Chapter 11

In the private room on the second floor of Liushui Pavilion, Bai Yun had arrived early.

At this point, she was still praying in her heart that what Qiao Chuchu said was a lie, that Si Xiang hadn’t done anything to wrong her, and that they were still the best of friends.

Knock, knock, knock—

The private investigator knocked and entered. He was holding a thick blue file and placed it in front of Bai Yun.

“Miss Bai, here is the information you asked for. It’s all in here.”

A sticky note with the name Si Xiang (Bai Run) was attached to the blue folder.

Bai Yun took it but did not open it.

The private investigator, who knew everything, felt sorry for Bai Yun.

She had been the best friends with Si Xiang, only to suddenly learn that he was her half-brother. That wasn’t all—he got close to her and her father, but his real goal was to take revenge on both of them. This situation was even more outrageous than anything he had ever seen in the trashiest dramas.

After a moment of composure, Bai Yun finally opened the folder. The first thing that caught her eye was a photo of a young man.

He was wearing a black hoodie, his pale face showing no smile. His gaze was cold as he faced the camera, devoid of warmth, like a snake with no mercy.

There were three more photos, accompanied by personal information.

One showed: a photo of the young man after gender reassignment surgery, his head wrapped in white gauze, lying motionless on a hospital bed, but even then, it was clear he had a slender and graceful figure post-surgery.

【Bai Run: Male, 31 years old, born in Yaolu Village Town. Lived with his mother, who passed away. Three years later, he underwent gender reassignment surgery and became a woman, changing his name to Si Xiang.】

Another showed: A restored photo after the surgery, Si Xiang wearing a glamorous, high-slit cheongsam, her body curvaceous, with fiery red lips, showing no trace of her former male characteristics.

【Si Xiang: Surgery completed in 【month/year】, hired a few small-time criminals to kidnap Bai Yun, then appeared as a hero to save her and gain her trust.】

There were photos of Si Xiang making deals with the criminals, saving Bai Yun.

One more showed: A beautiful young woman holding a baby. The woman resembled Si Xiang somewhat.

【The woman is named Si Xiang, Bai Run’s biological mother. She climbed up to Father Bai’s ranks, had a one-night affair, and gave birth to Bai Run, only to be abandoned. She then blackmailed Father Bai into giving her a million as a breakup fee, and took the child away. Soon after, she found a wealthy lover and left Bai Run with relatives, giving him only a monthly allowance without ever visiting him. At 16, Bai Run dropped out of school to work, and his whereabouts became unknown.】

—

Lastly, there was a photo of Si Xiang intimately holding Father Bai’s body, smiling sweetly, looking very close and intimate.

Bai Yun only glanced at it before angrily closing the folder.

Her best friend was actually her half-brother, and behind her back, he had even seduced her father.

How could he do something like this?!

A fire was burning in Bai Yun’s heart, and her entire body ached with it.

“Miss Bai, are… are you okay?”

The private investigator had worked with Bai Yun several times and knew her well, but he had never seen her like this.

Bai Yun took a deep breath. “Mr. Chen, I hope you forget about this matter, and I also hope you can continue to keep an eye on Si… Bai Run’s actions.”

“If he contacts my father, please notify me immediately!”

—

As the car drove into the high-end Jinwan Pavilion villa district in A City, Qiao Cen’s phone rang. It was his mother calling. He glanced at the sleeping Qiao Chuchu and whispered, “We’re here, almost there. My sister is still sleeping, I’ll hang up now.”

Mother Qiao, Du Shuyu, quickly asked Father Qiao, Qiao Haiyi, who was beside her.

“Chuchu’s already entered the villa. Do you think my outfit is okay?”

“It’s perfect, you’re beautiful,” Qiao Haiyi praised. “My wife is the most beautiful in the world.”

“You’re just flattering me,” Du Shuyu teased, then added, “Chuchu’s been working hard on the show these past three days. I’ve asked Aunt Wu to make more delicious food to help her recover.”

“You’ve mentioned it twice already at lunch, I’m sure Aunt Wu will remember,” Qiao Haiyi took her hand. “Are you feeling nervous?”

“A little,” Du Shuyu admitted. She had met her biological daughter before, but their interactions had been limited to picking her up and dropping her off at school.

Qiao Haiyi comforted her, “Don’t worry, you should be happy. Our daughter is back.”

The white nanny car was getting closer.

“They’re here.”

The couple quickly rushed forward to greet them. Qiao Cen was the first to step out. He opened the car door for Qiao Chuchu. “Sis, come on out, be careful not to bump your head.”

As soon as Qiao Chuchu got out of the car, she felt two deep gazes on her—those of her biological parents, Qiao Haiyi and Du Shuyu.

Du Shuyu smiled. “Chuchu’s back, how was the trip? Tired?”

Even though Qiao Chuchu had already met Du Shuyu, she was still stunned by her biological mother’s beauty. She was not only pretty but also graceful, rivaling any celebrity in the entertainment industry.

Qiao Cen took after her, with delicate and refined features, bright, intelligent eyes, and a harmless, handsome appearance.

Qiao Chuchu shook her head. “I’m not tired. I slept the whole way.”

“Chuchu, you’ve worked hard,” Qiao Haiyi spoke up. “Your mom has been waiting for you to come back since noon. She asked Aunt Wu to make a lot of delicious food, and there are fresh-out-of-the-oven desserts too. Let’s go inside, eat, and chat.”

Having had a few exchanges with Chuchu, he knew that she loved food, especially sweet things.

Aunt Wu had already heard the noise and brought out the desserts and fruit tea.

“Chuchu, these are all made by Madam herself. They’re still warm, so feel free to eat. If you need more, there’s more in the kitchen.”

Qiao Chuchu smiled. “It’s enough, thank you, Aunt Wu.”

Aunt Wu quickly waved her hand, thinking, The young lady is not only beautiful but also polite. How wonderful.

She retreated to the kitchen, giving the family space.

Although they were family, Qiao Chuchu had only spent three years with them when she was three years old, so she didn’t remember anything from that time. Now, she didn’t know what to say to her biological parents, so she could only eat the desserts in front of her.

Qiao Chuchu: 【This smells so good, it’s so crispy and sweet. The taste rivals that of a professional pastry chef. My biological mom is pretty amazing.】

Complimented by the praise, Du Shuyu’s worried expression disappeared, replaced by a gentle smile. “Chuchu, if you like it, eat more. There’s plenty more.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Seeing how much she was enjoying the food, Qiao Cen also felt hungry. He reached for a dessert, but Qiao Haiyi slapped his hand away. “If you want some, go to the kitchen and get it. These are all for Chuchu.”

Qiao Cen retracted his hand, feeling aggrieved. His status in the family was very low, but he didn’t mind that—what mattered to him was not embarrassing himself in front of his sister.

He mumbled, “I’m not a kid. Next time, can we just talk instead of acting?”

Qiao Chuchu intervened, picking up a plate and handing it to him. “Here, eat. It’s okay, there’s so much, I can’t finish it all.”

“You’re still the best to me, sis.” Qiao Cen grinned as he took the plate, showing off as he ate the dessert in front of them, making the two parents wish they could smack him.

Every time Qiao Chuchu glanced up, she’d meet the loving gaze of her biological parents, making her feel embarrassed to eat.

【Ah, this is a bit awkward. What should I do? Should I say something? But what should I say?】

“Uh…”

“Chuchu…”

Qiao Chuchu and Du Shuyu spoke in unison, “You go first.”

“Hehe.” Du Shuyu chuckled. “I remember you majored in music, specializing in piano. How lucky! I also really like the piano. We should exchange some ideas when we have time.”

Qiao Cen quickly added, “Sis, I also like the piano. Let’s play together sometime.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Okay.”

Once the conversation started, the awkward atmosphere gradually faded, and the conversation became more enjoyable. They were beginning to feel like a family.

—

Unconsciously, Chuchu had stayed in the new home for two or three days and had gotten used to it.

In the evening.

Du Shuyu and Qiao Haiyi went upstairs to rest.

Only Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen remained in the living room. Qiao Cen was playing a game, and Chuchu played along for two rounds, losing both times.

Qiao Cen comforted her, “Sis, the more you practice, the better you’ll get. Play a few more times and you’ll get the hang of it.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Mm.”

She wasn’t very interested in the game, she only played it when she was bored.

Qiao Cen, still full of energy, continued, “Sis, I have a good buddy who’s a professional eSports player. He’s amazing at gaming, and he even won a national eSports tournament. He taught me how to play. Hehe, it’s just that I don’t play often, so my skills aren’t great. Once he’s free, I’ll get him to play with us. We’ll definitely win every round. The feeling of being carried by a pro is amazing.”

From the way he praised his friend, it was clear his friend was a skilled gamer.

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Okay.”

Bored, Qiao Chuchu casually flipped through her phone, and when she saw the name Si Xiang, she froze.

【Huh? Why did Si Xiang suddenly drop her disguise? Didn’t she pretend to have successfully taken revenge on the Bai family? Let me see what’s going on.】

At the same time, Qiao Cen, still intensely focused on his game, suddenly stopped, pricking up his ears because he heard something interesting.