Chapter 49

After Zhao Lianqiao’s seven days of apologies ended, the forum posts were swiftly deleted. The upcoming school sports meet grabbed everyone’s attention, and talk of her dwindled until most people had quickly forgotten who she was.
The whole storm subsided quietly. As for their classmates, their attitudes were no different than before; even if they harbored contempt, they wouldn’t show it openly.
And all of this took less than a week.
“When I was framed, people reported and protested; with her it’s just a few online insults and the admins delete them, leaving no trace, like nothing ever happened. When you think about it, that’s pretty unfair.” Qiao Zhenzhen complained to Chi Shen.
She could understand her classmates’ attitude toward Zhao Lianqiao, real life isn’t like the online world; things aren’t so black-and-white, and since you run into each other all the time people keep some distance. When she was falsely accused, they treated her the same way. But she couldn’t fathom why those self-righteous zealots who once wished her dead were suddenly silent after Zhao Lianqiao’s episode.
Was their so‑called justice just selective?
Hearing her confusion, Chi Shen took her hand and watched her without a word.
“…I’m fine. I was just bored and venting,” Qiao Zhenzhen said, seeing he was worried, half amused and half exasperated.
She really was bored. During the sports meet neither of them signed up for events. They were supposed to go to the field as spectators, but she didn’t want to, so she dragged him into skipping school; now they were at his place… eating snacks.
“If there hadn’t been a sports meet, this wouldn’t have ended so quickly,” Chi Shen said seriously.
Qiao Zhenzhen paused, realization dawning. “Right… she really was lucky.”
“Her luck won’t last forever.” Chi Shen tightened his grip on her hand.
Qiao Zhenzhen blinked. “…You’re not thinking of breaking the law again, are you?”
Chi Shen hesitated, then looked at her without saying a word.
Qiao Zhenzhen couldn’t help laughing. She opened a bag of chips and ate a few pieces. Seeing Chi Shen staring, she handed him the bag. He took it and chewed away expressionlessly.
She watched him with amusement and, after a moment, asked curiously, “Chi Shen, do you like chips?”
He hesitated. “They’re not bad.”
…So he didn’t really like them. Qiao Zhenzhen was speechless. “Then why are you eating them?”
“I wanted to eat with you,” Chi Shen replied.
Qiao Zhenzhen’s face flushed at his bluntness. Clearing her throat, she said, “Is there something you prefer? We’ll buy more next time.”
Chi Shen fell into thought.
Qiao Zhenzhen leaned in. “Think about it, what’s your favorite food?”
“Rice.” After thinking for a long time, Chi Shen answered carefully.
Qiao’s expression went stiff. “What?”
“Rice.” He repeated it, sensing it was hard to understand, and then added, “Three meals a day.”
In short, he didn’t have a favorite snack.
Qiao: “……” Fine, then from now on they’d keep buying snacks the same way as before, according to her tastes.
The two of them sat on the floor in front of the sofa and quickly finished off the spread of snacks. Qiao Zhenzhen couldn’t help burping; she was about to move to the sofa to lie down when Chi Shen pulled out a few workbooks.
“…What for?” Qiao Zhenzhen asked, a bad feeling rising.
Chi Shen looked at her seriously. “It’s time to study.”
Qiao: “…” She had deliberately slipped away from the sports meet, not to study.
They stared at each other for a long time. Resigned, she opened a workbook and began doing problems under his supervision.
After midterms the school’s review pace suddenly quickened, and Chi Shen matched that speed. Qiao Zhenzhen was struggling, but Chi Shen was patient and always by her side.
Over the three days of the sports meet she made up three full days of lessons. With no need to explain problems on the classroom board, Chi Shen seemed in his element; she, meanwhile, was miserable, having to cram what usually took three days into one. When the meet ended and classes resumed, everyone else wore anxious faces, only she let out a sigh of relief.
While Qiao Zhenzhen was wading through a sea of knowledge, Qin Jing had already returned to work at the Qin company. For several days in a row, Qiao Jian came home to find either that she wasn’t there or that she was alone in the study for hours, and his suspicions began to grow.
What had she been up to lately? Had she discovered his affair with Zhao Ying and was searching the study for evidence?
The thought unsettled Qiao Jian. Although Qin Jing hadn’t seemed suspicious about the day he’d taken Zhao Ying to the hospital, what if later she started to think it over and grew doubtful?
Even though he’d stopped bringing important documents home and there was nothing of value in the study, he’d been busy transferring assets recently and felt guilty; her every move seemed magnified in his eyes.
That evening, seeing Qin Jing head for the study again, he finally couldn’t help asking, “What have you been doing in the study so much lately?”
Qin Jing paused and looked a little awkward. “It’s nothing. I was just going to find a couple of books to read.”
Hearing that, Qiao Jian grew more suspicious. “You’re always doing yoga or binge-watching shows, when did you start liking to read?”
“So it’s not allowed to like someone lately?” Qin Jing frowned. “Besides, my life isn’t just yoga and watching dramas.”
After saying that, she walked straight to the study; the sight of her hurried back looked guilty to Qiao Jian.
Qiao Jian sat down on the sofa with a grim face, though he was far from calm inside, constantly running through how to minimize the damage if she found out, how to shut her up so she wouldn’t go out and ruin his reputation.
When Qiao Zhenzhen came back, she found him sitting there, absorbed. She hesitated, then feigned nonchalance and greeted, “Dad, where’s Mom?”
Qiao Jian snapped back to himself and answered coolly, “Oh, in the study.”
His relationship with Qin Jing had been growing colder, and with it his fondness for this daughter had waned too. Once they divorced, if she wanted to stay with him he’d pay to send her abroad; if not, she could go back to the Qin family with Qin Jing. After all, the daughter would belong to them sooner or later, his focus still had to be on Zhao Ying’s pregnancy.
He looked indifferent. Qiao Zhenzhen didn’t bother to pretend warmth, lowered her head to send Qin Jing a message, and before long Qin Jing came out: “You’re back, are you hungry?”
“Hungry. I want wontons,” Qiao Zhenzhen answered obediently.
Qin Jing laughed softly. “Mom will make them for you.”
Seeing her suddenly head to the kitchen, Qiao Zhenzhen paused, then realizing what was up chased after her with a laugh, “I want to watch!”
With that, the mother and daughter went into the kitchen, all smiles and affection.
Watching their intimacy, Qiao Jian snorted in disdain, then realized the study was empty. Keeping his composure, he rose and walked straight upstairs.
As soon as he went up, Qiao Zhenzhen stuck her head out to peek, then came back to report to Qin Jing, “Mom, he’s already gone up.”
She paused, then complained, “Next time you plan something, can you give me a heads-up? Luckily I’m sharp, if you suddenly want to cook, you must be up to something, so I cooperated in time.”
Qin Jing shot her a sidelong glance. “Yes, yes, you’re the clever one.”
Qiao Zhenzhen smiled, thoughtful, and glanced toward the stairwell.
Qiao Jian went straight into the study and began searching. He quickly discovered one of the desk drawers was locked. Alarm bells rang in his head; he found the key and hurriedly opened it.
He pulled the drawer out and found Qin Corporation’s financial report for the quarter. He froze for a moment, frowning as he flipped through it; the figures made his frown grow deeper.
“What are you doing?” Qin Jing’s voice came from the doorway.
Qiao Jian almost dropped what was in his hand. He looked up to see the mother and daughter standing there; Qiao Zhenzhen was holding a bowl of wontons, staring at him as she ate a late-night snack.
“Why are you messing with my things?” Qin Jing came in, clearly annoyed.
Qiao Jian put on a stern face. “I should be asking you, what are you doing with Qin Corporation’s financial reports?”
At that question, Qin Jing’s expression faltered. “N-nothing.”
Hearing her stammer, Qiao Jian pushed further. “Nothing? Such confidential material shouldn’t be in my study. If you don’t explain this today, nobody’s sleeping tonight!”
Qiao Zhenzhen: “……” Quite arrogant.
Faced with his aggressive manner, Qin Jing was silent for a moment before saying, “A-Zhao hasn’t been well lately; I’ve been helping him with some of the work.”
Qiao Jian blinked.
“I didn’t mean to hide it from you, but the atmosphere at home has finally improved and I don’t want to fight again,” Qin Jing said anxiously. “Qin Corporation has a big project to handle and A-Zhao can’t manage it alone. He is my brother, how could I not help him?”
“It’s the slow season, what big project could there be?” Qiao Jian didn’t believe her. Qiao Zhenzhen corporation had gotten its start from business with Qin Corporation; the two groups’ cycles were very similar. Qiao Zhenzhen corporation was in a slow period now, so Qin Corporation likely was too. Qin Jing was clearly lying.
Faced with his doubt, Qin Jing looked helpless. “I’m not lying, it’s really busy. But the project is in a confidential phase; I can’t tell you the details.”
“Grandpa said if it succeeds it could double Qin Corporation’s current output,” Qiao Zhenzhen mumbled through her wontons.
Qin Jing frowned. “Zhenzhen, don’t make things up.”
Something moved in Qiao Jian’s chest. His gaze fell to the open drawer, where he noticed a confidential document beneath the reports, its cover bearing only two words,
Chi Corporation.
…Is it the Chi Corporation he was thinking of?