father, and Qiao Jing had told him this was the last time, he would definitely have sent Qiao Licheng to prison for ten or eight years without release.
After putting down his phone, Zhan Qipei walked to the door of Qiao Jing’s room.
Qiao Jing looked at the door, puzzled.
“Yeah.” A low voice came from outside.
After replying, Qiao Jing said to her phone, “Let’s talk later, gotta go now.”
As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, she saw Zhan Qipei’s unhappy face and wondered what was wrong with him. Who had offended him?
Before Qiao Jing could ask, Zhan Qipei’s voice preempted her.
“Did Qiao Licheng just come by?”
Hearing Zhan Qipei ask that, Qiao Jing guessed he must already know everything.
“He did, right when I returned from grocery shopping.”
“Did he lay a hand on you?” Zhan Qipei asked with his fists clenched tight, knuckles protruding.
“You’re lying. You almost cried just now.”
Qiao Jing’s eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly. She had always disliked showing her vulnerable side in front of others, and Zhan Qipei’s sudden accusation made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
“He really didn’t touch me. I was just thinking about my mom.”
Seeing how Qiao Jing’s beautiful eyes visibly dulled, Zhan Qipei remembered the last time; Qiao Licheng had mentioned her mother who had passed away years ago in front of Qiao Jing, and then she had become downcast.
“What did he say to you?”
“Not much. He asked me to retrieve something my mother left for me before she passed.” Qiao Jing replied succinctly.
Zhan Qipei’s intuition told him that it couldn’t be that simple. He didn’t believe that Qiao Licheng was that kind-hearted to make a special trip just to return Qiao Jing’s belongings.
If he really wanted to give the items to Qiao Jing, he would have done so long ago. There was no need to wait until today.
Therefore, he guessed that this was just an excuse and that Qiao Licheng must have had other reasons for looking for Qiao Jing.
Qiao Jing lifted her gaze to Zhan Qipei, her delicate eyebrows lifted slightly, “Are you this concerned about me? I find it hard to get used to.”
Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and his expression turned stern, “I’m not concerned about you, it’s just that you’re now also considered half a member of the Zhan family. We, the Zhan family, never tolerate outsiders bullying us. Qiao Licheng has repeatedly troubled you, which is tantamount to disregarding the Zhan family.”
Yes! He was acting this way only to maintain the dignity of his family.
The Zhan family would not tolerate any challenge.
“Oh, I see. Then you don’t need to worry about the Zhan family’s reputation being dirtied because of me. I can easily handle such a small matter,” Qiao Jing said expressionlessly to Zhan Qipei.
Hearing Qiao Jing’s distancing remarks made Zhan Qipei feel rather uncomfortable.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help?”
“No thanks, I’m off to cook now.” Qiao Jing said, then headed towards the kitchen.
Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing’s retreating back, frowned, and the discomfort grew more pronounced.
A few seconds later, Qiao Jing came out of the kitchen.
Zhan Qipei’s eyes, which had darkened, suddenly lit up, his lips curving up, “What’s the matter? Regretting it? Want my help now?”
Girls should be softer, not shouldering everything on their own. So, it wouldn’t be shameful for you, Qiao Jing, to lean on him occasionally.
“No, I wanted to say that on the 29th, I need to go back to the Qiao family, and I won’t be cooking that day. You’ll need to sort yourself out,” Qiao Jing finished speaking and disappeared without lingering, leaving Zhan Qipei standing alone.
Zhan Qipei took a deep, long breath and exhaled before turning and pulling the door behind him to return to his own room.
Before she knew it, the 29th had arrived.
Qiao Jing put on a casual outfit and left the house with her bag.
Standing on the balcony, Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing’s departing figure, feeling uneasy in his heart.
Regarding the matter of Qiao Licheng visiting Qiao Jing a couple of days before, Zhan Qipei had originally planned to have Tang Yan investigate further, but he had been so angered by Qiao Jing’s attitude that he had put off the investigation.
Just then, Zhan Qipei felt a twitch in his right eye.
“Left eye twitch means fortune, and right eye twitch means calamity,” his mother often said.
He never believed it, but at this moment, as he watched Qiao Jing get into a taxi, he couldn’t feel at peace.
Time ticked by second by second, and the unease in the pit of his stomach grew stronger, making it hard to ignore.
He pursed his lips and pulled out his phone, dialing Tang Yan’s number.
“Could you investigate what has happened recently with the Qiao Family?”
Tang Yan’s efficiency was unmatched; within a mere five minutes, he had found everything out.
“Qiao Mengtong offended Hou Bo’s lover, and Hou Bo demanded that Qiao Mengtong visit his villa to apologize. It’s said to be an apology, but it’s really to torment her. Qiao Mengtong didn’t dare go, so the Qiao Family concocted a plan for Miss Qiao to go in her stead.”
As Tang Yan spoke, he suddenly felt a chilling cold seep through the phone, making him shiver involuntarily.
Zhan Qipei squinted his eyes that were hazy with cold frost, his chilling aura swirling around him.
Damned members of the Qiao Family!
“She wouldn’t agree!”
Zhan Qipei understood now – no wonder Qiao Licheng had suddenly told Qiao Jing that he wanted to give her her mother’s keepsakes. It was because he knew Qiao Jing wouldn’t agree to take Mengtong’s place, so he used such a reason to bait Qiao Jing.
Once Qiao Jing entered the Qiao Family’s lair, it would be easy to enter but hard to leave!
“You hurry and take people over. I’ll go ahead!”
In this critical moment, any delay could increase the danger for Qiao Jing.
With this in mind, Zhan Qipei quickly grabbed his car keys and dashed toward the garage.
Zhan Qipei drove fast. As soon as Qiao Jing got out of the car, she saw Zhan Qipei’s car parked by the road.
“Why are you here?” Qiao Jing asked with a puzzled face as she looked at Zhan Qipei.
Zhan Qipei strode towards Qiao Jing, “Do you know Qiao Licheng’s intentions?”
Hearing Zhan Qipei say this, Qiao Jing guessed that he must already know.
“And yet you still came?”
“I came to get my and my mother’s belongings back.”
“You shouldn’t have come alone. If Qiao Licheng asked you to come here, he must have prepared in advance,” Zhan Qipei frowned as he said.
What Zhan Qipei could think of, Qiao Jing had also considered.
“Knowing this, why did you still come?”
“It doesn’t matter. His preparations are his business, my coming is mine, and leaving will be mine too. If I want to leave, no one can stop me.”
Qiao Jing’s words were not bravado; she was merely stating a fact calmly.
Zhan Qipei knew Qiao Jing had some fighting skills, but the current Qiao Family was like a dragon’s den and tiger’s lair. Qiao Jing was unarmed and alone; leaving safely and unscathed would be difficult.
“I will go in with you.”
Qiao Jing was visibly surprised by his words, not expecting Zhan Qipei to make such an offer.
Then she thought, he must be doing this to preserve the face of the Zhan Family.
“Thank you for your kind intention, but I’ll go in by myself. And besides, I don’t think Qiao Licheng will do something over the line to me. After all, I am now half a member of the Zhan Family. Even if he wants me to take the rap for Mengtong, he would wait until after our divorce,” Qiao Jing said.
Zhan Qipei also knew that Qiao Licheng wouldn’t use Qiao Jing to take the blow so quickly, but he still couldn’t help worrying that Qiao Jing would be at a disadvantage inside.
“I’ll go in now,” Qiao Jing said as she turned around, only to have her wrist suddenly grasped by the large hand that reached out for her.