Chapter 45

“Um, big brother, what’s the matter?” Zhou Xiongxiong asked tremblingly.

Yan Wei stood up, with a serious expression, walked over, and sat down opposite him. Leaning against the back of the sofa chair, he asked, “Which company did you interview with?”

Zhou Xiongxiong was taken aback and said excitedly, “Goodwill Real Estate.”

Yan Wei furrowed his brow. What kind of real estate company is that? What’s the name?

“What’s the salary?” Yan Wei continued to ask him.

Zhou Xiongxiong thought Yan Wei wanted to give him some guidance, so he said eagerly, “The minimum guarantee is 4,500 yuan for the first three months. If I can’t sell a single unit in three months, I will automatically leave the job. If I get accepted, there are two salary models. One option is to have a guaranteed salary, and we get a 20% commission on sold houses. The other option is without a guaranteed salary, but we get a 50% commission on sold houses. So, which one do you think I should choose?”

After Zhou Xiongxiong finished speaking, he couldn’t help but ask. After all, Yan Wei didn’t seem like an ordinary person. As the saying goes, “Listening to a wise person’s words is better than reading books for ten years.” It shows that listening to the advice of knowledgeable people is more valuable than just studying books. If Yan Wei is willing to give him a few pointers, maybe he can help him find his way out of the confusion!

Yan Wei smiled faintly. He crossed his hands in front of him, propped up his legs, and had a feeling of having everything under control.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Hbsw Zkdtfkl, obs blyae Hbsw Dksdtmksdt’p vaswczlp, oyp hlau ekpeykdqwz. Hbsw Dksdtmksdt oyp pwrrsple vs cl vbl sdl vs kdblakv bkp qynvsau kd vbl qwvwal, yde tskdt swv dso oyp fwpv qsa psxl lmrlakldnl yde qwd. Ebu vyjl kv ps plakswpzu?

Tsolhla, bl yzps oydvle vs blya obyv Zyd Elk bye vs pyu, ps bl vwadle vs zssj yv Zyd Elk.

Zyd Elk pyv zkjl y cspp yde nypwyzzu ypjle bkx, “Tso kp uswa pyzlp yckzkvu?”

Hbsw Dksdtmksdt zssjle nsdqwple yde pyke, “R fwpv tayewyvle.”

Mbyv xlydv bl bye ds yckzkvu.

Zyd Elk zsolale bkp tygl, zssjle yv bkp qkdtlap, yde pyke, “Ps usw jdso vbyv alyz lpvyvl kp sdl sq vbl qkhl xyfsa tszeld kdewpvaklp?”

Hbsw Dksdtmksdt pbssj bkp blye, yde Zyd Elk yzxspv zspv bkp ryvkldnl. Jwv nsdpkelakdt bl oyp fwpv cwukdt psxl vkxl, bl xydytle vs bsze cynj yde pyke, “Rq usw esd’v jdso yduvbkdt yde wdelapvyde vbyv uswa pyzlp yckzkvu kp dsv tsse, vbld sclekldvzu nbsspl vbl twyaydvlle pyzyau!”

Hbsw Dksdtmksdt oyp dsv nsdhkdnle yde pyke, “Jwv vbl nsxxkppksd okvbswv y twyaydvlle pyzyau kp bktbla!” Eyp Hbsw Dksdtmksdt zynjkdt vbyv ckv sq xsdlu? Tkp qyvbla nswze lyad shla y xkzzksd uwyd lhlau xsdvb!

Listening to Zhou Xiongxiong’s words, Yan Wei raised his eyes and coldly ignored him. Zhou Xiongxiong immediately shut his mouth. Yan Wei was the kind of man who could make people shudder. Zhou Xiongxiong obediently watched as Yan Wei lightly opened his thin lips and heard Yan Wei say, “First of all, the real estate sales cycle is very long. Although capable people can close deals on the first day, this year’s market is not optimistic. Coupled with tightened mortgage policies and potential buyers waiting and observing, without your own client base, who will you close deals with?”

Yan Wei seemed a little impatient, and Zhou Xiongxiong felt he could sense it. However, surprisingly, Yan Wei continued to guide him by tapping the armrest with his index finger, saying, “Selling houses is different from selling mobile phones. You can’t convince customers with just a few words. Without enough skills and experience, how will you close deals? Let me ask you again, do you know how to determine a customer’s needs for a house?”

Zhou Xiongxiong obediently shook his head.

“When showing properties to clients, do you know what to talk about? Or how to engage in pleasant conversations with clients?”

Zhou Xiongxiong obediently shook his head again.

“Do you understand the unique features of the properties in the company you’re currently at?”

Zhou Xiongxiong obediently shook his head once more.

Yan Wei’s grip tightened. “Do you know about recent changes in national policies?”

Zhou Xiongxiong’s eyes widened as if he had just realized that he needed to understand changes in national policies. His head shook even faster…

Yan Wei said, “…just tell me, what do you know?”

Zhou Xiongxiong felt so devastated that he murmured, “He said I’m likable and even asked me for a copy of my graduation certificate, ah!”

Zhou Xiongxiong suddenly realized and stood up, saying, “I’ll go get my graduation certificate.”

Seeing Zhou Qiaoqiao coming out of the room, Yan Wei had to continue to grab Zhou Xiongxiong’s attention, saying, “Sit down.”

Zhou Xiongxiong obediently sat down, and Yan Wei adopted a serious tone, saying, “Otherwise, just accept the guaranteed salary and gradually accumulate experience and skills. If you really want a higher commission model, find someone experienced in this field to learn from. Also, you need to conduct thorough research on Goodwill Real Estate’s regional population, migrant population, unique features, and customer information.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao walked over and sat beside him. Yan Wei waved his hand towards Zhou Xiongxiong with force, saying, “Go get your graduation certificate!”

Zhou Xiongxiong nodded, got up, and left. Even Zhou Yingjie felt deeply moved after hearing this, and he couldn’t help but look at Yan Wei a little more.

But all he saw was Yan Wei turning his head and showing a gentle smile to Zhou Qiaoqiao, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear.

Zhou Yingjie thought to himself, “…” Why is Yan Wei so indifferent to my son, Zhou Xiongxiong?

At 5:30 in the evening, Lin Meisu finally prepared a table full of exquisite and delicious dinner, a feast fit for a king. Zhou Xingxing also came out of the kitchen and glanced at Yan Wei before saying to Zhou Yingjie, “Dad, it’s time to eat.”

Zhou Yingjie cast a disdainful glance at Yan Wei and deeply felt that Yan Wei, who spoiled Zhou Qiaoqiao so much, was like a tracheitis patient, completely lacking the demeanor of a man.

Zhou Qiaoqiao also stood up and sat with Yan Wei at the table, coincidentally with Zhou Xingxing on Yan Wei’s left side.

Lin Meisu, seeing that everyone was ready, smiled and said, “Qiaoqiao, won’t you introduce him?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao didn’t hesitate and stood up, saying, “This is my boyfriend, Yan Wei.”

Then Zhou Qiaoqiao introduced everyone else to Yan Wei one by one, and Yan Wei nodded and greeted them. Lin Meisu smiled as she served food to Yan Wei, but he declined. It wasn’t his habit. The family seemed like any ordinary family, eating and chatting together.

Seeing that they were almost finished eating, Lin Meisu wanted to probe into Yan Wei’s background.

She asked Yan Wei, “What does your family do?”

Yan Wei didn’t hide it and said, “Entertainment investment.”

Lin Meisu glanced at Zhou Xingxing and nodded, then turned to Yan Wei and asked, “That’s good. Are you the eldest in your family?”

Yan Wei nodded. Lin Meisu asked him, “Do you have a house?”

Yan Wei continued nodding. Lin Meisu seemed quite satisfied and asked calmly, “Did you hear about the news regarding Qiaoqiao a few days ago?”

This question was a bit strange. Lin Meisu wasn’t Zhou Qiaoqiao’s biological mother. If she were Zhou Qiaoqiao’s biological mother, asking this question could be interpreted in two ways. One, she had clarified with Yan Wei in advance that her Qiaoqiao wasn’t that kind of person, and he shouldn’t bring up the issue in the future. The other possibility was that she was testing Yan Wei’s attitude by asking this question.

However, Lin Meisu wasn’t Zhou Qiaoqiao’s mother. To be precise, they had a complicated relationship and didn’t get along. By asking this question without any follow-up, with a smiling face, it seemed more like a reminder to Yan Wei that her stepdaughter had this kind of incident, and if he didn’t know about it, he could take a look.

Upon hearing this, Yan Wei lifted his eyelids slightly and silently glanced at Lin Meisu.

Lin Meisu felt extremely awkward being looked at like that and smiled, saying, “I know it was a misunderstanding. I thought you might not know about it, so I wanted to give you a heads-up. Our Qiaoqiao has always been well-behaved, very well-behaved. She’s not the type to be involved in love triangles!”

What did she mean by not being the type to be involved in love triangles?

Zhou Qiaoqiao shot her a glance and smiled, saying, “That’s right, I can’t compare to you.”

Zhou Xiongxiong clicked his tongue and slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table. Yan Wei looked at him, and Zhou Xiongxiong furrowed his brows tightly. He picked up his chopsticks again and said, “No, my sister is wrong to say that.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao suddenly felt that she had received special treatment just by being with Yan Wei. No one dared to harm her?

Ah ha! Zhou Qiaoqiao felt triumphant and confidently said, “I’m speaking the truth.”

Zhou Xiongxiong glanced at Yan Wei and felt quite aggrieved, saying, “That was 20 years ago.”

When Zhou Xingxing was born, their mother had already become the proper Mrs. Yan. Although Zhou Qiaoqiao had heard her mother and Zhou Qiaoqiao arguing and accusing her mother of being a homewrecker, when Zhou Qiaoqiao mentioned it, her brother, Zhou Xiongxiong, would beat her up. Hearing Zhou Qiaoqiao talk about it now made her feel extremely embarrassed.

However, Lin Meisu didn’t make a big deal out of it. She had been accused so many times, and if she cared about everyone’s words, she would have died of anger a long time ago. How could she have survived until now? She even outlasted that surname Bai, becoming the proper Mrs. Yan. It goes to show that the saying, “Trees without bark will surely die, and people without shame are invincible,” makes sense.

Yan Wei gave Zhou Xiongxiong a look, and seeing Zhou Xiongxiong obediently quiet down, he nodded and replied, “No need to worry, that man mentioned in there is me.”

Lin Meisu’s expression froze for a moment, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Immediately, Zhou Yingjie said to Zhou Qiaoqiao, “I told you! I told you! You said it was a misunderstanding? You really became someone’s mistress, it’s a disgrace to our Yan family’s reputation!”

Yan Wei interrupted him and replied, “It truly is a misunderstanding. Qiaoqiao and I are a legitimate couple, there’s no third party involved.”

Lin Meisu smiled and said, “That’s right, my Qiaoqiao is not that kind of person.”

Yan Wei glanced at Zhou Qiaoqiao and smiled, saying, “I know, it was my mistake. I did something that caused misunderstandings and tarnished Qiaoqiao’s reputation. That’s why I plan to marry Qiaoqiao so that no one can speak ill of her anymore.”

There was a moment of silence at the dining table…

Zhou Xingxing’s soup spoon slipped from her hand and splattered some hot soup on her hand.

She exclaimed in pain, her eyes turning red as she pulled her hand back.

Yan Wei glanced at her indifferently and politely asked, “Are you okay?”

Zhou Xingxing felt her heart pounding and blushed slightly, shaking her head.

As an 18-year-old girl, she still had a youthful and innocent appearance, with fair and delicate skin radiating a youthful glow. However, her makeup made her appear older, adding a couple of years to her face. In comparison, Zhou Qiaoqiao, who had minimal makeup, looked younger beside Yan Wei.

Seeing her shake her head, Yan Wei turned his head back and looked at Zhou Yingjie across the table.

Zhou Yingjie and Lin Meisu both looked stunned. It took Zhou Yingjie a while to react and say, “No, I disagree.”

“Oh, by the way, Dad, why did you call me back?” After Zhou Yingjie’s words fell, Zhou Qiaoqiao immediately changed the subject and asked another question.

Zhou Yingjie’s attention was diverted by the change of topic, and it took him a while to realize, saying, “Oh, well, I’m planning to start another factory…”

“No money,” Zhou Qiaoqiao decisively interrupted him, not even bothering to listen to the rest of his sentence.

Zhou Yingjie was annoyed and said, “Didn’t I compensate you with 100,000 yuan? I heard that customer also…”

“Spent it,” Zhou Qiaoqiao interrupted him again.

Zhou Yingjie found it hard to believe her, but he didn’t really care about the investment matter anymore. After all, it wasn’t something that could be explained in a day or two. He wanted to expand the factory and needed a few hundred thousand yuan. He heard that Zhou Qiaoqiao had money, apart from the compensation from the nightclub boss, she reportedly received a significant sum from that customer as well. Therefore, he thought of calling Zhou Qiaoqiao back to ask her about the related matters and discuss the investment situation.

However, now he was more interested in Zhou Qiaoqiao and Yan Wei’s plan to get married. He asked Zhou Qiaoqiao, “Are you planning to marry him?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao nodded, and Zhou Yingjie glanced at Yan Wei, saying, “You two aren’t suitable.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao questioned him, “How do you know we’re not suitable?”

Zhou Yingjie sorrowfully said, “You are too different from him, you’re not even on par with Xingxing!”

“How can that chimpanzee compare to me?” Zhou Qiaoqiao became displeased and said, “You’ve been saying I’m not as good as the chimpanzee since I was young. The problem is, when I was 6 years old, that chimpanzee hadn’t even been born yet! Even if I were 12, she would only be 6. How did you compare us?”

Zhou Xingxing pursed her lips and secretly glanced at Yan Wei. She saw that even Yan Wei furrowed his brow. Zhou Xingxing felt satisfied in her heart, thinking that Yan Wei’s dissatisfaction with Zhou Qiaoqiao brought her more comfort than if she had scolded Zhou Qiaoqiao herself.

At this moment, Zhou Yingjie confidently responded to the question, “Xingxing is prettier than you!”

Zhou Qiaoqiao: “…” What the @$%&…

“My father-in-law, I respectfully disagree with your statement. Everyone has their own standards of beauty. Just because you think Xingxing is beautiful doesn’t mean my Qiaoqiao is not good-looking. I personally think Qiaoqiao is very beautiful and lovely,” Yan Wei retorted with a smile in his voice. Although his tone was gentle, it conveyed firmness.

Zhou Yingjie waved his hand and said, “Well, I don’t agree anyway. Do whatever you want, but I don’t agree.”

“I wonder what makes you so worried about me?” Yan Wei asked.

Zhou Yingjie patted his beer belly and said, “You’re just too good.”

At this point, he felt someone kicking him. He looked up and saw Lin Meisu winking at him.

Lin Meisu could be considered Zhou Yingjie’s advisor, and when the advisor seemed to have something to say, Zhou Yingjie wouldn’t argue about it.

After finishing the meal, Lin Meisu asked everyone to sit in the living room while she went to the kitchen to prepare fruit. Zhou Yingjie followed her and asked, “Why didn’t you let me speak just now? That man doesn’t seem ordinary at all. He must have played with Qiaoqiao’s feelings.”

Lin Meisu glared at him and said, “Don’t you want to expand the factory? Didn’t you hear him say his family is in the entertainment industry? Entertainment is booming now, isn’t it? If Qiaoqiao marries him, won’t the dowry be substantial? By then, you won’t have to worry about money for investment, right?” This time, when Zhou Qiaoqiao came back, she was also planning to introduce a supermarket manager to Zhou Qiaoqiao. That person said the matchmaker fee would be 30,000 yuan and the dowry would be 300,000 yuan. However, Yan Wei seemed clearly better.

Zhou Yingjie was taken aback, feeling that there was some truth in her words, but it still didn’t sit right with him.

Lin Meisu continued, “Daughters grow up and eventually get married. Can you find a better man than him? Divorce rates are high these days. How can you guarantee that Qiaoqiao won’t get divorced if she marries someone else?”

Zhou Yingjie argued, “That’s different! Who gets married with the intention of getting divorced?”

Lin Meisu laughed at him, “Look at you. Did we get married with the intention of getting divorced? Qiaoqiao chose this man herself, so there must be love between them. Why would they get married with the intention of getting divorced? Just hold your tongue. Xingxing even told me this afternoon that the man is great! If I didn’t think Xingxing was too young, I would let him marry her.”

It sounded as if she just had to open her mouth and Yan Wei would propose.

Zhou Yingjie was shocked and asked, “Xingxing has taken a liking to him?”

Lin Meisu sighed and smiled, saying, “Men don’t have much of a sense when it comes to judging other men. We women, on the other hand, can never go wrong when it comes to judging men. He is absolutely wonderful.”

Zhou Yingjie muttered, “I also think he’s good, it’s just that… he’s too good. Tell me, is there a man who is handsome, kind-hearted, and wealthy, who has everything?”

Lin Meisu pushed him and gave him an annoyed look, saying, “Aren’t you one? You ended up with a shampoo girl like me, didn’t you?”

Zhou Yingjie burst into laughter, holding her and saying, “I’m different. I value emotions. But what you said is also true. Perhaps this man named Yan Wei is just like me? It seems that our daughter is fortunate, hahaha…”

Lin Meisu said, “Qiaoqiao brought him back today to discuss marriage. We, as parents, need to oversee the dowry and other matters. I can’t say anything to her since she doesn’t recognize me, but as her father, you can say a few words.” After finishing her sentence, Lin Meisu teasingly made a joke at Zhou Qiaoqiao’s expense.

Zhou Yingjie indeed scolded Zhou Qiaoqiao a little, saying that she was still young and ignorant.

Lin Meisu smiled gently and then pushed Zhou Yingjie out.

When Zhou Yingjie came out, he saw Zhou Qiaoqiao and the others sitting on the sofa. Zhou Xingxing was sitting alone on the sofa near the balcony, which was the same spot where Yan Wei had sat in the afternoon. Zhou Xingxing seemed to be lost in thought, with a look of desolation on her face.

Zhou Xiongxiong was sitting on a small sofa playing games, occasionally uttering curse words.

Yan Wei and Zhou Qiaoqiao were sitting on the sofa opposite the TV, with Zhou Qiaoqiao holding a peeled apple and watching TV while eating.

Zhou Yingjie sat on the single sofa opposite Zhou Xiongxiong, right next to Zhou Qiaoqiao.

After taking a bite of the apple, Zhou Qiaoqiao looked at Zhou Yingjie, and Zhou Yingjie glanced at her and said, “Don’t eat all the time. Isn’t it important for a girl to maintain her figure? Look at your sister, her figure…”

“I’ll eat as much as I want,” Zhou Qiaoqiao took a big bite of the apple, staring at Zhou Yingjie.

Zhou Yingjie was interrupted and didn’t say anything more. After all, he didn’t come to talk about that. He saw Yan Wei smiling helplessly at Zhou Qiaoqiao and nodded inwardly. Still, he asked Yan Wei, “By the way, we haven’t met your parents yet?”

Yan Wei’s expression turned a bit cold as he said, “I have already been kicked out of my family. Even if I try to arrange a meeting, there’s no guarantee we can meet.”

“What??” Lin Meisu couldn’t help but burst out when she overheard. She immediately came out and asked, “Kicked out of your family? What did you do?”

Yan Wei didn’t answer, but Lin Meisu was more concerned about something else and asked him, “What about the entertainment investment you mentioned earlier?”

“It’s the family business of the Yan family. Even before being kicked out, they had already cut off my involvement,” Yan Wei didn’t hide anything, openly admitting his circumstances. However, those who pretend to be something they’re not are often thin on the inside. If someone is already overweight, why bother pretending to be swollen-faced?

This is what people say: wealthy people are actually less likely to show off.

Yan Wei had absolute capital. At a young age, he attracted retail investors with Feng Xiuyuan in the United States, and his investment grew larger and larger. He quickly established his own empire, which was far greater than the entertainment company of the Yan family. He never said it, but yes, his empire surpassed that of the Yan family.

People with capital are not afraid of being ridiculed; they may even find those who ridicule them to be ridiculous themselves.

This is just a facet of human nature. Yan Wei is not afraid to talk about his situation in the Yan family. He has no intention of explaining his actual capital to anyone. What’s the point?

But Lin Meisu didn’t know!

Of course, she knew it was impossible for Xingxing to replace Zhou Qiaoqiao! This isn’t ancient times where parental arrangements and substitution marriages were possible.

So, she thought it would be good for Zhou Qiaoqiao to be with Yan Wei! What is entertainment investment? She didn’t know, but later Zhou Xiongxiong told her that it was impressive.

But in the end, it had nothing to do with Yan Wei?

Lin Meisu immediately asked him, “What about the house you mentioned?”

“The houses given to me by the Zhou family have also been taken back,” Yan Wei calmly replied.

Lin Meisu widened her eyes and asked, “So what do you have?”

Yan Wei looked at her, his expression calm and composed, neither panicked nor ashamed. He simply said, “I was disowned and now work for a construction intermediary company.”

Wasn’t that just an ordinary office worker?

Lin Meisu waved her hand and said, “No, no, no. My Qiaoqiao can’t marry you.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao sneered, turned to Lin Meisu, and said, “Give you some face, and you’re still glaring at me? What does it have to do with you whom I marry?”

Seeing Zhou Yingjie already frowning, Lin Meisu felt triumphant in her heart but appeared genuinely anxious on her face as she said, “Qiaoqiao, you’re still young, you don’t understand. We women, we have to rely on men for our whole lives, marry a man to dress and eat.”

She sighed and said, “A man who has been disowned by his family, with no career whatsoever, how can he support you?” Would he end up dragging us down in the future? Dream on!

Zhou Xingxing turned her head and saw Zhou Qiaoqiao rolling up her sleeves, saying, “So you married my dad just because he gives you money, right?” ¹ Ahhh… a big face-slap!

Lin Meisu naturally couldn’t accept it. She smiled bitterly and said, “Your father and mother and I, that was many years ago, you know? Besides, your father and I didn’t start off that way either. It was me who brought him back home! Later on, things just happened unexpectedly. We couldn’t control our feelings, you know?”

Feelings that sprung up unexpectedly and uncontrollably?

Zhou Qiaoqiao misinterpreted Lin Meisu’s common saying and took a while to respond, “You mean to say ‘feelings that sprung up unexpectedly and became deep’?”

Lin Meisu nodded and said, “Yes, yes, yes. You young people love saying these things. I don’t understand it.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao sneered, “So you’re saying that you and my dad got married because you had deep feelings for each other? Then what right do you have to stop me from being with Yan Wei? We also had feelings that sprung up unexpectedly and became deep.”

Lin Meisu: “…” Why is this girl so good at arguing lately?

Zhou Yingjie slammed the table and said, “That’s enough! Zhou Qiaoqiao, don’t you want to live a good life?”

With just those words, Zhou Qiaoqiao felt like a string in her head snapped. She turned around and shouted at Zhou Yingjie, “What good life? What good life have I had following you? What good life have you given me?”

As she yelled, tears streamed down Zhou Qiaoqiao’s face, falling heavily on the ground and on Yan Wei’s heart.

He had been living with Zhou Qiaoqiao for a few months now, and they had talked about their childhood. When she spoke about it, Zhou Qiaoqiao could still smile, occasionally with nostalgia, occasionally… with complaints.

But she had never expressed her emotions like this before, never revealed her grievances like this!

Yan Wei stood up and embraced her, patting her back, saying, “Don’t cry.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao wiped her face forcefully, then said to Zhou Yingjie, “You’ve let down my mom, and you’ve let down me too. You never took care of me since I was young. What good words are you saying for my sake now? If this woman truly cared about me, why did she send me away when I was just in elementary school?”

Lin Meisu was used to Zhou Qiaoqiao’s hysterical outbursts. The two of them used to fight a lot when they were younger. Lin Meisu didn’t back down; she would only hit Zhou Qiaoqiao where it wouldn’t leave visible marks.

Zhou Qiaoqiao had already accused her like this before, and she had discussed it with Zhou Yingjie. Now she was only repeating it in front of Yan Wei, saying, “Qiaoqiao, at that time, Xingxing had just been born, and I…”

“You were too busy, right? Then why didn’t you send Zhou Xiongxiong to his grandmother’s house?” Zhou Qiaoqiao asked.

Lin Meisu: “…” Because he’s my son!

Zhou Xingxing’s eyes turned red, and he shouted at Zhou Qiaoqiao, “Why are you being mean to my mom? Taking care of you is not my mom’s obligation. Should she let her own child suffer for the sake of someone else’s child?”

“Then she shouldn’t have married someone with children! If she couldn’t handle it, then she couldn’t handle it. What right does she have now to interfere in my affairs?” Zhou Qiaoqiao hated Lin Meisu the most. She thought that her once happy family, with the arrival of Zhou Xingxing and Zhou Xiongxiong, collapsed like a fragile house of blocks that fell with the slightest touch.

Now that she had grown up, she knew that it takes two to tango. However, she had long since let go of the grievances of their childhood and didn’t mean they could keep using it against her.

Zhou Qiaoqiao looked at Zhou Yingjie and said, “Don’t you know what kind of life I had when I was young? You always listen to her. If she says something is good, then it’s good. But when I say something, you never believe me. You didn’t even like me. So why are you trying to control me now? What right do you have to control me?”

“Zhou… Qiao… Qiao! I raised you,” Zhou Yingjie yelled at Zhou Qiaoqiao, his cheeks turning red from anger.

Zhou Qiaoqiao pushed away from Yan Wei’s embrace and shouted at Zhou Yingjie, “I grew up eating the leftovers that fell from your fingertips.” Was that considered being raised? That was called pity. She grew up like a beggar, relying on the meager monthly food allowance they gave her.

Zhou Yingjie was stunned by Zhou Qiaoqiao’s outburst, feeling at a loss for words.

Seeing Zhou Yingjie in that state, Lin Meisu blamed Zhou Qiaoqiao and said, “Look, you’ve scared your dad. Weren’t we poor back then?”

“Poor?” Zhou Qiaoqiao smiled and pointed at Zhou Xingxing, saying, “Poor to the point where Zhou Xingxing could learn music and dance, Zhou Xiongxiong could have math tutoring, but I couldn’t even have an ice cream without a teacher paying for it?”

Lin Meisu chuckled, “Even though we started making money later, when it came to your teacher, if we gave them more money, wouldn’t they become greedy?”

“What does that have to do with me?” Zhou Qiaoqiao said coldly. “I’ve lived my life like this. I don’t care how you perceive it. Don’t act like you were forced into it. I know the truth.”

Zhou Yingjie was panting heavily. He felt that Zhou Qiaoqiao was in the wrong, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He had raised her, worked hard to earn money after her mother left, and none of them went hungry.

Zhou Qiaoqiao said he was in the wrong? What had he done wrong? He had raised her!

The more Zhou Yingjie thought about it, the angrier he became. Yan Wei furrowed his brow as he watched the situation unfold. It seemed to have deviated from the original plan.

He and Zhou Qiaoqiao had come back because she wanted to inform her father about their marriage. Yes, even though her father wasn’t ideal, it was still proper to personally inform him about such a significant event. At first, Zhou Qiaoqiao probably wanted to inform him and take her household registration book with her.

But clearly, Zhou Qiaoqiao had been provoked.

Yan Wei stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Qiaoqiao, and said, “Qiaoqiao, let’s go back first!”

Zhou Yingjie gasped for breath and said, “Wait, things haven’t been clarified yet. Why were you expelled from your family? Tell me.”

Yan Wei looked at him and said, “I got into a fight with my younger brother.”

Zhou Yingjie continued to catch his breath and said, “You were expelled from your family for fighting with your brother, which shows that your family doesn’t value you. They disowned you, indicating that your parents want to leave all the family assets to your younger brother. So, in their eyes, you aren’t valued.”

Yan Wei nodded, and Zhou Qiaoqiao chuckled softly, “Isn’t that ridiculous? You’ve raised me like this, and I found someone who went through a similar experience as mine. It’s a mutual understanding.”

Zhou Yingjie was practically enraged by her words. What had he done wrong?

Zhou Yingjie asked her, “I raised you. Without me, do you think you would have survived until now?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao: “…”

Zhou Yingjie said, “I raised you, don’t you know gratitude?”

“I can’t summon gratitude!” Zhou Qiaoqiao’s face was cold as she said, “Even if I know that I was raised with the scraps that fell through the cracks, I can’t summon gratitude!”

Zhou Yingjie almost spat out blood. Yan Wei shook his head and approached her, pulling her. “Qiaoqiao, calm down and take a rest.”

After the argument earlier, Zhou Qiaoqiao seemed exhausted and lacking strength. She nodded when she heard Yan Wei’s words and held onto him. Her demeanor, with her head lowered in a helpless and aggrieved manner, was like a hungry little stray kitten sitting by the roadside. Innocent and pitiful, it made people want to come forward and hug her, give her something to eat.

Yan Wei helped her sit down and said, “Let me speak. Once I’m done, we’ll go back.”

Zhou Qiaoqiao nodded, and Yan Wei smiled gently, patting her head. Then he stood up and walked in front of Zhou Yingjie. Yan Wei was tall, standing at 189 centimeters, towering over Zhou Yingjie, who was 176 centimeters tall.

Yan Wei lowered his head and looked at Zhou Yingjie, saying, “I haven’t been a father before, so I don’t think I have the right to accuse you of anything. But soon, I will become Qiaoqiao’s husband, and as her husband, I would like to say a few words. Qiaoqiao grew up alone in the countryside, lacking even basic material needs. In this regard, I feel that being a father is insufficient.”

“Of course, I don’t know much about it. As her husband, it’s natural for me to speak from her perspective. However, for Qiaoqiao, your fatherly authority is indeed too low. If you are unsure of right and wrong, you can express your feelings towards Qiaoqiao online according to your own beliefs. I believe that there will be judgments then.”

Yan Wei’s voice was deep and powerful. He saw the embarrassment on Zhou Yingjie’s face and continued, “This is my first time here, and I shouldn’t have gotten involved in these matters. I shouldn’t have seen all this. However, I consider myself one of the closest people to Qiaoqiao. I came here today hoping to receive your blessing. Qiaoqiao and I will get married, and this won’t change because of anyone or anything. It won’t change whether you like it or not, or whether my family likes it or not.”

Yan Wei turned his head and glanced at Zhou Qiaoqiao, who was sitting with her head down on the sofa, then turned back and continued speaking kindly to Zhou Yingjie, “In the future, Qiaoqiao and I will be very happy. What I can say is that I am grateful to you… for giving her life, bringing her into this world, and raising her into the wonderful, unique person she is today. From now on, I will love and take care of her in your place. Please rest assured of that.”

Yan Wei’s words were tactful and respectful, his voice elegant yet weighty, and anyone who listened would believe that he could do as he promised.

Zhou Qiaoqiao suddenly burst into tears, crying loudly. As she cried, she wiped away her tears.

“Today, I brought her back, and she may have said a lot of unpleasant things, even things that made you uncomfortable. But I hope you can calm down and think carefully. Perhaps these are the words that Qiaoqiao has wanted to say to you for a long time. We will leave now, and maybe we won’t come back often in the future.” After saying these words, Yan Wei turned around, princess hugged Zhou Qiaoqiao in his arms.

Zhou Xingxing looked on enviously as he saw Yan Wei carrying Zhou Qiaoqiao to the door. Zhou Qiaoqiao struggled for a moment, put on her shoes by herself, and then went click-clack to the elevator to wait for Yan Wei.

Yan Wei turned back and glanced at the family sitting behind him, nodding slightly before leaving. Zhou Qiaoqiao was right; this was their home, not hers. Without Zhou Qiaoqiao, they looked even more like a family.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Yan Wei’s mouth, and speaking somewhat harshly, this kind of Zhou Qiaoqiao belonged to him alone.

Zhou Qiaoqiao saw Yan Wei approaching and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Yan Wei touched her head and said, “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“I shouldn’t have fought. It’s not a good look,” Zhou Qiaoqiao sniffled.

Yan Wei shook his head and said, “No, it’s okay. It’s good that you were able to let it out. After today, let’s live a better life. Qiaoqiao, do you know why, during the class reunion, I ordered the food but didn’t emphasize the affair² that Qiaoqiao is the third party/Xiaosan?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao shook her head, and Yan Wei looked at the elevator doors slowly opening. He held Zhou Qiaoqiao’s hand, led her inside, and then calmly and clearly uttered, “Because sometimes, the essence of certain matters isn’t something people care about. Me saying you’re not a third party doesn’t depend on whether the evidence is sufficient or not, but on whether the people present want to believe it. What really stuns people is the more favorable aspect. For example, at the class reunion, you weren’t close to them. The benefit of having money is that it makes people shut up.

Zhou Qiaoqiao stared at him, and Yan Wei lowered his head, revealing a gentle smile. He lightly kissed her and said, “Your father isn’t a good father, and your stepmother can’t be considered good either. Perhaps there’s no one in the world who wishes for your misfortune more than she does. And what do people who wish for your misfortune detest the most?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao tilted her head and said, “That I’m doing well!”

Yan Wei chuckled, touched her chubby cheeks, and said, “Yes! My Qiaoqiao, I will bring you much happiness, so don’t care about them. Because when you’re doing well, naturally they’re not. They are just like ants, so why bother caring about their opinions?”

Ants… did he go a bit too far with that comparison?

“Let’s go home, Qiaoqiao.”

The elevator reached the first floor, and Yan Wei pulled Zhou Qiaoqiao out. Zhou Qiaoqiao turned her head, suddenly smiled as if she had a realization.

---

As Zhou Qiaoqiao and Yan Wei were on the bus heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zhou Yingjie suddenly realized that the household registration book was missing and frantically called Zhou Qiaoqiao.

“Zhou… Qiao…qiao!!! Did you steal my household registration book?”

“That’s funny, it’s as if my name isn’t even in there.” Zhou Qiaoqiao flipped through the household registration book.

Zhou Yingjie shouted, “You’re getting married without my consent?”

Zhou Qiaoqiao casually replied, “Yes! I’m on my way to the Civil Affairs Bureau now.”

Zhou Yingjie: “…”

Zhou Qiaoqiao listened to his heavy breathing on the other end and said, “Are you okay? Don’t pass out. After I finish registering, I’ll bring it back to you.”

Zhou Yingjie: “I’m telling you, I talked with your mother all night…”

“My mother?” Zhou Qiaoqiao yawned, “She’s been dead for 20 years, and you talked with her all night?”

“You know who I’m talking about!!!” Zhou Yingjie angrily cursed, “Yan Wei was disowned by his family, and they definitely don’t like him. They didn’t leave him any inheritance, so besides good looks, he’s worthless. No car, no house, no money. What are you after with him?”

“Good looks!” Zhou Qiaoqiao replied matter-of-factly.

Zhou Yingjie: “…”

Zhou Qiaoqiao heard him go silent and asked, “Is something wrong with you?”

Zhou Yingjie shouted, “You will regret it! If you listen to your father now, it’s not too late. I… Auntie and I have talked. She happens to know a supermarket manager who can earn 300,000 yuan a year. Auntie said she can introduce him to you.”

“Why doesn’t she let Zhou Xingxing be with him too? If it’s so good, why would she give it up? Hmph, I’m going to tell Yan Wei.” Zhou Qiaoqiao snorted.

Zhou Yingjie: “???” He looked bewildered as he heard Zhou Qiaoqiao’s voice on the other end saying, “Yan Wei, Yan Wei, my dad said Lin Meisu wants to introduce a man who can earn 300,000 yuan a year.”

Zhou Yingjie: “…”

Then, Zhou Yingjie heard Yan Wei’s calm voice saying to Zhou Qiaoqiao, “Let me have the phone for a moment.”

Next, Zhou Yingjie heard Yan Wei’s voice, tinged with a hint of indifference, saying, “Father-in-law, although I’m out of money now, I still have friends. Do you know how much time it would take for me to bring down your factory?”

Zhou Yingjie: “!!!”

Yan Wei suddenly laughed lightly and said, “Father-in-law, rest assured, even if there’s no factory, Qiaoqiao and I won’t let you go hungry.”

Zhou Yingjie: “!!!”

The phone returned to Zhou Qiaoqiao’s hand, and she held it, saying to Zhou Yingjie, “Dad, Yan Wei was just joking! Hahaha…”

Zhou Yingjie’s heart ached, and tears fell. It wasn’t funny at all…

Zhou Yingjie soon received a strange letter, and the content of the letter was as follows: “Hello, I come in the name of Yan Wei to ask which supermarket manager is on the brink of death?”

Zhou Yingjie: “…”

Speaking of which, if he had such capable friends, why did he still need to work?

Why?

On the bus, Zhou Qiaoqiao, who was sitting by the window, looked outside. The wind blowing through the crack in the window rustled her hair by her ears. The gentle morning sunlight enveloped her, and when she turned to look at herself through the window, a radiant smile appeared on her face. It was truly the most beautiful scene in the world.

Yan Wei thought so.

---

Sansukini: They finally registered their marriage.
Btw, has anyone ever watched this cdrama called “Circle of Love³https://mydramalist.com/749537-suo-ai-san-seng It’s a short cdrama, just 10mins per episode. A little sadomasochistic with a lot of snu snu. And the drama writer overused some tropes. But the story and actors are great, esp the ML, so good looking. Have you ever read the book it was adapted from? Is it worth mtl?

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here