1988.
Inside an old-fashioned Western-style house in a bustling part of the capital, the walls had been scraped until the plaster was mottled and battered. The rosewood furniture had been smashed to pieces, and the oil paintings had been violently torn from the walls, leaving only one corner of a frame hanging precariously in place.
The moment Qiao Zhiwei pushed open the door, she saw her younger sister trembling in the corner. She hurried over, crouched down, and asked, “Did those people come again to take things and smash up the house?”
Hearing the familiar voice, Qiao Zhilan finally came back to her senses from her fear. She stubbornly held back her tears and nodded. “Mm.”
Qiao Zhiwei’s eyes immediately reddened. She took the watch from her wrist, placed Qiao Zhilan’s hand in her palm, and said, “Pack your things and leave this place too.”
Hearing her sister’s decision, Qiao Zhilan excitedly grabbed Qiao Zhiwei’s arm. “Did the Huo family agree to move up your wedding date?”
Qiao Zhiwei gently nodded.
Seven days ago, a group of creditors had suddenly appeared at their home. That was when she learned that the Qiao family had gone bankrupt.
At some point, her father had secretly sold the household-chemical factory that had once been doing quite well and opened a new television factory instead.
It was precisely this newly established television factory that had gone bankrupt after accumulating a massive debt.
From the moment she learned the news, her parents had disappeared without a trace.
Even the relatives who had always been warm and friendly had avoided them during this period.
And her fiancé, Huo Jingchen, had gone even further. He had quickly become engaged to someone else, with the wedding scheduled for the first day of next month.
As someone who had been born into the twenty-first century and transmigrated into this era, this was the first time Qiao Zhiwei had truly experienced what it meant to see the fickleness of human nature.
“Then that’s wonderful! Once you have the Huo family’s protection, no matter how aggressively those people demand payment, you won’t have to be afraid.” Qiao Zhilan wiped away her tears and immediately stood up.
“Zhiwei, at a time like this, you’re still lying to Zhilan? How about I tell her that Huo Jingchen’s fiancée is my cousin, and they’re getting married on the first of next month?”
A slick, streetwise male voice came from outside, drawing closer with every word.
The sisters turned around and saw He Gang swaggering into the house with five or six lackeys.
Qiao Zhilan immediately stepped in front of Qiao Zhiwei protectively. “Brother Gang, don’t talk nonsense. We sisters will definitely repay the money we owe your family.”
Huo Jingchen had been personally nurtured by her sister all these years. After returning from studying abroad, he had immediately become highly sought after by the major universities.
And when Old Master Huo had been injured back then, the Qiao family had spent a huge amount of money purchasing medicine from overseas to save his life. The marriage between the two families had been personally promised by Grandpa Huo himself.
Moreover, the Huo family was now a prestigious third-generation red family in the capital. There was no way they would betray their promise at a time like this.
He Gang’s gaze shamelessly roamed over Qiao Zhiwei from head to toe. He pressed his tongue against his back teeth and sneered.
“Your family owes ours twenty thousand yuan. How are you going to repay such a huge sum?
“How about this, Zhiwei? Brother feels sorry for you. Why don’t we just get married on the same day as my cousin? After we’re married, if you make me happy and take good care of me, I’ll let you off the hook for the debt.”
Looking at his greasy, repulsive face, Qiao Zhiwei felt nothing but disgust. Her voice turned cold.
“A debt is a debt. Don’t drag marriage into this. I will never marry you.”
Her outright rejection immediately enraged He Gang.
“You still think you’re the lofty eldest daughter of the Qiao family? Wake up! You’re nothing but a fallen phoenix now worse than an ordinary chicken! The fact that I’m willing to marry you is your good fortune!
“Do you really think two little girls like you can protect this Western-style house?
“I’m the only reason I’ve kept those creditors in check.
“Once they find out that the Huo family’s future daughter-in-law has already been replaced, do you think you sisters will still be able to stand here so untouched and unmolested?”
Qiao Zhiwei understood.
He Gang had already claimed both this house and her herself as his territory. He clearly intended to take advantage of the Qiao family’s downfall and strip them of everything they owned.
What shamelessness.
“Old Master Huo hasn’t even returned yet. How can you be so certain that your cousin’s engagement will definitely go through?”
The moment He Gang heard this, he stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm, giving her a sinister smile.
“Then let’s make sure the deed is done first, so the old man can’t come back and ruin things.”
Seeing him lean closer, Qiao Zhiwei felt sick to her stomach. Her heart jumped into her throat as she shoved him away with all her strength.
“He Gang, don’t do anything reckless. We can talk this out. This is the kind of time when hooliganism can get you executed.”
He Gang’s hand was like an iron vise. Instead of letting go, he dragged Qiao Zhiwei toward his arms.
“Come into Brother’s arms and we’ll talk it over.”
Qiao Zhilan rushed forward frantically and screamed, “Let go of my sister!”
Impatient, He Gang shoved her away with the back of his hand.
Qiao Zhilan was thrown several steps away. She failed to regain her balance and crashed into the wall, curling up in pain.
“Zhilan!”
Qiao Zhiwei cried out in anguish. She turned around and saw the complete indifference on He Gang’s face. Gritting her teeth, she said viciously, “He Gang, if you force Zhilan and me to our deaths, you won’t get anything—not even this house.”
“I don’t care whether Zhilan lives or dies. But I definitely won’t let you die.”
With that, He Gang grabbed Qiao Zhiwei and tried to force her down onto the sofa.
Just then, someone came rushing in from outside in a panic.
“Brother Gang, I think I saw a car from the Huo family. Could it be Huo Jingchen?”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Zhilan immediately rushed over.
“Did you hear that, He Gang? It’s Brother Jingchen! If he sees you treating my sister like this, he won’t let you get away with it.”
He Gang’s movements stopped.
He froze for a moment, then laughed.
“My cousin’s husband-to-be? We’re family now. There’s nothing to be afraid of. He personally agreed to let me pursue Zhiwei.”
The moment she heard this, the tiny spark of hope that had just risen in Qiao Zhiwei’s heart was extinguished completely.
No wonder He Gang had dared to act so brazenly.
So that was why.
How could he?
He was truly a beast.
Looking at Qiao Zhiwei’s pale face, He Gang smiled.
“Well? Zhiwei, isn’t Huo Jingchen being generous?”
“You’re lying! Brother Jingchen would never treat my sister like this!” Qiao Zhilan trembled with rage.
Qiao Zhiwei forced herself upright and calmly said to He Gang, “Let Zhilan go. Send her safely out of the capital, and I’ll marry you.”
He Gang laughed.
“You should’ve said that from the beginning.”
“Big Sister!” Qiao Zhilan called out in a trembling voice. “He’s lying to you.”
He Gang didn’t even spare Qiao Zhilan a glance. He leaned his face toward Qiao Zhiwei.
“Then show me a little sincerity first.”
When he saw Qiao Zhiwei instinctively recoil, his temper flared.
“Have I been too nice to you?”
He raised his arm.
“Ah!”
Before his hand could come down, a scream rang out.
The two thugs who had been standing guard outside were suddenly kicked into the room.
The two men crawled and rolled toward He Gang in panic.
“Brother Gang, hurry and leave! The Huo family people are terrifying!”
He Gang looked bewildered.
“Which member of the Huo family?”
“We don’t know.”
“It can’t be Huo Jingchen.” He Gang immediately denied it. There was no way Huo Jingchen had that kind of skill.
Seeing what was happening, Qiao Zhilan burst into tears.
“It must be Brother Jingchen! I knew he wasn’t that kind of person.”
A tall, straight figure appeared in the doorway and slowly walked inside.
He was dressed in a perfectly pressed military uniform, military boots striking the floor with heavy, muffled thuds. His sharply defined brows and handsome features carried an imposing air.
Before he even said a word, He Gang’s face turned pale.
It wasn’t Huo Jingchen.
It was Huo Jingchen’s elder brother—
Huo Jingnian.
“Jing… Jingnian, Brother Jingnian? Why is it you?”