Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Turning Point of Destiny_1
Qiao Anchu laughed bitterly. She had once questioned why Li Cuihua would rather accept a foundling as her daughter than acknowledge her own flesh and blood and leave her at the doorstep of her master instead.
Similarly, she never understood why they insisted that she take Qiao as her surname following Qiao Xiaren, a name she harbored no affection for.
Now, everything fell into place. All of this was nothing more than a premeditated scheme.
Li Cuihua and her husband planned to use her as a scapegoat. So she, not Qiao Xiaren, would search for the powerful birth parents, for the luxurious life of Miss Qiao Xiaren!
“Chuchu, your father and I, we thought it’s for your own good. If you remain in this village, you’d only end up marrying some random man and live a mundane life…”
Li Cuihua thought that Qiao Anchu was complaining about her abandonment years ago and wanted to clarify. But she was interrupted by Qiao Anchu’s icy response, “You don’t have to explain anything, I should thank you and my so-called father actually, for granting me this opportunity.”
Li Cuihua looked up, stunned, and saw a mysterious smile crossing Qiao Anchu’s face, “Chuchu…”
“Did Qiao Xiaren’s parents have the surname Qiao?”
This sudden question left Li Cuihua hesitant for a moment, but she nodded, “There was a small pendant on this gemstone necklace, and when opened, there was a letter Qiao inscribed inside.”
The color had returned to Qiao Anchu’s face; she carefully tucked away the gemstone necklace and solemnly looked at Li Cuihua, “Remember, my father’s surname is Qiao. I am a daughter of the Qiao Family, not your daughter, Li Cuihua. Do you understand?”
Li Cuihua stared at Qiao Anchu, stunned, as she hadn’t expected her to accept this proposal so quickly.
A dreadful thought crept into her mind. What if Qiao Anchu decided not to recognize her as her biological mother? This wasn’t the outcome they had planned.
Seeing Li Cuihua’s hesitation, Qiao Anchu turned more vigilant. “What, you planned this path for me, and now you regret it, huh?” she sneered.
Qiao Anchu’s sharpened voice and accusatory tone made Li Cuihua hesitate further, “Chuchu, it’s all for your own good… but you… you can’t deny me as your biological mother?”
A harsh light flickered in Qiao Anchu’s eyes; her fingers instinctively clenched. She knew Li Cuihua planned to squeeze some benefits from her. Once Qiao Anchu truly became a wealthy daughter, Li Cuihua and Li Qiang would stick to her like leeches.
Seeing the worry on Li Cuihua’s face, Qiao Anchu mustered a reluctant smile, “Why would I? You are my biological parents. If I ever become a rich lady, I won’t forget you.”
“Really? That’s a relief!” Li Cuihua looked ecstatic, completely oblivious to Qiao Anchu’s true thoughts.
Suppressing her urge to fling away Li Cuihua’s hand, Qiao Anchu thought that when she acknowledged her real relatives, she would shut them up for good.
It wasn’t her fault. If Li Cuihua and her family could be so ruthless to devise this plan for her, they’d have to endure her relentless reprisal. Who else was there to blame? Their blood ran in her veins after all.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.” Qiao Anchu walked away without any hesitation. Watching her leave, Li Cuihua felt a pang of unease and turned to walk back home.
When Qiao Anchu returned to her seat, she was still trembling with excitement and shock, struggling to come to terms with what had just happened.
Clutching the gemstone necklace tightly in her hand, she knew it marked a pivotal moment in her life.