Chapter 11: Queen Jiao Jiao

Half an hour later, Tang Liyue arrived at her and Qin Jiao Jiao’s secret hideout.

It was a milk tea shop called “Ming Yue You You”.

The owner of “Ming Yue You You” was Qin Jiao Jiao’s older brother, Qin Shi An. However, he rarely showed up at the shop because he was busy with his main job in maritime transportation.

At this moment, on the small balcony of the shop’s second floor, sat a young and beautiful girl.

She wore a rather revealing outfit, a cropped tank top and denim shorts. Her hairstyle was a sleek, short bob that barely reached her chin, making her look fresh and energetic.

She was Qin Jiao Jiao, a fiery and outspoken girl.

Right now, Qin Jiao Jiao was humming a song while snapping selfies with her phone. The moment she heard Tang Liyue placing an order downstairs, she immediately put her phone down and rushed to the staircase.

“Ah Liyue! I’m upstairs!”

Hearing Qin Jiao Jiao’s voice, Tang Liyue quickly ran up the stairs.

The moment she reached the second-floor balcony, she was pulled into a tight hug by Qin Jiao Jiao, who then smacked several kisses onto her cheeks.

Tang Liyue laughed helplessly. “Jiao Jiao, you’re being too dramatic.”

Qin Jiao Jiao widened her eyes. “It’s been a whole month! What’s wrong with being passionate? Are you unhappy? Have you found a new best friend and don’t love me anymore?”

Tang Liyue smiled as she gently pushed Qin Jiao Jiao away and pulled her to sit down.

“Love, love, love! You’re my only bestie.”

Only then did Qin Jiao Jiao let out a satisfied “hmph” before handing over a gift box. “Here, a present for you”

Tang Liyue hesitated for a moment before taking it.

Qin Jiao Jiao immediately reassured her, “Don’t worry, it’s not expensive!”

Only then did Tang Liyue smile and open the box. Her eyes lit up. “Wow, it’s so pretty!”

Inside the box was a necklace and a bracelet. Both pieces had a crescent moon inlaid with a crystal.

Qin Jiao Jiao waved her left hand in front of Tang Liyue, showing off her bracelet. “I have one too! It’s a best friend set, you’re the moon, and I’m the star.”

“What about the necklace?” Tang Liyue didn’t see Qin Jiao Jiao wearing one.

The necklace?

Qin Jiao Jiao’s eyes flickered for a second, and her smile became a bit guilty.

She quickly said, “My skin is too delicate for silver necklaces, so I only got one for you.”

Hearing this, Tang Liyue didn’t doubt her words.

After all, Qin Jiao Jiao had been spoiled since childhood. Not only were her parents doting, but her older brother, Qin Shi An, also treated her like a little princess.

Everything Qin Jiao Jiao ate, wore, and used had always been high-end, rarely costing less than five figures.

Tang Liyue reached out and touched the crescent moon on the necklace, feeling that the “crystal” didn’t seem quite right.

“Are you sure this necklace wasn’t expensive?”

Qin Jiao Jiao raised her hand and swore, “I promise it wasn’t! I didn’t even spend any money, I got it for free because I spent too much at the store!”

Some luxury stores do offer gifts to retain their VIP customers.

Seeing this, Tang Liyue didn’t think too much about it and hugged Qin Jiao Jiao with a smile. “Thank you, Jiao Jiao! Once I find a job, I’ll get you a return gift”

Qin Jiao Jiao grinned. “Then put it on first. I’ll go downstairs to get our milk tea.”

“Okay”

Qin Jiao Jiao quickly went downstairs. Once she was sure Tang Liyue couldn’t see her, she patted her chest nervously.

After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she picked up her phone and sent a message.

[Qin Jiao Jiao: Bro, the gift has been delivered!]

[Qin Shi An: Mm.]

[Qin Jiao Jiao: Can I… um… ask how much that necklace actually costs?]

[Qin Shi An: Not expensive. Just a little over a million.]

Qin Jiao Jiao stared at the screen, stuck in deep thought over the words “not expensive” and “a little over a million.”

Scratching her head, she mumbled in confusion, “What kind of business is my brother running at sea? How is he making more money than Dad?”

Small Balcony

Tang Liyue usually didn’t like wearing jewelry. Back at the Tang family home, she had to help Aunt Qiu with cooking and housework, and accessories would just get in the way.

Since the bracelet was a best-friend set with Qin Jiao Jiao, it carried special meaning, so Tang Liyue put it on.

As for the necklace, she decided to leave it in the box for safekeeping.

A few minutes later, Qin Jiao Jiao returned with two cups of milk tea.

“Huh? You’re not wearing the necklace?”

Tang Liyue touched her neck. “I’m not used to it. I’ll wear it for special occasions.”

“That works”

Her job was just to deliver the gift, she never promised her brother that Tang Liyue would actually wear it.

Qin Jiao Jiao took a sip of her milk tea and suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, Ah Liyue, why did you lie to me on the phone earlier? Why weren’t you at home?”

Tang Liyue’s hands froze around her cup. She hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “Promise me you won’t get mad…”

Qin Jiao Jiao frowned. “Tell me first.”

“You have to promise first.”

“Fine, fine, I promise!”

Only then did Tang Liyue put down her milk tea and softly explain everything, just the circumstances of her arranged marriage. She left out the part about entering the wrong room and her physical entanglement with Yu Mo Yuan.

At first, Qin Jiao Jiao still had a smile on her face, but the more she listened, the stiffer her expression became. In the end, she burst into tears, big pearly drops rolling down her cheeks.

Tang Liyue panicked and quickly grabbed Qin Jiao Jiao’s hand. “Jiao Jiao, you…”

Qin Jiao Jiao forcefully shook off Tang Liyue’s hand, her voice filled with disbelief. “Tang Liyue, do you even see me as your best friend?!”

Tang Liyue tugged at the corner of Qin Jiao Jiao’s clothes, speaking softly in an attempt to appease her. “It’s precisely because we’re best friends that I couldn’t trouble you with this.”

“So just because you didn’t want to bother me, you decided to throw yourself into the fire instead? Are you stupid?! Have you forgotten how that little bitch Tang Xue Yao has bullied you since childhood? And you’re helping her with this marriage swap?!”

“I wasn’t helping her, I needed money for Aunt Qiu’s treatment.”

“If you needed money, why didn’t you come to me?”

Tang Liyue fell silent. After a long pause, she let out a quiet sigh and looked Qin Jiao Jiao straight in the eye.

“Jiao Jiao, your parents never liked me to begin with. If I asked you for money and they found out, you’d be the one getting punished.”

“My parents spoil me! The worst they’d do is ground me for a few days! Besides, if I didn’t ask them for money, I could’ve asked my brother instead!”

Tang Liyue didn’t answer, just stared at Qin Jiao Jiao with a firm gaze.

At first, Qin Jiao Jiao was still fuming, but as she registered Tang Liyue’s silence, she slowly realized something wasn’t right.

“I… I…”

Seeing Qin Jiao Jiao at a loss for words, Tang Liyue finally stood up and hugged her.

“Jiao Jiao, I know you care about me, but I can’t take your brother’s money. That would be no different from marrying into the Yu family.”

Qin Jiao Jiao sniffled. “But my brother wouldn’t force you to like him, and he doesn’t expect anything in return.”

“But owing a favor is harder to repay than owing money.” Tang Liyue smiled, rubbing her cheek against Qin Jiao Jiao’s in a comforting gesture. “Besides, I didn’t have a wedding with Yu Minchuan, we didn’t register our marriage, and we agreed to only pretend in public. In private, we’re just friends.”

Qin Jiao Jiao huffed, finally stopping her tears.

Tang Liyue used the back of her hand to wipe away the last of Qin Jiao Jiao’s tears. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it all planned out.”

“Every penny spent on Aunt Qiu’s treatment will be accounted for. Once I’ve saved enough to pay my parents back, I’ll leave the Yu family and take Aunt Qiu with me to start fresh in another city.”

“And Yu Minchuan respects me. We’re just friends now. I’ll introduce you two when there’s a chance, you’ll see, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Qin Jiao Jiao suddenly burst into tears again. “No, I still feel bad for you! Wuwuwu, I’m so useless. If only I could make my own money…”

If she had her own money, Tang Liyue wouldn’t have hesitated to ask for help.

“It’s not too late to start! Help me save up together!”

Qin Jiao Jiao looked up. “You’d actually spend my money?”

Tang Liyue flashed a bright smile. “If it’s money you earned yourself, of course I’ll spend it! No need to be polite”

“Then I’m getting a job starting tomorrow! I’ll make my own money and help you escape the Yu family as soon as possible! Get away from Tang Zhi De, Liu Bing Lian, and that idiot Tang Xue Yao!”

Tang Liyue beamed. “Mhm, Princess Jiao Jiao is truly my strongest support”

“I’m a queen!”

“Yes, yes, Queen Jiao Jiao”