Chapter 1491: A Slap to the Face
Recently, the number of times that He Yi sighed was no fewer than Qiao Nan. “Since we’ve mentioned it, I want to tell you about two things. Deng Wenchang is getting married next month. Initially, quite a few people from the capital knew about it. Peng Yu and Shi Peng’s niece were dating and were looking at an engagement date. But yesterday, the Peng family suddenly let out the news that they were looking for blind date candidates for Peng Yu. Peng Yu’s requirements for the lady are that she must be young and educated.”
“…” Qiao Nan looked at Old Lin’s photograph. “He’s finally come to his senses. Wasn’t Peng Yu determined to find someone who could give birth to many children?” Qiao Nan asked, her voice full of sarcasm.
She had heard that Peng Yu and Qiu Chenxi were together, and as such, Qiu Chenxi’s status at many events had been elevated greatly. But Qiao Nan had never believed whatever she had heard. Based on ‘what she had heard’ about Peng Yu, he must be a completely different person from ‘what she had heard’ if he was willing to marry a woman whom even Brother Zhai was unwilling to marry.
There was only one explanation. That whatever she had heard were only false rumors.
She thought back to the last time she met Qiu Chenxi. Qiu Chenxi had worn a pair of pumps and walked past her arrogantly. Up until now, Qiao Nan could still remember that disdainful snort coming from Qiu Chenxi.
It was a mere three months’ time since then. She wondered whether Qiu Chenxi could still snort if they were to meet again.
What the Peng family had done was really a slap to the face, and the only one who was being slapped was Qiu Chenxi.
Indeed, one could not talk about people behind their backs. Qiao Nan had just been talking about it, and less than two hours later, she really bumped into Qiu Chenxi. The sudden death of Old Master Zhai and Old Lin meant that there were a lot of people coming to visit the Zhai household.
The day of officially sending the two elders off had already passed, but some people had not been in the capital at that time and had not made it in time. Still, even though they had not been able to make it, they had to visit the Zhai family once they returned to the capital to pay their respects to Old Master Zhai and Old Lin.
After being influenced by Qiao Nan, Shi Peng would spend at least a few days each year to bring Feng Cheng on a holiday. Coincidentally, the passing of Old Lin and Old Zhai was during the National Day holiday period. On the birthday of the three children, the Shi couple got someone to send the children a gift while the couple was already on the plane.
When the couple learned of the passing of the two elders on the same night, it was already the second day of the month. Since it was the National Day holiday, there were practically no tickets to be sold. The couple did not care about the price or the flight and finally managed to return on the third day with great difficulty.
As soon as the Shi couple returned, they changed into a set of black clothing and rushed over to the Zhai family’s house. Now that Qiu Chenxi was in the political circle, she had to show herself at the funeral of Old Lin and Old Zhai, unless she did not want to stay in the circle. Otherwise, she would never be able to gain power or leave good impressions on others.
It was just that Qiu Chenxi had not forgotten for a second what had happened in the past. The thought of the Zhai family being Qiao Nan’s territory made her hesitant. Initially, Old Master Zhai should have been her grandfather, and Old Lin her master.
Originally, she should have had a close relationship with these two powerful old men, but these were all snatched away by that despicable Qiao Nan. In the end, the one who should have had all the right to pay respects to these two elders was anonymous and in a dilemma as to whether she could do so.
Coincidentally, the Shi couple returned at that moment. Thus, Qiu Chenxi decided to tag along with Shi Peng. She thought that Shi Peng could act as a shield for her, and Qiao Nan would not be so unreasonable as to put her down and make a fuss in front of Shi Peng. Qiao Nan had to know that she was not going to the Zhai family because of her. She was only going there to pay respects to the two departed elders.
Qiao Nan did not know what Qiu Chenxi was thinking. Otherwise, she would definitely tell Qiu Chenxi that she was thinking too much.
If the Lin family had not gone so far as to not allow Old Lin to rest in peace even after his death, Qiao Nan, who was already in sorrow, would not care about getting back at anyone. All she would want would be to take care of her own feelings and get back on her feet.
Old Master Zhai’s was a happy funeral, while Old Lin’s death was a relief.
The best way for Qiao Nan to remember the two elders was to live her life well, bring up the three children healthily, and not immerse herself in misery at the passing of the two elders and make a mess of her life.
Even the Lins only gave Qiao Nan a little respect because of this. As for someone who was not important like Qiu Chenxi, Qiao Nan did not even want to waste her brain capacity thinking about it.
Seeing Qiao Nan, who had lost weight, Shi Peng said out of concern, “Nan Nan, you have to take care of yourself. The old chief and Old Lin definitely would not want to see you in this state. They cared so much about the three children and you. You shouldn’t disappoint them. The only way for them to leave peacefully is if we live our lives well.”
The passing of both elders in a single night was a double blow to the Zhai family. Even ordinary people would find difficulty in coping with such a loss, let alone Qiao Nan, who shared a close bond with Old Lin.
Thinking about it, Shi Peng frowned slightly and glanced at Qiao Dongliang, who was staying in the Zhai family house to take care of the three children.
After all, it was entirely Qiao Dongliang’s fault that Qiao Nan had shared such a close relationship with Old Lin and had lost weight now that Old Lin was gone.
If the Qiao family had not been so cold to Qiao Nan so much so that there were almost no relations to talk about, Qiao Nan would not have placed all her desires for affection and all her attention on Old Lin.
Now, Old Lin, whom Qiao Nan had given her heart to, was gone. If someone else was in Qiao Nan’s shoes, it would probably not just be a matter of losing a few kilograms. Such a blow could often be utterly disastrous.
Shi Peng felt that Qiao Dongliang was very lucky as a father, yet at the same time, felt that Qiao Nan was pitiful. It was as if the roles of Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan were always reversed. Usually, parents would buy houses for their children. But in Qiao Nan’s case, she was the one who bought a house for her parents.
Every time he thought about these things, he could not help but feel tired on Qiao Nan’s behalf, and he always used this to remind Shi Qing of what a lucky child she was.
“Thank you. Don’t worry. I understand. I won’t let them down. To me, they’re still alive, just in a different way, in my heart. They will never disappear. This sounds cliché, but it’s true.” Qiao Nan tried to joke.