CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 411: ADDING TROUBLE

Qiao Yuxian sat on the sofa, thanked the servant for the tea.

Then she smiled, looking harmless while gazing at Gu Linhai and Meng Qian across from her.

"Second Uncle, did you and Second Aunt come over this morning?" Qiao Yuxian asked.

Gu Linhai said nothing.

Meng Qian replied, "Just arrived a little while ago."

"Grandpa and the others..." Qiao Yuxian looked at the servant nearby.

The servant said, "Old Sir Lu came over. He’s with Mr. Gu and the others in the backyard garden."

Qiao Yuxian nodded.

Meng Qian listened to their conversation, looked at Qiao Yuxian, paused, and said, "Old Sir Lu and our old gentleman were life-and-death friends. Our Gu Family and the Lu Family are as close as a family."

"Is that so?" Qiao Yuxian smiled, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. She sensed what Meng Qian wanted to say and casually prompted her to continue.

Gu Linhai said, "Yes. The two families have always been very close. When Yanjing was little, she was betrothed to the Lu Family’s young lady."

"There’s such a thing." Qiao Yuxian inquired.

"Yes." Gu Linhai’s expression was indifferent, showing no emotional fluctuations, his voice flat, as if discussing family matters, "They say Lu Mengyi is Yanjing’s fiancée, such things are not without basis."

Qiao Yuxian slightly raised her eyebrows.

Meng Qian click her tongue, reproachedly looking at Gu Linhai and said, "Why are you talking about these things in front of Yu Xian."

Gu Linhai glanced at Qiao Yuxian, a sorry look on his face and said, "It’s just a matter of conversation leading to this."

Meng Qian smiled and said, "Yu Xian, don’t overthink it. Miss Lu just gets along quite well with Yanjing. After all, the two families are close, and they are similar in age, studying and often being together. It’s merely a better relationship than usual."

Her words almost suggested that Qiao Yuxian should think more about it.

Qiao Yuxian smiled and said, "Second Aunt, I know. I won’t overthink it. What happened next?"

"Huh?" Meng Qian was puzzled by her question, "What next?"

"After the betrothal, of course." Qiao Yuxian asked with interest.

Seeing she was truly curious, Meng Qian’s mood to cause annoyance became stuck halfway.

Qiao Yuxian continued, "You know, Gu Yanjing is a man of few words. I want to know about his past, but he is unwilling to talk about some things. Please, tell me about it. What happened after the betrothal?"

Gu Linhai looked at her.

He truly couldn’t tell if she was genuinely carefree or pretending to be ignorant.

Meng Qian almost couldn’t reply: "Afterwards, nothing was heard about it."

"I see." Qiao Yuxian took a small fork, stabbed a piece of watermelon, and ate it slowly, "It must be that the betrothal no longer counts. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be Mrs. Gu now, right, Second Aunt?"

Meng Qian looked at her, hearing the phrase "Mrs. Gu," and smiled slightly.

"Actually, Lu Family sister, we’ve met several times. She and Gu Yanjing have nothing whatsoever." Qiao Yuxian finished speaking, then murmured angrily, venting to them, "I don’t know who is spreading nonsense outside. It’s shameless."

Both Gu Linhai and Meng Qian felt a bit choked up inside.

This is clearly not pretending ignorance, it’s obviously cursing them.

Yet, they couldn’t do anything.

Being angry would just mean admitting they were being cursed, and eagerly finding fault, they could only silently accept it.

Qiao Yuxian finished speaking in a soft voice, then looked innocently and asked, "Second Uncle, Second Aunt, what’s wrong? You don’t look well?"

Gu Linhai glanced at her and remained silent.

Meng Qian said, "It’s nothing, probably got up a bit early today."

"Oh." Qiao Yuxian nodded in response, took another piece of watermelon.

The three remained quiet for a while.

Then Gu Linhai spoke again, "I heard Yan Zhiyao from Imperial Power Club in Jin City was captured?"

Qiao Yuxian lifted her gaze to him.

Her eyes didn’t show scrutiny, no hostility, they simply looked at him.

Gu Linhai stared at her, seemingly trying to see something through her eyes.

But her eyes were bright and transparent, revealing nothing.

No anger, restraint, helplessness... nothing.

Meng Qian also looked at Qiao Yuxian.

Another few seconds of silence among the three.

Qiao Yuxian nodded and said, "Yes. Didn’t Second Uncle hear about it?"

"Heard a bit." Because he didn’t see the emotions he wanted on Qiao Yuxian’s face, a few parts of excitement and satisfaction lessened in Gu Linhai, he said, "But I don’t know if what I’ve heard is true, so I asked."

"Second Uncle seems quite interested in this matter." Qiao Yuxian said.

"Not really interested," Gu Linhai said casually, "Just a random topic to chat about."

Qiao Yuxian nodded and said, "Which part did Second Uncle hear?"

"Yan Zhiyao’s identity." Gu Linhai slowly said these words.

Qiao Yuxian played with the small fork in her hand and asked, "What does Second Uncle think?"

"What do I think?" Gu Linhai’s eyes carried an almost arrogant smile, "It’s up to the police to decide, isn’t it?"

Qiao Yuxian chuckled lightly, said nothing.

Seeing her smile, Gu Linhai added, "After all, he is already Yan Zhiyao, with solid evidence. No one can do anything."

Qiao Yuxian understood.

The couple came to cause trouble today.

Gu Yanjing undermined his forces, cut off his two main aides. He came today to get back at them.

This was to inform them.

How does it matter if Gu Shuluo is not Yan Zhiyao? What can they do?

Gu Shuluo has already taken the blame.

The real Yan Zhiyao is nowhere to be found.

And they lack evidence.

They can only take this mute loss with clarity in their hearts.

Plus, with Gu Shuluo taking the blame, the real Yan Zhiyao is an innocent person now.

Living freely and happily...

"Not necessarily." Qiao Yuxian didn’t tear the peace on the surface, maintained the current façade and said, "Truth cannot be falsified and false cannot become truth. False things are always temporary. Second Uncle, don’t you think so."

"What if false things become true?" Gu Linhai asked.

"Then it only proves it’s not entirely false," Qiao Yuxian calmly met Gu Linhai’s eyes and said, "But the truth will eventually be caught."

Gu Linhai laughed.

Qiao Yuxian looked at his laugh.

He laughed for a while, his expression sank, his plain tone carrying a brash declaration: "Then I’ll wait to see if that time comes."

Gu Linhai’s tone was too arrogant, too conceited.

Even suggesting that perhaps Qiao Yuxian and Gu Yanjing wouldn’t live to see that day.

Qiao Yuxian faintly smiled, her beautiful fox-like eyes lifted, her tone was calm, a reply without waves: "I hope Second Uncle can see it."

Gu Linhai snorted softly.

Right then, Gu Yanjing returned from outside.

Entering the living room, Gu Yanjing first glanced at Qiao Yuxian.

Qiao Yuxian smiled at him.

Then Gu Yanjing’s gaze fell on Gu Linhai and Meng Qian, paused and said, "Second Uncle, Second Aunt."

Meng Qian responded.

Gu Linhai stood up and asked, "Is Old Sir Lu still here?"

"Yes." Gu Yanjing replied.

"We’ll go greet him."

Gu Linhai took Meng Qian away.

Gu Yanjing looked at Qiao Yuxian.

Qiao Yuxian’s expression instantly fell, like a little fox, seeming to burst into flames.

Bared her teeth while waving her little fists at the doorway...