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Xu Zhiqiao never expected Zhou Cong to use this tactic.
Ji Huailuo arrived at Shen University twenty minutes later, roughly grabbing her and pulling her out.
“Go home, your father and mother are both there,” Ji Huailuo said ominously, “Be honest with them—tell them who your boyfriend is, where he’s from, who your parents are, what they do…”
Xu Zhiqiao wanted to cry but had no tears.
“How do Uncle and my mom know about this?”
“I informed them,” Ji Huailuo said, his face dark, “I’m not a father, how would I know how to handle a girl being in a relationship?”
“…”
Zhou Cong remained calm, handing her the shopping bag. “Caught you, and you didn’t even keep the things you were so frantic about.”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao wanted to argue with him, but she didn’t know how to.
What could she say?
This lie he was spinning just kept getting more elaborate, as if he really had accidentally run into her shopping with her boyfriend and discovered she was in a relationship.
But the truth was, she was the one who had fabricated this story in the first place!
Ji Huailuo crossed his arms, squinting. “If he hadn’t caught you, when were you planning to tell them?”
Xu Zhiqiao had no way to argue, but she didn’t want to deny it in front of Zhou Cong.
“I’m an adult now.”
“Is this a matter of age?” Ji Huailuo said unhappily, “You’re the lowest in rank in the Ji family. Everyone else is your elder. You’re the one who gets controlled.”
“……”
Go to hell.
Xu Zhiqiao didn’t take the shopping bag, and Ji Huailuo took it for her. “Let’s go.”
Xu Zhiqiao, desperate, said, “I want to stay in the dorm.”
“You can stay tomorrow,” Ji Huailuo said firmly, “Today, go back home and explain everything.”
At this point, he scanned the surroundings. “Where’s that dog? With everything going on, shouldn’t he step up and admit it?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao nearly burst into tears.
Her eyes blazed with fury. She slammed her head into Zhou Cong’s chest, making him stagger back a step.
Ji Huailuo was stunned. “What are you doing, hitting him? You’ve got some guts…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Zhiqiao slammed her head into his chest.
Equal treatment.
After the clash, Xu Zhiqiao rubbed her head with red eyes. “You two… two dogs sharing a pair of pants!!”
After cursing, Xu Zhiqiao stormed into the car and slammed the door hard.
Ji Huailuo pressed his chest, still confused. “Why is she mad at me?”
Zhou Cong’s dry response: “Am I not the one who’s wronged?”
“…Right,” Ji Huailuo said, still baffled. “At least I’m her brother. She’s just venting at me, but why is she yelling at you?”
Not only yelling, but she even dared to hit him… no, hit his head.
“So, to get justice,” Zhou Cong said without emotion, “I’m going to sit in on your family’s conversation.”
Ji Huailuo: “Get in the car, stop talking nonsense.”
—
In the Ji family’s living room, a long table stood. Xu Shu and Ji Shou sat on one side, while Ji Huailuo and Zhou Cong sat across from them.
Only Xu Zhiqiao sat alone opposite them.
Under the heavy pressure, Xu Shu slowly asked, “Was that the boy who was with you when you video-called Mom?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao instinctively looked at Zhou Cong, who, to her surprise, smiled without a hint of hesitation.
“Mom, actually, I’m not in a relationship,” Xu Zhiqiao couldn’t bear the pressure, “I was just lying to you.”
Ji Huailuo: “Who lied? Zhou Cong lied to me, and I lied to Father and Mom?”
“…”
It was over.
If she said it was Zhou Cong who lied, they’d definitely ask him why he lied to them.
That would expose the fact that Zhou Cong was pursuing her.
Xu Zhiqiao’s face turned bright red, her limbs stiffened in awkwardness. She didn’t know how to resolve this situation.
“Ah Cong, why don’t you say something?” Ji Huailuo said bluntly, “What did that guy look like?”
Zhou Cong, calm as always, replied, “Ugly, like a monkey.”
“…” Ji Huailuo looked at him in shock. “With the beauty of your brother and Zhou Cong, you actually went for a monkey?”
Xu Zhiqiao: “.”
“I said her taste was biased!” Ji Huailuo fumed, “Hurry up and hang up pictures of me and Zhou Cong… or at least Hua Qingyang and Zhen Chuang by her bed, so she can cleanse her eyes!”
“…”
“Baobao,” Xu Shu said patiently, “Tell Mom, as long as he has good character, I won’t object.”
Xu Zhiqiao had no idea how to come up with a good character monkey as a boyfriend.
Ji Huailuo, impatient, snapped, “Come on, are you dumb now?”
Silence.
Desperate, Xu Zhiqiao turned to look at the man who had stayed out of it. “Let Zhou Cong say. He knows more about it.”
Ji Huailuo: “Why would he know?”
“Probably because,” Zhou Cong said indifferently, “I interrogated him when I caught him.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “…”
Why did he have an answer for every single lie?
Ji Huailuo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Then just say it.”
“He’s ugly,” Zhou Cong raised an eyebrow, “Looks a bit petty, and I’m mostly worried he might be coaxing my little bao out of money…”
At this, the whole room went stiff.
Ji Huailuo glared. “Then what? You didn’t beat him?”
“He’s still my Little Bao’s boyfriend,” Zhou Cong said, “I don’t dare lay a finger on him. I’ll leave that to you guys, the family.”
Ji Huailuo raised his voice. “Xu Zhiqiao, I’m checking your bank balance!”
“…”
Xu Shu and Ji Shou remained silent, as if tacitly approving of his method.
Xu Zhiqiao screamed, “You’re so annoying!! Why do I have to let you check it?”
“…” Ji Huailuo sneered, “See? You’re guilty.”
Xu Zhiqiao whimpered and hit him twice.
Zhou Cong watched coldly, feeling an ache in his heart that he couldn’t shake off.
At least she would get angry at Ji Huailuo.
But she always wore a fake, sweet face for him.
Though Ji Huailuo was thick-skinned, he was quite skilled at checking accounts. With Xu Shu’s cooperation, it didn’t take long for them to spot an inconsistency in Xu Zhiqiao’s balance.
“Where did this 5000 go?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao felt as if she’d been struck by lightning.
That 5000 had been used as medical expenses for Zhou Cong.
At that moment, her dull senses suddenly snapped awake. It felt like everything was a trap Zhou Cong had set long ago.
One link after another, until it all blew up at this moment.
He did it on purpose.
His logic was so meticulous, so different from others. He didn’t like her returning the money, and with her evasion and lies, he had set this up as a lesson.
A lesson to make her obedient.
Xu Zhiqiao felt a chill creeping up her limbs, freezing her in place.
“Baobao,” Xu Shu frowned, “You haven’t had any major expenses lately. Where did this 5000 go?”
Xu Zhiqiao’s lips trembled. She wanted to confess, but she couldn’t sort her thoughts. All she knew was that once she spoke the truth, everything she had worked so hard to hide would collapse.
Everything would be in vain.
And after this, she was certain that even if she spoke up, Zhou Cong would have another trick up his sleeve.
He was so calm.
Like a god, he was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Xu Shu became a little anxious. “Is it from your father’s side…”
“No, Mom,” Xu Zhiqiao suddenly softened, her voice light, “It’s from my boyfriend… He borrowed 5000 from me and promised to pay me back soon.”