Chapter 57

Before going out, Chen Ju was still thinking about maintaining good relations with the He family—maybe the Qiao family could rely on them in the future, ask for help if needed. But after coming out and hearing that the He family didn’t acknowledge Qiao Baihe and wanted to keep her there, Chen Ju immediately got anxious. It was fine if they couldn’t build a relationship, but they couldn’t just give their daughter away for free!

Old Lady He sneered contemptuously upon hearing this and asked Qiao Baihe, “Is this the family you want to stay with? They call you ‘money-losing goods,’ eager to sell you for cash. Aren’t you afraid that if you stay here, you’ll be sold off?”

Chen Ju leaned against the doorframe, still out of breath, but she didn’t like what Old Lady He said.

“What do you mean by ‘sold for money’? Can you even talk properly? Didn’t Qiao Baihe grow up in the Qiao family? What part of that is wrong?” Chen Ju sized up Old Lady He from head to toe. “Look at how decent you all dress. You’re not going to pull some dirty tricks, are you? You don’t want to pay? Have you lost your shame? If you dare not pay, I’ll make a scene at your workplace!”

Old Lady He got angry, raised her hand, and threw a large envelope full of money straight at Chen Ju’s face. The money spilled everywhere. Chen Ju’s eyes lit up as she steadied herself against the doorframe, bending down to pick it up.

“Qiao Baihe, Qiao Yunbai, pick up the money first. I’ll take care of the old hag,” Qiao Xinyi said, rubbing her hands as she walked toward Chen Ju. She grabbed Chen Ju by the collar from behind and dragged her across the floor like a dead pig.

Passing through the living room, Qiao Xinyi stuffed a foul rag meant for Qiao Laiwang into Chen Ju’s mouth, then threw her into a room and tied her to the bed with a bedsheet. The roughness of the action showed no concern that Chen Ju had a broken leg.

“All done!” Qiao Xinyi clapped and walked out. Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai had already picked up the money. Seeing Qiao Xinyi come out, the siblings instinctively handed her the cash.

“All the money that spilled is here. There’s still some in the envelope,” Qiao Baihe said.

Qiao Xinyi took the scattered money and threw it right at Old Lady He’s face. “Here’s your stinking He family money—now get lost!”

Then she threw the still-full envelope at her again. Watching money scatter all over the floor, Qiao Xinyi smiled as she grabbed Chen Yubing’s arm and pushed Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai back toward the Qiao house. With a loud bang, the Qiao family gate slammed shut.

Qiao Xinyi returned to Chen Ju’s room and saw Chen Ju crying from the pain, her eyes fierce enough to look like she wanted to eat Chen Ju alive.

“Qiao Baihe was raised by my mom—what business is that of yours? Matters between me and my mother, you don’t get a say!” Qiao Xinyi glanced at Chen Ju’s leg and didn’t even need to guess—it definitely wasn’t healing well.

“Qiao Yunbai, go to the factory and call Qiao Laiwang back. Tell him the Queen Mother had an accident and hurt her leg again. He needs to borrow some money from colleagues quickly and take the Queen Mother to the hospital. If he delays, she’ll be crippled.”

Chen Yubing tapped Qiao Xinyi and said, “You’re such a troublemaker.”

Then she turned and reminded Qiao Yunbai, “Don’t repeat what your eldest sister said—don’t say ‘Queen Mother,’ got it?”

“Why not? That’s what she is,” Qiao Yunbai pouted but obediently said, “I got it.”

Qiao Yunbai opened the door and left. The He family was still crouching on the ground picking up money. Qiao Yunbai made a funny face at He Baiqiang and bounced away like a rabbit.

“No manners!” Old Lady He gritted her back teeth. “All the kids in that family have no manners! The older one and the younger one both! Didn’t you just see that Qiao Xinyi? She dragged her own grandmother across the ground like a dead dog, and those others just stood there and watched!”

Old Lady He said, “Qiao Baihe was spoiled by that family. Today she refuses to come back with us, but when she cries and begs us in the future, none of you are allowed to pay her any attention!”

“When Rou Rou gets into university but she has no place to study, then she’ll know what regret is!” Zhou Yun angrily responded.

Old Lady He snorted, “Fine if she doesn’t come back with us. Anyway, we’ve been here. If others talk, we have our rebuttal. Our family and the Qiao family aren’t of the same status. Once we leave this building, the Qiao family won’t get another chance to see us.”

Old Lady He’s words were overheard by Qiao Xinyi just outside the gate. She winked at Chen Yubing and whispered, “Mom, if I go out now and tell them I’m Fu Qingshan’s girlfriend, do you think the whole family will have a stroke from anger?”

They thought they’d never see each other again, but it turns out Qiao Xinyi is a comrade-in-arms of He Shengli’s equal. So, what do you think? Surprise or shock for the He family?

Qiao Laiwang came home with Qiao Yunbai. When he saw Chen Ju still tied to the bed, he knew she hadn’t fallen on her own. He stood by the door glancing at Qiao Xinyi several times but didn’t dare come in. He didn’t know what Chen Ju did to provoke Qiao Xinyi and was afraid she might take it out on him if he went in.

His butt hurt so much that he didn’t dare sit all morning. He stood while eating breakfast and stayed standing in the workshop as well.

Only when Qiao Xinyi gave him a sharp look and told him to come in did Qiao Laiwang edge along the wall inside. When he reached to untie Chen Ju, he glanced at Qiao Xinyi, took the foul rag out of Chen Ju’s mouth, and glanced at Qiao Xinyi again.

“Son! I’m going to be beaten to death by that little bitch Qiao Xinyi!” Chen Ju was quick to complain as soon as she could talk again. “You go beat that little bitch for me! Break her legs, then kick her out! Our Qiao family can’t stand a little beast like her!”

Qiao Laiwang shrank his neck, not daring to look at Qiao Xinyi, hurriedly covering Chen Ju’s mouth. “Mom, I can’t beat her. Why did you have to provoke her for no reason? Can’t you just say less? Fine, I’ll take you to the hospital now.”

Qiao Laiwang was really annoyed. Even if he didn’t provoke Qiao Xinyi, he still got beaten. How could his mom not know to avoid her and instead keep provoking this demon?

Now it’s all messed up again—more money for the hospital!

When borrowing money from colleagues in the workshop earlier, he was mocked a lot. Today, his face was totally lost!

Qiao Laiwang carried Chen Ju, then looked at Chen Yubing, stretched out one hand, and said, “I’m thinking of leaving my mom with either my eldest brother or my younger brother. I won’t come home for meals these few days, so return the money I gave you for food. When I come back, I’ll give you more.”

Chen Yubing laughed angrily, grabbed the money Qiao Laiwang gave her less than half a day ago from her pocket, and threw it back at his face.

Qiao Laiwang called Qiao Yunbai to help pick up the money, but Qiao Yunbai said he had to go do his summer homework and left.

So Qiao Laiwang had no choice but to put Chen Ju back in bed first, then after picking up the money and tickets, carry her out quickly, ducking to avoid Qiao Xinyi as he hurried away.

This time Chen Ju was truly scared. When Qiao Laiwang said he’d take her to another son’s house, she didn’t say a word. She really feared that if she stayed here any longer, her leg would never heal.

Chen Ju began to plan to ask her natal family for help. The Chen family was large, with many young and strong men. Plus, with her son and grandson, she was sure they could handle that little beast Qiao Xinyi!

Ideally, they could get Qiao Xinyi onto that director’s bed—then once the deal was done, Qiao Xinyi would have no choice but to accept the marriage, even if it killed her!

After dealing with Qiao Xinyi, just wait—she would strip Chen Yubing and Qiao Baihe’s skins off!