Upon returning home, Xie Qingtao rushed straight toward her parents’ room. As she passed through the main hall of the Xie household, she glanced at Xie Qingping, who was still kneeling.
He seemed to have reached his limit. The summer heat had flushed his face crimson, his pupils were unfocused, and his previously straight back was now slightly hunched.
His clothes were soaked through with sweat, and the spot where he knelt was already damp.
His figure swayed faintly.
Recalling the perilous scene from earlier, Xie Qingtao’s usually smiling face was now expressionless, her eyes carrying a cold edge.
After only a brief glance, she took Xie Qingxiao’s hand and hurried toward her parents’ room.
In Xie Jianguo and his wife’s room.
Xie Jianguo and his wife sat with furrowed brows, a dense, unshakeable cloud of worry hanging between their eyes.
The room was silent; neither had the energy to speak.
“Mom, Dad, are you taking an afternoon nap? I need to talk to you.”
Xie Qingtao knocked on the door of her parents’ room and asked.
Xie Jianguo stood up to open the door, his tone filled with concern:
“Not yet! Taotao, what’s the matter?”
As soon as Xie Qingtao entered, she said with a grave expression:
“Mom, Dad, Liu Yunyun knows about Eldest Brother’s situation. She plans to report him.”
Xie Jianguo’s pupils suddenly contracted, the color draining completely from his face:
“What? Liu Yunyun knows? And she wants to report him? Isn’t that sentencing your eldest brother to death?”
In this era, the crime of hooliganism could potentially carry the death penalty.
Liu Guiyun’s hands trembled, and the object she was holding clattered to the floor, unnoticed:
“What great grudge does Liu Yunyun have against our family? Why is she targeting us like this?”
Liu Guiyun now hated Liu Yunyun to the bone, wishing she could crush her bones and devour her flesh.
Just as Xie Jianguo began to recover from the shock, Xie Qingtao dropped another bombshell.
“Mom, Dad, Liu Yunyun just said that if Third Brother marries into their family, she won’t report Eldest Brother.”
Xie Jianguo stumbled, nearly losing his balance. His beautiful peach-blossom eyes widened in an instant:
“That toad Liu Yunyun actually has her eyes on Qingxiao? She’s made quite a calculation, wanting Qingxiao to marry into their family. Dream on! Pah!”
Xie Jianguo cursed Liu Yunyun, spitting fiercely in the direction of her family’s home.
Liu Guiyun snapped back to reality, her brows furrowed in irritation as she looked toward Xie Qingxiao, who stood behind Xie Qingtao like a machine:
“Qingxiao, is there any other way to resolve this?”
Xie Qingxiao raised his eyes slightly, the usual laziness in his demeanor receding a bit:
“Yes. Have Eldest Brother marry into the Mu Family.”
For a moment, the room fell into silence, the air growing heavy.
Having Xie Qingping marry into the Mu Family was equivalent to their family agreeing to the arranged marriage exchange.
Would they sacrifice Xie Qingtao’s marriage to save Xie Qingping’s life?
Xie Jianguo kept questioning himself inwardly.
He wanted to struggle a bit more:
“Qingxiao, isn’t there a better way?”
Xie Qingxiao swept a cold gaze over Xie Jianguo, his tone steady and devoid of emotion, like a machine reporting:
“Yes. I agree to Liu Yunyun’s demand and marry into their family.”
When Xie Qingxiao said this, it felt as though he were speaking about someone else.
Xie Jianguo’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly, a sudden pain washing over him.
Given Liu Yunyun’s undying hatred for their family, sending Xie Qingxiao to the Liu Family would be no different than handing them a ladder to the heavens.
Moreover, the bond between Xie Qingxiao and Taotao was the strongest.
Having Taotao watch her beloved third brother fawn over that toad Liu Yunyun every day would weigh heavily on her heart. Over time, it could lead to serious illness.
Xie Qingtao couldn’t hold back any longer. Her voice carried a hidden ache for Xie Qingxiao:
“Brother, I don’t agree with you marrying into the Liu family. Once you’re in their home, you’ll become Liu Yunyun’s slave. How can a brilliant, promising talent stoop to such a thing? Over time, it will drive you mad.”
In your past life, you did go mad.
In this life, I want you to remain the lofty, exceptional talent, not a madman cast down into the dust.
By the end of her words, Xie Qingtao’s tone grew even more resolute, as if prophesying Xie Qingxiao’s future in the Liu family, tears streaming down her face.
The more Xie Jianguo listened, the more alarmed he became. Given his youngest son’s temperament, he truly might walk down such a path.
Liu Guiyun’s worried gaze fell on Xie Qingxiao, whose expression shifted slightly upon seeing his sister’s tears, but she remained silent.
Xie Qingtao wiped the tears from her face and looked firmly at Xie Jianguo and the others:
“Mom, Dad, I agree to the marriage exchange. Wouldn’t it be good for our family to have one more clever person?”
Xie Qingtao smiled, her grin spreading across her cheeks, sweet and radiant.
The sorrow on her face was buried deep within.
Xie Qingxiao gently brushed away the teardrops on Xie Qingtao’s face, his usually cool eyes now filled with tenderness.
Xie Jianguo sat down, lowering his head, and sighed inwardly:
“Taotao, you really don’t have to pay for your eldest brother’s mistakes. Even if he ends up losing his life over it, it’s what he deserves.”
But Xie Qingtao didn’t see it that way. Shaking her head, she retorted:
“Dad, I think I’ve grown a little fond of Brother Mu. Marrying him isn’t a bad choice, and besides, I’ll still be by your side! Or will you disown me as your daughter once I’m married?”
With Xie Qingtao’s playful interjection, the conversation lightened, losing some of its heaviness and gaining a touch of mischief.
Hearing the resolve in Xie Qingtao’s soft, sweet voice, Xie Jianguo exchanged a glance with his wife before speaking gravely:
“Alright, I’ll agree. As punishment, your eldest brother’s betrothal gifts will all go to you.”
Trading a foolish son for a clever son-in-law—he knew it was a worthwhile deal.
Returning to the Mu Family, Xie Qingtao felt as if a lifetime had passed.
Twice in a single day, she had stepped into this place.
Mu Bozhou was still dressed in a white shirt paired with crisp suit trousers.
Sitting across from him, Xie Qingtao felt uneasy under Mu Bozhou’s intense gaze and tugged unconsciously at the red short-sleeved dress she had just changed into.
A smile curled at the corner of Mu Bozhou’s lips:
“Taotao, you look truly beautiful.”
His eyes held admiration and affection.
The red dress indeed complemented Xie Qingtao’s snow-white skin, making her more radiant than a flower. The slightly cinched waist accentuated her slender figure.
The sudden shift in their relationship left Xie Qingtao feeling awkward, her voice trembling slightly:
“Brother… Brother Mu.”
Xie Qingxiao sat beside her, his brow furrowed, gripping Xie Qingtao’s hand tightly as he shot a cold glare:
“Mu Bozhou, you’re scaring my sister.”
Mu Bozhou’s gaze fell on Xie Qingxiao’s hand. Narrowing his phoenix eyes, he met Xie Qingxiao’s knife-sharp stare:
“Oh? But Taotao is my fiancée now. We’ll be registering our marriage soon. I’ll have to ask for your understanding in the future, Third Brother.”
Mu Bozhou felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, but then he remembered that he would soon have an official status, and the bitterness faded, replaced by sweetness.
Xie Qingxiao knew this was Mu Bozhou asserting his dominance and provoking him. For the first time, a surge of anger welled up inside him:
“You’re just a fiancé for now. Talk about it when you truly have an official status.”
Mu Bozhou choked back his words, swallowing everything he wanted to say.
His gaze turned cold, silently locking in a contest with Xie Qingxiao.
On Xie Jianguo’s side, the date for Xie Qingping’s wedding had already been settled.
It was set for next Tuesday, a very rushed timeline.
All he wanted now was to get rid of Xie Qingping as quickly as possible. He didn’t want to see him at all—just the sight of him was irritating.
As for Xie Qingtao’s wedding, it was scheduled for a week after her college entrance exams.
Now that Xie Qingping’s matter was resolved, the only remaining concern was Liu Yunyun.