In her previous life, it was because Feng Yiyao’s nose was broken by someone bumping into her at Universal Studios and it went viral online that Qiao Shutang learned her nose was fake.
In this life, Qiao Shutang naturally wouldn’t interfere with that happening.
If for no other reason, at least after Feng Yiyao’s nose was injured, she wouldn’t have the energy to retaliate against Liang Jiaxin.
By the time they finished eating, it was already getting dark. The four roommates returned to the dormitory, laughing and messing around together.
Jia Duo stood with his hands behind his back under a large tree in front of the female dormitory building.
He did have decent looks—several passing girls kept turning their heads to look at him.
And he seemed accustomed to such attention, showing no signs of unease or shyness.
Qiao Shutang said to her roommates openly and naturally, “You guys go on up first.”
Then she stood in place, waiting for Jia Duo to walk over.
“Tangtang, I knew you wouldn’t really stay mad at me.”
“Standing in such a conspicuous spot waiting for me—aren’t you afraid your girlfriend will get jealous?”
Jia Duo tried to reach for her hand, but Qiao Shutang quickly stepped forward, heading toward a less crowded area.
Her voice was somewhat indifferent.
“Spit it out.”
Jia Duo sniffled and said in a muffled voice, “Tangtang, my feelings for you have never changed from start to finish.”
Qiao Shutang sneered inwardly but didn’t call him out on it.
“After your uncle and aunt’s accident, things were hard for you and Xiao Ye, and I felt like I should do something for you.”
“Feng Yiyao comes from a well-off family. If I dated her, I could go work at her dad’s company. With a good job, I’d have the ability to support you.”
Qiao Shutang quietly turned on her voice recorder and began to fish for information.
“You support me? No matter how good your job is, it’s only a few tens of thousands a month. Can you afford to support me?”
Jia Duo’s footsteps shifted back half an inch.
“You were raised in the Qiao family with the finest of everything. I know you look down on the life of ordinary people. So I’ll marry Feng Yiyao and become the son-in-law of the Feng family.”
“You know Feng Yiyao is just an airhead. As long as I endure for a few more years, her dad will hand the company over to me to manage. By then, I’ll be able to let you and Xiao Ye live the life you had before.”
His tone carried a thick sense of martyrdom and self-sacrifice.
Qiao Shutang suppressed her disgust and summarized his words.
“So you’re planning to eat soft rice with a hard face—using your father-in-law’s money to keep me as your mistress?”
Jia Duo let out a long sigh.
“Tangtang, don’t make it sound so ugly, okay? We’ve had so many years of feelings. How could I bear to watch you suffer?”
Qiao Shutang dodged his reaching hand once again.
She held out her palm, facing up.
“If you can’t bear to watch me suffer, then give me back the 300,000.”
Jia Duo was silent for a long moment. “Tangtang, you’ve changed.”
After lights out, the dormitory fell into darkness.
Faint phone light glimmered from behind all four bed curtains.
Jian Chu suddenly sat up. “Can’t sleep? Then let’s have a late-night chat session!”
“Sure.”
“Sure.”
“Sure!”
Qiao Shutang had never been to a girls’ late-night chat session before.
She quickly ended her conversation with Ling Heng.
Cat Ears Xiao Qiao: [Sleepy (- -), good night~]
Ling Heng felt the conversation had ended rather abruptly.
But well, when you have a little girlfriend, you should be accommodating.
Zero—: [Good night, baby. See you in your dreams.]
Qiao Shutang poked her head out from behind the curtain. “What are we talking about?”
Ning Zhenzhen said, “Let’s talk about your love story with Scholar Jia.”
Zong Muli asked, “How many years have you two been together?”
Jian Chu was more direct: “Have you slept together?”
Qiao Shutang: (°-°|||)
“No love, never dated, and definitely never rolled in the sheets.”
“He was someone my dad sponsored, and a few years older than me. When I was little, I didn’t like studying, so my dad asked him to be my tutor. I looked up to him like a big brother.”
Jian Chu was curious: “Why don’t you like him? Apart from his poor financial situation, Jia Duo is pretty decent in other aspects.”
Qiao Shutang didn’t deny Feng Shuyao’s assessment of him either.
His looks, education, ambition, and even the personal charm he displayed at times—if you weren’t extremely familiar with him, it was easy to give him high marks.
If she hadn’t seen what happened at Qiao Xingye’s funeral in her previous life, she too would have been kept in the dark by Jia Duo.
But she couldn’t speak of things that hadn’t happened yet.
So she picked an innocuous point: “I think he’s always been heavy-hearted since childhood, lacking that sunshine and confidence that comes from within.”
Zong Muli said: “He’s not confident, yet he dares to pursue you?”
“It’s my dad—he raised him like half a son, thinking he’s a rising star. My mom also said marrying him would be nice, no need to suffer under a mother-in-law.”
Zong Muli said: “I actually think matching family backgrounds is very important. You’re right not to choose him.”
Ning Zhenzhen quietly retorted: “Don’t poor people deserve love?”
Zong Muli immediately realized Ning Zhenzhen was a financially disadvantaged student and was rather sensitive about this topic.
She quickly tried to make amends: “Everyone has the right to pursue love, and also the right to refuse pursuit.”
Ning Zhenzhen said nothing.
A hint of gunpowder hung in the air.
Jian Chu quickly changed the subject: “So our Tangtang likes sunny, confident boys—any targets? Our class monitor is pretty sunny and confident.”
Qiao Shutang blurted out: “We’ll soon have to call him ‘Master’s husband.'”
She immediately covered her mouth with both hands.
The three roommates exploded.
“Juicy!”
“Which teacher made the move?”
“You should ask, which female teacher could he bring himself to go after?”
Qiao Shutang cleared her throat twice.
“I read it from tarot cards. Forget it as soon as you hear it.”
This night talk session lasted half the night.
The next day’s 8 AM class—everyone skipped.
519, Saturday.
Qiao Shutang brought Qiao Xingye to the bridal shop to meet Qiao Xingyue.
As soon as Qiao Xingye saw Qiao Xingyue, she unabashedly hugged her.
” sis, happy newlywed, may you have a baby soon.”
Qiao Shutang hugged them both: “Two kids in three years.”
Qiao Xingyue’s eyes curved into a smile: “When they’re born, I’ll dump them on you two to raise.”
Qiao Shutang immediately changed her tune: “By all means, enjoy a few years of just the two of you first!”
Qiao Xingye seconded: “Yes, yes, yes—once they’re born, you can’t stuff them back in. Be cautious!”
Qiao Xingyue rubbed both their heads: “Go pick out dresses you like. Don’t try to save money for me.”
This shop was exquisitely decorated, very high-end.
The siblings very tactfully chose relatively cheaper ones and went to the fitting rooms to change.
A message from Ling Heng came in.
Zero—: 【Free for a video call?】
Qiao Shutang bit her lower lip hard.
This person seemed to have some obsession with video calls.
Cat-Eared Xiao Qiao: 【No can do, I’m shopping with my sister.】
Zero—: 【The package I sent you arrives tomorrow. Want to change it to Monday?】
To pick up the package, she’d have to make a special trip to Qiao Xingye’s school.
Sunday was suitable; Monday she had to go watch a basketball game.
Cat-Eared Xiao Qiao: 【No need, no need. I’m going to school for extra classes tomorrow, so I’ll pick it up then.】
As she changed clothes, she let her thoughts wander—would Ling Heng send someone to watch the pickup point and take the chance to follow her?
Cat-Ears Xiao Qiao: 【My sister just told me something that scared me to death.】
Zero—: 【What happened?】
Cat-Ears Xiao Qiao: 【She said some creep has been stalking her lately—even picking up her trash and taking it home to snoop through her stuff. Isn’t that terrifying?】
She wondered if giving him a heads-up beforehand would do any good.
Zero—: 【Are you okay? I can send someone to protect you.】
Cat-Ears Xiao Qiao: 【I’m pretty ordinary-looking, no one’s stalking me. Just venting to you about this kind of behavior lol (ω＜)】
Ling Heng: You’re ordinary-looking?
Little trickster, you want me to compliment your looks, don’t you?
Zero—: 【Oh.】
When Qiao Shutang came out in her dress, Qiao Xingye was already showering Ji Yuan with flattery, calling him “brother-in-law” this and that.
Qiao Xingyue waved at her from a distance.
At the same time, she introduced her to Ji Yuan: “This is Xiao Qiao, the one I’m always telling you about.”
Qiao Shutang saw Ji Yuan with his hair slicked back like some old cadre and couldn’t help but laugh: “Hi, brother-in-law!”
Ji Yuan replied stiffly, “Hello, C University’s campus belle.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qiao Shutang pulled Qiao Xingyue aside to whisper.
“Where did you dig this husband up from—some ancient tomb?”
Qiao Xingyue gave her a “fellow traveler” look.
“The first time I saw him, I also thought he was a disciple of the Ancient Tomb Sect.”
“His mouth is all smooth talk in the game, but the moment we meet in person, he’s like a gourd with its mouth sewn shut. And those two obvious nasolabial folds—no matter how I look at him, he doesn’t seem 28.”
“Uncle-looking young guys are all the rage now.” Qiao Xingye popped his head between the two like a ghost.
Startling both the elder and younger Qiao.
Then came a spectacular double-team beatdown.
Ji Yuan found Qiao Xingyue’s way of hitting people adorable, so he captured the moment and posted it on his Moments.
【The legendary bloodline suppression? My wife’s beating my brother-in-law so fast she’s leaving afterimages. Smile.gif】
Ling Heng scrolled past this post and stared at the photo for a long time.
Though the faces were blurry, he felt a strange sense of familiarity with that girl.
Ji Ran leaned over to look, clicking his tongue.
“Interested in that chick?”
Author’s note: Bonus skits will be randomly dropped. If you enjoy them, remember to like and subscribe!