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“Beijing’s Huo family?”
Wang Wenbin, Cui Hongyan, and Wang Xiaoyi all spoke up at once, though their tones were very different.
At this time, Wang Xiaoyi had never even heard of the Huo family in Beijing. She didn’t know about the past either, so naturally she didn’t believe in such a marriage agreement. She didn’t understand what it represented and only assumed Qin Xiaoran made it up to avoid marrying the old man. Instinctively, she opened her mouth to mock.
“You think we’d believe some random story you made up about a marriage? Stop lying!”
Cui Hongyan’s brows knitted tightly. She might not know the Huo family’s exact status, but since it was tied to Beijing and arranged by Old Master Qin, it couldn’t possibly be a small matter.
This girl… truly lucky!
That old thing’s been dead so many years, yet he still manages to ruin her plans!
Wang Wenbin also frowned, though not as tightly as Cui Hongyan. In fact, there was even a trace of excitement and anticipation in his expression.
The Huo family of Beijing—he’d heard Qin Qin and Old Master Qin mention them before. They were a powerful, influential clan in the capital. Even if only a side branch was involved, they were figures far beyond his reach.
He once dreamed of clinging to the Huo family, but Old Master Qin firmly forbade it. After Old Master Qin died, with no one to introduce him, he gave up. Who would’ve thought hope would reappear now?
If his daughter could marry into the Huo family, would their life ever be hard again? Would his superiors still dare to bully him, suppress him, and block his promotion?
Just thinking about it thrilled him, and he completely forgot that just moments ago he was forcing Qin Xiaoran to marry an old man his own age.
“Xiaoran, is this true?”
Qin Xiaoran sneered in her heart, but on the surface she put on her best performance.
“It’s true. Grandpa told me about it. He even seemed to have left a betrothal token.”
This time, Wang Wenbin was truly excited.
If there was a token, then this marriage was settled! Even if it wasn’t, the Huo family would surely give them compensation. His promotion would be guaranteed!
The deep frown on his face smoothed out completely, replaced with joy and excitement.
“What is the token? Where is it?”
Qin Xiaoran sneered inwardly—he had taken the bait.
“I can’t quite remember… it should be in the old residence.”
Wang Wenbin couldn’t wait. “Then let’s go to the old residence right now and find it!”
Qin Xiaoran happily agreed. “Okay.”
Leaving now would ruin her stepmother’s scheme. With her gone, it would be much harder for her stepmother to push her into marrying the old man. This marriage was as good as dissolved.
Of course, Cui Hongyan wasn’t willing to let things unfold this way. She had wanted to stop them earlier, but never found the chance. Now wasn’t ideal either, but if she didn’t act now, it’d be too late. She hurried to intervene.
“Wait, weren’t we just discussing Mr. Xun’s marriage proposal? That old arrangement your grandfather supposedly made—how many years ago was that? It’s nothing but baseless nonsense…”
Qin Xiaoran laughed—genuinely laughed.
Clearly, her stepmother was panicking. She had even served herself up as a perfect target, giving Qin Xiaoran the chance to resolve the matter openly and thoroughly.
Wang Wenbin, who had been stopped, frowned. But with the Beijing Huo family on the table, he couldn’t care less about the Xun family. That marriage was improper to begin with—he didn’t want to acknowledge it, and even felt embarrassed by it.
“Why are you still bringing that up!”
Cui Hongyan had lived with him for years; she could read his attitude instantly, and her heart went cold.
And Qin Xiaoran’s next words froze her heart completely.
“As for Mr. Xun’s proposal, I won’t accept it. Stepmother, either cancel it or give it to Wang Xiaoyi. After all—”
She paused, her smile bright.
“After all, Mr. Xun isn’t that old, only in his forties… Besides, older men know how to cherish people. And he’s wealthy—marry him and you’ll live comfortably right away…”
The very same words Cui Hongyan once used were now thrown back at her in full.
Cui Hongyan’s face turned pale. Wang Xiaoyi’s turned red with anger.
Wang Wenbin didn’t care at all—he only wanted to rush to the old residence to find the token.
This round, Qin Xiaoran had won.
Inside, she felt triumphant and vindicated.
It was the first time she had successfully resisted this family. But it would not be the last—it was only the beginning.
She and Wang Wenbin left first for the old residence, while Cui Hongyan and Wang Xiaoyi followed behind.
“Mom, say something! I don’t want to marry that disgusting old man…”
“Don’t worry, Mom won’t let you marry him. I’ll think of another way.”
“Qin Xiaoran has gone crazy today. I never realized before how vicious she really was! She just wants me to marry that disgusting old man. Mom, you’d better hurry and think of something, or there’ll be no place for us in this house.”
“I know, I know. Let’s hurry and follow them to the old residence.”
“Mom, does Qin Xiaoran really have such a marriage agreement? What kind of family is the Huo family, anyway? Why is Dad so excited?”
“I don’t know for sure. But if Qin Xiaoran dared to say it, then it’s probably true. As for the Huo family… they’re the kind of people we could never reach in a lifetime. If they so much as lend us a hand, our Wang family would become one of the top families in the city.”
In truth, Cui Hongyan didn’t know much about the Huo family. She only knew they couldn’t possibly be ordinary. That alone was enough for her to imagine them as a wealthy, powerful clan.
Wang Xiaoyi’s heart stirred.
“Mom, how about this—let Qin Xiaoran marry that Mr. Xun, and I’ll marry into the Huo family. How’s that?”
Watching Wang Wenbin and Qin Xiaoran’s car speed off, Cui Hongyan could only drag her daydreaming daughter to the street to hail a cab.
Of course, she thought the same way. That would be best. But she also knew it wouldn’t be easy. The Huo family wasn’t someone she could manipulate, unlike Wang Wenbin who was so easily deceived, or Qin Xiaoran who was easy to bully.
She could destroy Qin Xiaoran, but she couldn’t make the Huo family accept Wang Xiaoyi.
“Let’s go to the old residence first and see the situation.”
If possible, they had to get hold of the betrothal token!
—-
Wang Wenbin was truly excited, driving fast until they quickly reached the Qin family’s old residence.
Qin Xiaoran, too, was filled with emotion, gazing nostalgically at the house.
This was where she grew up. Here were her fond memories with her mother and grandfather. The time she lived here was one of the few happy periods of her life.
As she immersed herself in memories, Wang Wenbin, impatient, broke the moment.
“Hurry and look for it! Everything should be inside.”
Qin Xiaoran sobered, her gaze turning ice-cold as she looked at his back.
During her mother’s pregnancy, he cheated. After her mother’s family died, he married his mistress immediately and let her swallow the Qin family’s assets. He indulged that woman in bullying and eventually killing his own daughter.
She had no expectations of this father.
Step by step, she walked forward into the old residence.
This was her home. She would never let them destroy it again, never let them sell it.
Everything here—everything that belonged to the Qin family—she would take back.
All of it!