Chapter 44

Qiao Xinyi was a strong-willed person. Once she spoke and made arrangements, even if they didn’t conform to convention, Fu Qingshan wouldn’t oppose. 

The car stopped at the entrance to the residential compound. Qiao Xinyi got out with the two siblings who were still a bit dizzy. After walking several steps, Qiao Yunbai finally caught up, chasing after Qiao Xinyi who was walking faster and faster, and asked, “Big sister, will I have a brother-in-law soon?” 

“How about this? The brother-in-law I personally found for you—isn’t he handsome enough?” Qiao Xinyi said proudly. 

“Very handsome,” Qiao Baihe nodded repeatedly beside him, praising, “I think your boyfriend is pretty good.” 

“Baihe, you’ve only known him for one afternoon and you already think he’s good?” Qiao Yunbai pouted. Handsome or not aside, he was the one trying to steal his big sister. His big sister had just come home, and before he even got familiar with her again, she had already found a brother-in-law. They were even about to meet the parents, which meant marriage was coming soon. Fu Qingshan was a soldier; once married, big sister would definitely follow the army. How long would it be before he could see his big sister again? The more Qiao Yunbai thought about it, the more his heart ached. No matter how good this brother-in-law was, he just didn’t seem so good anymore. 

Qiao Baihe didn’t catch Qiao Yunbai’s little thoughts and laughed as she explained, “When we were at the zoo this afternoon, his eyes were always on Xinyi. Also, when he heard what Xinyi had done, he didn’t say anything bad about her. Just because of that, I think he’s a pretty good guy.” 

Qiao Baihe had grown up watching the marriage of Chen Yubing and Qiao Laiwang, so she feared encountering a man like Qiao Laiwang above all else. But Fu Qingshan was completely different from Qiao Laiwang. He wasn’t old-fashioned or blindly filial; his eyes were only on Qiao Xinyi. He was willing to spend money on her, and since Qiao Xinyi liked him, Qiao Baihe felt Fu Qingshan was a good guy. 

That afternoon at the zoo, Qiao Xinyi went to buy tickets, but Fu Qingshan paid before she could. Before entering, he also bought each of them a bottle of cold soda. All the photos they took in the zoo were paid for by him. Throughout the afternoon, Fu Qingshan didn’t let Qiao Xinyi spend a single cent. Just based on his behavior that afternoon, Qiao Baihe couldn’t find a fault with him. 

At this, Qiao Baihe suddenly remembered something and quickly asked Qiao Xinyi, “I just heard Fu Qingshan say he’ll give you his bankbook tomorrow. Is he going to let you manage his salary?” 

As soon as Qiao Yunbai heard this, he immediately said, “If he really does that, then I admit he’s kind of good.” Even though they weren’t married, he was willing to let his big sister manage his money. That definitely earned him some extra points. The stinginess of Qiao Laiwang and Chen Yubing during their twenty years of marriage had left a deep psychological shadow on the two siblings. 

“Why would I manage his salary before we’re even married?” Qiao Xinyi waved her hand, “He’s lending me money to build a house. Didn’t I say this morning I was going to buy a house? After buying it, I didn’t have enough money to build, so he said he’d lend it to me.” 

“What!” The two siblings’ pupils dilated violently. They had thought she was bragging this morning about buying a house—turns out she really went through with it? 

Just as the two were about to ask more about the house purchase, they suddenly heard someone shouting at the gate of the residential compound. 

“Xinyi! Baihe! Yunbai! Hurry over! Your mom’s being bullied!” 

The voice came from Aunt Zhang Hua. 

Qiao Xinyi immediately took off running toward the compound. As soon as she entered, she saw Chen Yubing fighting with Qian Chunhua, while Qiao Laiwang was trying to mediate. 

But what made Qiao Xinyi furious was that Qiao Laiwang, while appearing to mediate, was only restraining Chen Yubing’s movements. Taking advantage of this, Qian Chunhua scratched Chen Yubing several times. Meanwhile, Qiao Laiwang seemed oblivious to Qian Chunhua’s underhanded attacks and was just lecturing Chen Yubing. 

Qiao Xinyi’s anger boiled over. She rushed forward and kicked Qiao Laiwang hard in the stomach. 

“While I’m not at home, you Qiao family members gang up to bully my mom!” Qiao Xinyi shouted at Qiao Laiwang, exposing his fake mediation in front of everyone. 

“You only pulled my mom away during their fight, while letting that damn woman Qian Chunhua hit her. Open your dog eyes and look at what she’s done to my mom!” 

“Qiao Laiwang, is Qian Chunhua your sister-in-law or your wife? Otherwise, why would you protect her in front of so many people like this?” 

Qiao Laiwang, hit by Qiao Xinyi’s kick, collapsed directly to the ground, clutching his stomach and crying out in pain. 

“I’m your father! Are you trying to kick me to death?” Qiao Laiwang cursed, pointing at Qiao Xinyi’s nose, “How did I give birth to such a little beast like you!” 

Qiao Xinyi ignored Qiao Laiwang and instead shoved Chen Yubing toward the two who were chasing—Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai. The next moment, she rushed toward Qian Chunhua. 

Qian Chunhua was scared and immediately screamed as she ran toward her husband and son’s direction, shouting for help as she ran, “Help! Murder! Someone’s killing!” 

Qiao Jizong and Qiao Jizu ran toward Qiao Xinyi, and Chen Yubing, fearing that Qiao Xinyi, being a girl, would be at a disadvantage, tried to catch up. But before she could get close, she saw Qiao Xinyi first kick Qiao Jizong, then slap the sixteen-year-old Qiao Jizu across the face. 

The two brothers were stunned by the kick and slap; one was thrown two meters back, and the other held his face, standing there dazed. 

Qiao Xinyi grabbed Qian Chunhua’s hair, who was hiding behind Qiao Jizu, and forcibly pulled her out. Several slaps landed on Qian Chunhua’s face. Her screams immediately echoed throughout the residential compound. 

Qiao Jizong got up holding his stomach but didn’t dare rush forward again. Only those who had been kicked by Qiao Xinyi knew how powerful that kick was. No wonder Qiao Laiwang was still lying on the ground and couldn’t get up. 

Qiao Jizu was young and hot-headed; clutching his face, he shouted, “I’m going to kill you!” and rushed forward again. 

Qiao Xinyi pushed Qian Chunhua away, then slapped Qiao Jizu on the forehead. 

Within just a few minutes, Qiao Xinyi had beaten Qian Chunhua and her two sons into submission. 

“Qiao Xinyi, may heaven strike you down and you die an awful death! I’m your aunt by marriage! My son is your cousin! You went all out on us — you’re a beast!” Qian Chunhua wailed, holding her face and crying loudly. “Heavens, what sin did the Qiao family commit to get such a killing demon!” 

“Qiao Xinyi!” Qiao Yougen was both angry and relieved. Angry that even with his whole family coming over, they couldn’t fight back; relieved that he hadn’t rushed in earlier, or else he’d be stuck in the house for days. 

“You can’t even write two ‘Qiao’ characters correctly! You have Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai handing out flyers everywhere, ruining our reputation and destroying the futures of your aunt and me. What good does this do you?” 

Qiao Yougen threw the flyers clenched in his hand toward Qiao Xinyi and shouted at the bystanders, “Look at this, everyone! Qiao Xinyi, my own niece, is handing these out in front of my workplace. She’s trying to ruin the lives of me and her aunt!” 

Qiao Yougen then scolded Qiao Laiwang, “You’re truly my good brother! You act so honest on the surface, but behind my back, you let the kids do such disgraceful things!” 

“Big brother, I didn’t know about this either!” Qiao Laiwang hurried to defend himself. 

After getting up, he shouted at Qiao Xinyi, “Do you know that your uncle and aunt might lose their jobs because of you? We’re all family! If your uncle and aunt get fired from the factory, what good will that do you?”