Coveted for a Long Time 40

Chapter 40

Cars passed by on the street from time to time, but the streetlights couldn’t illuminate this spot.

The touch on the back of her hand was warm and clear. Qiao Xi subconsciously wanted to shrink away, but was grabbed instantly. The accident seemed premeditated; Fu Bei held on tight, refusing to let go for a moment.

This wasn’t like her.

By the faint light, lifting her eyes, she could see the other’s figure. Ultimately dissatisfied with this person, Qiao Xi remained silent, cold and wordless.

It was Fu Bei who spoke first: “Probably burnt out. I’ll change the bulb tomorrow, or find someone to fix it if that doesn’t work.”

Qiao Xi bit her lower lip, giving a soft “Mmh.” She struggled a bit and pulled her hand back, not letting the other touch her.

Fu Bei didn’t force it, but her gaze never left.

Qiao Xi asked stiffly, “What business dealings does your uncle have with the Zhou family? Health products or what?”

Qiao Xi didn’t know specifically what businesses the Zhou family had, only roughly knowing this much. In recent years, the high-return, high-profit industries were nothing more than insurance, health preservation, real estate, and the internet. The Zhou family couldn’t move the mountain of real estate, nor could they handle the internet or insurance. They had been focusing on health preservation, collaborating with several companies to launch many health food products, involving teas, soups, and medicinal meals, making quite a bit of money.

Actually, the health food industry was something Qiao Jianliang brought the Zhou family into back then. Qiao Jianliang was mediocre at doing business, but the most correct decision he made in all these years was entering the health preservation field. When the real estate investment failed, Qiao Jianliang gritted his teeth and swallowed the blood, protecting the health food sector even when the road seemed to be ending. Looking at it today, this was the only decision he didn’t get wrong. Modern people pursue a high quality of life and are willing to spend money on this. The Qiao family was also doing this now, and doing it much bigger than the Zhou family, quite successfully.

There is no affection in the business world. In the face of profit, even the closest people can turn against each other, let alone a remarried couple.

Qiao Xi completely distrusted the Zhou mother and son, worried that Zhou Meihe would pull some dirty tricks. This wasn’t out of concern for Qiao Jianliang—her relationship with him as father and daughter was a separate matter—but simply out of worry. Even if father and daughter were like strangers, she couldn’t let others play dirty tricks in the dark.

“Real estate.” Fu Bei said truthfully, thinking for a moment before adding, “That real estate project in the New District, the one Uncle Qiao did before.”

Qiao Xi was stunned. After all, Qiao Jianliang had stumbled badly on this back then. She still knew a bit of the inside story, just hadn’t participated.

At that time, the Qiao family was in a stalemate with the government and relevant parties. The project dragged on without progress, and the outside world was spreading rumors based on shadows, hinting that the Qiao family might go bankrupt. Qiao Jianliang really couldn’t come up with the money, almost dragged down to death. With no help anywhere, he could only self-destructively sell assets cheaply for cash. The process was arduous and sad. As for how he got out later, she only heard from Qiao Jianliang that he sold assets to get money and continued to struggle bitterly. Later, fortunately, the Zhou family helped with all their might, allowing him to escape.

That was a torturous time. Although Qiao Xi never actively asked and appeared indifferent on the surface, she still knew some inside information.

At that time, Qiao Jianliang and Zhou Meihe weren’t married yet. Why did the Zhou family withstand huge pressure to support the Qiao family vigorously? Without kinship or reason, just because Qiao Jianliang once helped the Zhou family in passing?

Impossible.

She didn’t know and hadn’t thought about it carefully. Now delving into it, many clues didn’t make sense.

“Your uncle took over?” Qiao Xi asked, frowning.

Fu Bei nodded. “Mmh.”

“Didn’t he refuse to participate before? Now that it’s a mess, why take it?” Qiao Xi was puzzled.

Fu Bei said, “It’s not a mess anymore.”

The higher-ups valued practical work and results. As long as those below didn’t act recklessly, they usually turned a blind eye. With enough capital and a few operations, trash could turn into treasure. Liang Jincheng wasn’t stupid; letting Qiao Jianliang bear the mess of the project, he started to act when it could make money.

The words were meaningful. Qiao Xi paused, taking a long while to understand the deep meaning. Looking up straight at Fu Bei, her thoughts were messy.

“How do you know?”

Asking directly without beating around the bush.

This person was definitely reminding her; otherwise, she wouldn’t speak so clearly. She was a bit worried about sudden situations replaying the events of five years ago.

“Chen Shuo knows many people up there; someone approved this project.” Fu Bei didn’t hide anything, revealing everything as long as Qiao Xi asked.

Qiao Xi couldn’t quite turn the corner, not understanding the use of telling her this—to guard against the Zhou mother and son, or that the events back then weren’t that simple? After a pause, she asked, “So your uncle and the Zhou family have bad intentions? What do they want to do?”

But Fu Bei said, “Not clear.”

“Then what’s the use of telling me this?” Qiao Xi thought this was refusing to tell the truth, hiding things from her again, so her tone was a bit aggressive.

In the dimness, Fu Bei’s thin lips moved. After a long while, she answered irrelevantly, “You were right last time; everything was my choice.”

Qiao Xi was dazed, not understanding why she kept bringing up old matters today.

Thinking Fu Bei would say more, unexpectedly, the other party stopped. Perhaps the darkness was too wearing; Qiao Xi lifted her eyelids and asked, “So?”

The other party suddenly embraced her.

“Qiao Xi…”

“Give me another chance.”

**

Jiang City entered late autumn. The ground was covered with layers of withered yellow leaves, a golden carpet reflecting the sunset afterglow. Ginkgo trees lined the necessary road outside the residential complex, their brilliant golden color breathtakingly beautiful. The long road became the most eye-catching scenery.

Zhou Meihe took Zhou Lin back to her maiden home for a week. Qiao Xi returned to the compound twice.

Qiao Jianliang’s business had no problems; everything was orderly. The previous worries didn’t come true, fortunately.

“I was thinking of going to see you, but you came back.” Qiao Jianliang smiled, eyes crinkling. “Been relatively free lately; everything’s fine.”

“What is the company doing recently?” Qiao Xi asked.

She rarely asked this actively, so Qiao Jianliang was slightly surprised, thinking she was interested in doing business. If Qiao Xi really had that intention, he would certainly be happy, wishing she could join the family company.

“Developed a new soup product, currently passing quality inspection. Just waiting for news from there; once settled, preparing for mass production.”

While speaking, Qiao Jianliang observed his daughter’s reaction. But Qiao Xi’s face was bland, not looking very interested, just asking casually. He was immediately a bit disappointed, sighing secretly, wanting to chat with Qiao Xi but holding back.

Qiao Xi was a bit distracted, staying for lunch. The helpers were still the same two from last time, very observant, treating her extremely well, and occasionally putting in good words for Qiao Jianliang openly or secretly. She didn’t want to hear this, giving no response. Qiao Jianliang secretly watched her, inevitably feeling more disappointed seeing this.

“What did they go back for?” Qiao Xi asked suddenly, referring to Zhou Meihe and Zhou Lin. Usually, she met Zhou Meihe almost every time she returned; not seeing her this time felt a bit unaccustomed.

Qiao Jianliang said, “The old man is sick; went back to visit.”

The Zhou family patriarch, Zhou Meihe’s biological father and Zhou Lin’s biological grandfather, had only come here when Zhou Meihe and Qiao Jianliang got married. Qiao Xi almost couldn’t remember him. Thinking back, the other party seemed to be a spirited old man with a tough body; why suddenly sick?

She asked, “What illness?”

“Minor illness. Old age, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high lipids. Dizziness and headache, uncomfortable. Insisted on Zhou Lin going back.”

Qiao Xi paused, feeling something strange but unable to figure it out.

Qiao Jianliang chattered endlessly, daring not say too much about the Zhou mother and son in front of her. Instead, he occasionally talked about gossip of several families in the compound, even mentioning Chen Shuo getting married.

Only then did Qiao Xi know this, stunned for a moment.

In the Qiao family garage, the Bugatti Veyron was long gone, sold by Qiao Jianliang, not given to Zhou Lin. Qiao Xi also remained silent about this. Qiao Jianliang remarrying, she had no opinion and wouldn’t care how he lived with Zhou Meihe. Last time she was indeed uncomfortable inside; a Bugatti Veyron was a car worth tens of millions, so lavish at once, and the Qiao family wasn’t a top-tier wealthy family. Now that the car didn’t go to Zhou Lin, she was neither happy nor unhappy, just indifferent.

Qiao Jianliang mentioned Fu Bei, saying she helped him by introducing a big boss from out of town.

“Little Bei has a good heart, quite nice,” Qiao Jianliang commented, probably still unaware of the events back then.

“Really?” Qiao Xi raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. Neighbors for so many years; truly excellent from childhood to adulthood, good at everything.” Qiao Jianliang was full of praise.

Qiao Xi fell silent.

Leaving the compound and driving back, remembering that night in the tattoo parlor, it was truly a tangled mess.

Perhaps Fu Bei was truly too sincere, seeking peace with an attitude humble into the dust. Or perhaps she was possessed, her mind unclear for a moment. When the other party leaned in, she didn’t refuse.

Later, closing the shop door and entering the rest room, she didn’t refuse either.

They never turned on the light from beginning to end. Absurdity spread endlessly in the darkness. Pleasure and entanglement mixed together, inseparable.

Fu Bei held her hips, softly calling her name, unbelievably gentle, almost giving Qiao Xi the illusion of drowning. If the other party had treated her so gently before, she would definitely be too happy to sleep until midnight. But that night, her heart was terribly calm.

Right and wrong, Qiao Xi understood. She knew how some things should be handled; cutting the knot quickly was the best solution. But unwillingness or perhaps some special feelings at work caused her not to choose the simplest and most decisive way, but to follow her heart.

She didn’t answer that sentence; whether to give a chance wasn’t explicitly stated.

Actually, the moment she chose silence, the answer was already obvious.

But Fu Bei took it as agreement.

This person hugged her, acting as if to kiss and suck her sensitive earlobe, whispering words.

Qiao Xi clung to Fu Bei’s shoulder, then simply pressed herself entirely into the crook of the other’s neck.

The blackness seemed to press down heavily, suffocating. The noise of the street at midnight dispersed, silent like this cramped rest room. The hibiscus flower exposed to the slightly cold and dry air swayed beautifully, like duckweed without a fixed point, swaying with the waves without stopping, or like slender, soft willows by the bank blown by the wind, swaying constantly.

Just like in the dream, the long, distinct hand stroked the middle of the hibiscus flower again, wet, only without the sliding sweat beads.

Lying exhausted on the single bed, Qiao Xi finally found a fixed point. Fu Bei circled her back, kissing her face and fair, slender neck comfortingly.

“Why come back to find me again?” Qiao Xi asked with raised eyes, lying prone.

For the first two years, she was the one looking, but couldn’t find her. Fu Bei must have been hiding; otherwise, how could she not be found? But later, somehow she figured it out, changing so much. Qiao Xi knew she had looked for her; at that time, she was already disappointed and deliberately didn’t let herself be found.

There might be many explanations. Fu Bei pondered for a moment, only saying, “Missed you.”

Qiao Xi didn’t believe a word, resting her head on her arm without moving.

Fu Bei leaned in to kiss her. She turned her head subtly, dodging it.

Forgiving or not, letting go or not—it had no meaning.

**

Two days later, some grapevine news about the Zhou family came out. Elder Zhou’s illness seemed to have another hidden story—he was angered into sickness, literally infuriated until he fell ill.

Something not too big but not small happened to the Zhou family. Heard it was product quality inspection failure. Originally could be handled properly, but seemed to have offended someone, being criticized by name directly. It happened so suddenly there was no time to guard against it. Even unluckier, it seemed someone wanted to mess with the Zhou family, posting this matter online. The gimmick was quite sufficient, hitting directly at quality and health issues.

Rumors spread easiest on the internet. A small matter could be transmitted into earth-shaking livelihood news. The Zhou family spent a lot of money to suppress this matter quickly.

Qiao Xi searched online but found no relevant news reports, very curious about what exactly happened.

Could it be related to Liang Jincheng?