Chapter 65
Qiao Jianliang and Tang Yi’s parents were still out for a walk and hadn’t returned. The whole house was pitch black, and the surroundings were dark without streetlights. If not for this shout, Qiao Xi wouldn’t have realized there was someone around.
Small towns weren’t like cities where residential buildings were divided into complexes. All houses here were scattered crookedly along the streets, and parking was right in front of the houses. So finding someone wasn’t hard—just drive around the streets and recognize the car.
But Qiao Xi hadn’t expected this person to find her here. The town was relatively remote, rarely visited. Qiao Jianliang and Tang Yi hadn’t said anything, and no one knew her whereabouts, yet she was still found by the other party.
Leaving this time wasn’t intentionally to hide. Just considering that the situation would be more turbulent after the New Year, she brought Qiao Jianliang out to keep a low profile, reduce the Qiao family’s presence, stay away from disputes, and avoid unnecessary trouble. Fu Bei had called many times, but she ignored them, thinking they should each calm down, as some things still couldn’t be let go.
Now looking at Fu Bei, somehow, the air seemed to stagnate, pulling at her every breath. A sudden sense of annoyance and oppression struck her.
Fu Bei walked up to her without extra movements, only meeting her gaze.
From a distance just now, it wasn’t clear. Now closer, she could see the dark circles under her eyes and her pale lips. Her complexion was much worse than before; she must have gone through a lot recently to become like this. Qiao Xi’s red lips moved, opening her mouth but having nothing to say. It felt like she hadn’t seen her for too long. A sense of emptiness mixed with indescribable emotions flooded her heart, blocking all words.
Before leaving the city, the two were still in a stalemate. Now seeing each other, the stalemate faded a bit, but a sense of powerlessness appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps the quiet life in the small town had washed away the troubles and grudges in Qiao Xi’s heart, leading to her not reacting like before upon seeing Fu Bei now. Instead, she stood quietly, without any extra thoughts, not even avoiding.
“Qiao Xi…” Fu Bei said.
The voice was exactly the same as in her dream, no difference.
Qiao Xi stopped her hand feeling for the keys, pursed her lips, and didn’t respond.
However, before she could make any move, as if afraid she would disappear again, the person in front pulled her into a fierce embrace, hands clamping her waist tightly, holding her still.
Qiao Xi was made a bit uncomfortable and struggled immediately, only to be clamped tighter.
Fu Bei was travel-worn, the scent on her body as cool as usual. She was somewhat stubborn. Perhaps regaining what was lost made her behavior exceptionally unusual, losing her usual calmness and composure. Her movements were tinged with a trace of panic and anxiety.
“Just came to see; didn’t expect you really here.”
If a person really wants to hide, even with heavenly abilities, it’s hard to find them. Qiao Xi and Qiao Jianliang left suddenly without telling anyone, concealing all whereabouts from the outside world. If Tang Yi hadn’t habitually included her location when posting on Moments, she still wouldn’t be found here.
Reality isn’t as magical as TV dramas where using means can find people immediately. If the other party intentionally hides, even being separated by a street is difficult, let alone in a small town without surveillance.
Qiao Xi didn’t react for a moment. Unexpectedly, she was embraced by the waist again by this person and led to the shadows nearby.
She felt a bit repulsed, but mostly awkward, unaccustomed to this Fu Bei, so she wanted to push the other party away.
“Let go…”
Spoken very quietly. After all, the town was only so big. On New Year’s Eve, people walked by on the street from time to time. Embarrassed to hug outside, yet afraid to speak too loudly and attract passersby.
Unexpectedly, Fu Bei turned a deaf ear.
“Did you hear me? I said let go.” Qiao Xi’s temper rose. The unclear feeling from just now had receded; now she was uncomfortable no matter what.
Fu Bei was forceful but not forcing. She just used too much strength, as if wanting to melt the person into her blood and bones, never separating, making Qiao Xi feel very constrained, unable to help wanting to push her away a bit.
“Don’t move; hold for a while—” This person said on her own, voice pressed very low.
She had been looking for Qiao Xi. The current situation was unpredictable, and she dared not act rashly. Whatever she did couldn’t be too obvious, fearing opponents would seize upon it. Those red-eyed with anxiety might do anything. She knew Qiao Xi was here yesterday, but couldn’t act easily under everyone’s eyes during the day, having to wait until tonight to rush out of the city overnight.
Seeing the person, the tension finally relaxed, anxiety landing.
Unfortunately, Qiao Xi didn’t understand her feelings at this moment. Being strangled too uncomfortably, she said grumpily, “What madness are you having? It’s New Year…”
Fu Bei didn’t answer. Before she could finish her sentence, she used action to tell her what madness she was having.
Uncontrollable emotion, restrained and enduring, possessiveness strong enough to burst.
All words were swallowed one by one, even resistance impossible. Qiao Xi was forced to accept this kiss. She was too surprised, confused by these actions, not even figuring out this person’s reaction yet. Before she could say two sentences, the hurried kiss washed over her like a flooding river.
Retreating repeatedly, but seized and swept up by Fu Bei.
Fu Bei held the back of her head, allowing no retreat.
This person was never like this. Even before parting back then, she was still calm and indifferent, undisturbed by anything, as if no waves could ever be stirred, immovable as a mountain. Qiao Xi never thought of this situation. She just finished what she had to do and left for a while, just didn’t tell anyone her whereabouts. Indeed, after adapting to life here, she also thought about traveling more in the future, trying to leave Jiang City to see the great rivers and mountains. She never considered this person from start to finish. What reaction could Fu Bei have? Just like that.
Now it was the exact opposite. She was made somewhat helpless by her. The other party’s eagerness was like fire, sizzling and roasting, burning her body and will.
Unaccustomedness and inexplicable emptiness made Qiao Xi guarded. The silent entanglements these days taught her to be subconsciously guarded, putting on a layer of disguise.
The two tangled in a chase, but ultimately Qiao Xi lost first, forced into a corner with no retreat.
Fu Bei clamped her chin, kissing chaotically. Qiao Xi bit lightly with a hardened heart, but this person didn’t retreat, instead deepening it.
A kiss wasn’t warm. One side expressed strong emotions; the other didn’t understand, instead feeling some inexplicable annoyance—not anger, just fire arising for no reason.
When it ended, Fu Bei still didn’t let go, embracing the person, saying, “I missed you.”
Speaking as chaotically as the kiss just now, without any foreshadowing, nor using a tender tone, just three light words, as if stating a very ordinary fact.
Qiao Xi remained unmoved on the surface, weaving a net for herself. Feeling the other party’s emotions, she bit her red lips, recalling those annoying past events, thinking she was just as useless back then. At that time, she was humble as grass, unable to even see a shadow. The year the old lady left, how long she waited at the Fu family’s door, but ultimately it was all in vain.
Unknown what happened, the past bitterness and pain suddenly surged like a volcanic eruption. She rarely thought about those past events now, deliberately burying those embarrassments and reluctance in her heart, not touching them, always pretending not to care. After all, some things passed are passed; no need to hold on.
Being treated like this by Fu Bei now, her temper rose. Pretending not to care, she said, “What, can’t bear to let go?”
Tone even flatter than the other party, deliberately suppressing emotions, appearing exceptionally distant.
A sentence spoken nastily, intentionally not giving the other party a way out. But Fu Bei followed up with: “Can’t bear to.”
Crisp, decisive, without hesitation or doubt.
After speaking, she turned her head and leaned down to kiss the side of her neck—gentle yet flamboyant, expressing her feelings and words without disguise for the first time.
Perhaps the wind was too strong tonight, blowing people unable to think, giving Qiao Xi such an illusion—not real at all.
**
On New Year’s Eve night, the TV played the joyous and festive Spring Festival Gala. Every household was bright as day. Many people gathered outside to chat and play cards; only a few stayed home. Most went out to join the fun and see novelties.
Tang Yi played a few rounds of mahjong there, realizing belatedly that Qiao Xi hadn’t come over yet. Calling her, no one answered after two tries. Alert to something wrong, she got up quickly, thinking something happened. Hurriedly saying goodbye without playing cards, she went back alone to find her.
Late at night in an unfamiliar place, she was scared to death, secretly cursing herself for lack of vigilance. If something really happened, it would be terrible. She almost ran back.
From a distance, seeing the house door unopened, her heart skipped a beat. Approaching, she found Qiao Xi sitting in the shadow under the door, looking somewhat sad and lonely, as if having lost something.
Knowing Qiao Xi for five years since university, this was the first time seeing her like this. Worried she was bullied, Tang Yi choked up, extremely worried, rushing over, squatting down, grabbing Qiao Xi’s hand and calling: “Qiao Qiao!”
Qiao Xi slowly looked up, eyes a bit red, unable to tell what was wrong.
Tang Yi was scared enough, momentarily thinking it was really what she thought. Lips trembling, she asked with forced calm, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Qiao Xi didn’t make a sound.
Tang Yi immediately hugged the person, regardless of what happened, comforting softly: “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here, don’t be afraid…”
**
Fu Bei came once, said those few words, and left.
She had to leave, must return. Coming out this time was really just to check here; seeing Qiao Xi, she was relieved. At such a moment, even with many words to say, it wasn’t the time. Before leaving, she said to Qiao Xi, “Don’t return to the city before the seventh; just stay here.”
At a critical juncture, the rift and estrangement were pulled together by this person, insisting on merging.
After these two days, the situation would change completely. Fu Bei wouldn’t let Qiao Xi get involved; avoiding was the best way. She suddenly touched Qiao Xi’s lips, instructed some matters, and said goodbye without sweet words.
“Wait for me.”
Qiao Xi was still struggling just now. Once the person left, a sense of emptiness hit overwhelmingly. This world was silent and dark, unbelievably gloomy. The lights of the vigil from the house cast out, making it seem as if the encounter just now was all her imagination; actually, there was nothing.
Before this, she was still minding the past. Now jumping to this step abruptly, the impending judgment dissected everything; the past was futile.
Some things were important yet unimportant.
Fu Bei didn’t even dare drive her own car, borrowing someone’s unknown Volkswagen to avoid attention.
Qiao Xi watched the car drive away, standing alone in place.
**
Although not knowing exactly what happened, Tang Yi knew she had thought wrong; a false alarm. Now she dared not go out to play cards anymore, accompanying Qiao Xi in the house.
Entering the house, Qiao Xi reined in her emotions, acting like nothing happened. Except for not talking much, there was no difference from before.
Mindful of privacy, Tang Yi didn’t gossip. Boiling a pot of dumplings, waiting for Qiao Jianliang and the others to return from their walk to eat together. The others didn’t notice Qiao Xi’s abnormality, celebrating the New Year happily.
As soon as midnight arrived, firecrackers sounded again.
Firecrackers on New Year’s Eve and Spring Festival were always endless, never stopping.
After eating dumplings, Qiao Jianliang went back to his room to rest first. Tang Yi’s parents couldn’t resist the liveliness and went out to wander again. Cleaning up the kitchen, Qiao Xi also returned to her room.
Around 1:00 or 2:00 AM, Tang Yi knocked on the door. Getting no response, thinking she was asleep, she left quietly.
Qiao Xi sat by the window, looking at the distant lights.
This Spring Festival was spent differently. The small town had more human touch than the city; walking on the street could get a blessing or two from passersby. Starting from New Year’s Eve, phone messages never stopped. Blessings from classmates, friends, and relatives came one after another, enough to sell by the pound.
Qiao Xi looked at her phone all day. Qin Si sent her a message in the early morning, along with many friends and acquaintances with shallow friendships, even international calls from across the ocean. Only one person was missing.
Until sunset, she received four words: Happy Spring Festival.
After that, she never received a message from this person again.
After the Spring Festival, the changes in Jiang City officially began, just not surfacing yet, only hidden in the dark.
Several small fries were eliminated one after another, then it was the turn of the middle layer to suffer. The originally relatively calm situation changed drastically within two or three days. Zhou Qun bore the brunt again. Not as lucky as the previous two times, he was taken away secretly directly. Elder Zhou was caught off guard, running two or three times personally for this, but to no avail, not even seeing Zhou Qun’s face.
On the fourth day, Qiao Xi’s phone received a local news push. The news didn’t make much waves online, but the content pointed directly at the style problems of certain personnel.
Liang Jincheng was fine for now; the fire hadn’t reached him.
Qiao Xi checked the time, knowing it should be soon.
Before leaving the city, the person she went to see was Second Master Tan. As a small character, seeing Second Master Tan wasn’t easy, but also not easy to be detected. She handed over all the evidence Qiao Jianliang collected. Second Master Tan didn’t say a word related, only inviting her for a cup of tea.
Second Master Tan had an older brother who failed in a business struggle many years ago, losing everything, and jumped off a bridge to commit suicide. Rumor had it that he was so miserable because he was set up by someone. And the person who set him up was now successful and in a high position, having close dealings with the brother-in-law of a certain family these years.
Thinking carefully in combination, did Second Master Tan target Liang Jincheng just because he disliked his style? In this world, karma cycles; everything happens for a reason, there must be a source.
Leveraging strength to strike wasn’t hard at all.
The evidence Qiao Jianliang collected was unique, obtained from Liang Jincheng’s former confidant. This confidant died of cancer three years ago. Before dying, his family owed huge debts due to treatment, simply miserable. Qiao Jianliang paid a sum of money; each took what they needed.
Qiao Xi couldn’t use this evidence to bring down Liang Jincheng because she lacked strength, but Second Master Tan could. She made an unknown deal with him, satisfying both sides.
Qiao Jianliang knew many things, watching without speaking. Sick and with no energy to care about these anymore, he pretended not to know, just wanting to recuperate well.
New Year, new atmosphere; everything starts anew.
When everyone was immersed in the joy of visiting relatives and friends, things happened one after another, just not made public.
Zhou Qun fell. Those with improper dealings with him couldn’t escape. Just when Qiao Xi thought the next one would be Liang Jincheng, a change occurred. The next was the Fu family.
The change was like a heavy bomb. Everyone was caught off guard, not understanding how it reached the Fu family.
Qiao Xi hadn’t expected this either. Upon learning the news, her hand trembled uncontrollably.
