CHAPTER 404: CHAPTER 374: I DON’T WANT TO MARRY YOU

To welcome Qin Xia, Qiao Yuxian booked the entire Lin’s Clubhouse.

Lin Huai Shu didn’t stay with them on Cui Mountain Island. He left for M Continent once the matters with the Qin Family were mostly settled.

The Lin Family has businesses in M Continent, and there was a minor issue that Lin Huai Shu has been handling over there.

He didn’t come back with them today either.

So when they found out Lin Huai Shu couldn’t come back, they deliberately set the welcoming venue at Lin’s Clubhouse.

Loudly telling him that while he’s busy working, they’re having fun.

Lin Huai Shu complained about them all day in the group chat.

In the end, it was Gu Yanjing who "invited" him out of the group, and then everyone finally quieted down.

The group first went to eat, discussing the matters on the Qin Family’s side while eating.

Everything on the Qin Family’s side had been settled.

Those who needed to be dealt with were dealt with, and the whole Qin Family was now in Qin Xia’s hands.

Then it was back to recovery, liquidation, and discussing future developments.

That’s why Chu Zhengran and Qin Xia stayed there for so long.

The people from Yao Mountain Island went over several times, and every time it was Qin Xia who met them.

After meeting them, they left, and nothing was done to make things difficult for the Qin Family.

Gu Yanjing and Qiao Yuxian were aware of some of these matters from their usual phone calls.

After eating, they went downstairs to play.

Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran sat by the booth drinking and chatting, keeping an eye on Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia.

Shang Chen sat at another booth, eating fruit, and observing the situation in all directions.

Liu Zhou was dragged away by Yuan Wei to play with Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia.

The four of them first sang for a while, and then obstinately started a four-person game of Werewolf.

From a distance, Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran watched them. Every time Qiao Yuxian spoke, she would stand up. With that momentum, Gu Yanjing thought she could make Yuan Wei cry.

As for Qin Xia, she was already in a high state even without drinking. Chu Zhengran was clearly used to it after so many years.

The music was already loud, but the voices of Qiao Yuxian, Qin Xia, and Yuan Wei always managed to drown it out.

Out of the four, Liu Zhou seemed the most normal.

After watching for a while, Gu Yanjing asked, "Have you made up with Qin Xia?"

At the mention of that, Chu Zhengran’s gentle smile turned a bit bitter, "No."

Gu Yanjing glanced at him, disdainfully asking, "Then what have you been doing all these days?"

"Went to make money, I guess," Chu Zhengran replied.

Gu Yanjing looked at him, waiting for him to continue speaking.

Chu Zhengran said, "She kept insisting that I come back, but in the end, I had no choice. I told her she’d have to pay me to be her assistant before I reluctantly stayed."

Gu Yanjing: "...... how much per day?"

"Ten thousand an hour," Chu Zhengran said.

"Twenty thousand an hour to join Gu Group," Gu Yanjing replied.

Chu Zhengran chuckled softly, his voice gentle, "Are you crazy? I don’t want to marry you."

Gu Yanjing glanced at him and then casually said one word, "Scram."

Chu Zhengran chuckled, raised his glass, and reached toward Gu Yanjing.

After a moment, Gu Yanjing picked up his glass and clinked it against Chu Zhengran’s.

After playing Werewolf for over an hour, Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia sang for a while, then took Shang Chen to the nearby billiard room.

Shang Chen didn’t really want to go but was directly dragged away by Liu Zhou and Yuan Wei.

Qiao Yuxian wasn’t very good at billiards; she mainly played to keep Qin Xia company.

While playing, Qin Xia said, "I haven’t told you yet, the day after you and Gu Yanjing left Cui Mountain Island, it started pouring there. It’s been years and I’ve never seen such awful weather: stormy with thunder and lightning."

"Maybe it was cheering for you," Qiao Yuxian said.

"I don’t think so," Qin Xia shook her head, standing straight. "I think it’s Yan Ting’s resentment."

Qiao Yuxian looked at her.

Qin Xia glanced at Shang Chen, who was focused on his game with a stern face, and whispered, "It rained for a whole week. I think it’s Yan Ting’s anger."

"That’s so exaggerated," Qiao Yuxian laughed.

"You played him so much, and instead of coming to find you, he just let Cui Mountain Island storm for a week," Qin Xia said. "I think he’s already shown his mercy."

"Not going to Yao Mountain Island to scold him was already my mercy," Qiao Yuxian said.

"He might be wishing you’d go to Yao Mountain Island to scold him," Qin Xia said.

Qiao Yuxian chuckled and said nothing.

While making a shot, Qin Xia added, "Honestly, you two can’t keep it so tense. It’s been a cold war for years. Yan Ting wanted to reach out to you but didn’t dare. This time he forced you through the Qin Family, and you just toyed with him. Do you think he might cry?"

Qiao Yuxian fell silent for a moment, looking at Yuan Wei, and said softly, "When he wanted to abandon Yuan Wei’s life, why didn’t he cry?"

Qin Xia said nothing, turning her gaze to Yuan Wei.

Yuan Wei noticed their gaze and looked up, smiling at them.

Qiao Yuxian also smiled at him.

Qin Xia glanced at Qiao Yuxian again, thinking, Qiao Yuxian has been with Yuan Wei since her teens, like siblings. This matter is probably hard for her to let go.

...

Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran chatted about recent events in the Capital City for almost an hour. Seeing they still hadn’t returned, they decided to check the billiard room.

They found Liu Zhou and the other three there, but Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia weren’t around.

Yuan Wei mentioned they had gone off to the left.

Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran set out to find them.

Once outside, they turned left and walked for a bit until they heard the voices of Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia.

They were in the stairwell.

Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran approached quietly and stopped discreetly to listen in.

Qiao Yuxian and Qin Xia sat on the staircase, each with a glass of wine, both slightly inebriated.

Qin Xia said, "Honestly, I’m not joking. Thank you for all these years. Without you, I might have really died that year."

"I said, I got paid," Qiao Yuxian replied.

"So all your feelings for me over the years were fake?" Qin Xia slurred her words, her voice slightly sobbing, "I won’t give you that mine, and if I need your help in the future, will you still help me?"

"Yes," Qiao Yuxian said simply.

"I knew you weren’t in it for the money," Qin Xia took a sip of her drink, "Gu Yanjing sent Qin Rui to Cui Mountain Island, we met once, he didn’t tell me anything, and the next day he committed suicide."

Qiao Yuxian knew about this.

After things settled with the Qin Family, Gu Yanjing had Qin Rui sent over.

Then Qin Rui committed suicide.

"Yu Xian, I have no family left. It’s just you," Qin Xia started to cry softly.

Qiao Yuxian, having consumed half a glass of wine, was actually quite drunk, but her mind was somewhat clear, though her reactions were slow, "And Chu Zhengran."

"No Chu Zhengran."

"Yes, Chu Zhengran."

"No!"

"Yes!"

Gu Yanjing and Chu Zhengran listened to their childish argument.

"No!" Qin Xia cried out loudly amidst her tears.

"Yes!" Qiao Yuxian countered, "He was just here."

"No!" Qin Xia said again, "His mom won’t allow it."

Qiao Yuxian tilted her head, looked at her, and after a while said, "Need me to take care of that for you?"

Chu Zhengran looked at Gu Yanjing in horror.

Gu Yanjing showed no expression, but feeling a bit guilty, glanced at him and then looked away.

Qin Xia asked, "How would you do that?"

"Have him bring a man home," Qiao Yuxian suggested a solution, "then maybe his mom will allow it if it’s a woman later."