“I do not need him to keep me company. I like that he is loyal to the country, puts the nation first, and devotes himself fully to serving the country and the people…”
After delivering those emotional, highly positive, perfectly mainstream lines, Qiao Shu ended with a resolute declaration of her core belief.
“I just like Feng Xiao, such a great hero. In this lifetime, I will marry no one but him!”
Thus, the boy’s heart, which had stirred for a girl for the first time, was utterly shattered.
His heart lay in pieces.
In the end, Lu Chengye was dragged back home by his family in a dazed state.
Qiao Shu’s words had struck him such a blow that he was completely dejected, his soul seeming to have floated away.
“Shushu, sorry about that. My idiot little brother troubled you. I’ll take him back right now.”
Lu Qian rushed to the Feng Family Residence after getting a call from home, grabbed Lu Chengye by the ear, and apologized seriously to Qiao Shu.
What surprised Lu Qian was that normally, when she grabbed her fearless brat of a brother by the ear, he would jump up in anger and protest.
But today, even though she had used even more force than usual, her idiot brother showed no resistance at all.
“Qianqian Sis, it’s nothing. He did not trouble me.”
On the contrary, he had even given her a shot of confidence.
She had not expected Feng Xiao to so boldly declare their spousal status in front of outsiders.
Thinking about it made her quite happy.
“Alright then, I’ll take my idiot brother home first. Next time Sis has time, I’ll come play with you.”
Lu Qian liked Qiao Shu’s appearance very much and loved spending time with her, but her younger brother’s condition was clearly off now, so the overly worried sister didn’t stay long at the Feng Family home. She simply led her brother away.
After leaving the Feng Family home, Lu Qian slapped her brother awake and then asked Lu Chengye what exactly had happened.
Once he came back to his senses, Lu Chengye felt deeply aggrieved as he recounted his earlier conversation with Qiao Shu.
After finishing, Lu Chengye felt even more heartbroken.
“Sis, I got dumped…”
Seeing her younger brother looking so utterly devastated, Lu Qian rolled her eyes speechlessly.
“Bullshit on getting dumped! You haven’t even dated anyone—where’s the dump coming from?”
“You don’t get it. This was my first love! I got dumped! Sis, tell me, how am I not as good as Brother Feng Xiao anywhere…?”
Lu Qian truly didn’t want to deal with her idiot brother, but he was her flesh and blood after all—she couldn’t just ignore him.
So she snapped irritably, “Stop dreaming. You’re no match for Feng Xiao anywhere. Qiao Shu would have to be blind to fall for you!”
“Sis, I’m your brother!”
Seeing Lu Chengye’s unwilling expression, Lu Qian suddenly had an idea. This seemed like a perfect chance to reform her good-for-nothing playboy of a brother!
“It’s because you’re my own brother that I’m telling you the truth. Little Ye, think about it—you’re sixteen this year. You won’t go to military academy, you don’t want to take the university entrance exam, you have no skills, you just eat and drink at home all day, relying on the status the elders gave you to strut around. How do you compare to Feng Xiao, who’s renowned for his military achievements and already a regimental commander at such a young age?
“How are you worthy of Qiao Shu? She at least has a career now. She earns a tidy sum in manuscript fees just by writing at home…”
In the past, Lu Chengye would have dismissed any advice about studying hard or making something of himself.
But now, because of Qiao Shu, the sixteen-year-old boy felt the urge to strive, to work hard and improve for the first time.
“Sis, if I become as outstanding as Feng Xiao—or even better—will Qiao Shu notice me and like me then?”
Lu Chengye’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Lu Qian, his tone laced with expectation.
As someone who’d been through it, Lu Qian doubted that even if her brother outshone Feng Xiao, Qiao Shu would switch her affections. Still, encouragement was needed to keep the brat motivated and striving.
How else to keep him on the hook???
“Definitely. Didn’t Qiao Shu say she likes big heroes loyal to the motherland, contributing to its people? If you become as outstanding as Feng Xiao, I bet she’ll like you and notice you…”
“Yeah! Sis! I’ve decided! I’m going to apply to military academy! I’m enlisting!”
…
And so, entirely without Qiao Shu’s knowledge, Lu Qian used her as bait to trick an underage boy into deciding to take the military academy exam and enlist to strive for better.
When the Lu Family elders learned that their troublesome young one had changed so dramatically all because of Qiao Shu, they were immensely grateful to her in their hearts!
Though they’d never met her, the Lu Family already regarded Qiao Shu as a great benefactor and vowed to repay her properly someday…
Qiao Shu knew none of this. After Lu Qian took Lu Chengye away, she promptly put the siblings out of her mind.
She didn’t even mention their visit when the Feng Family members returned.
Lu Qian must have told He Yingzi, though, because that evening, He Yingzi called specifically to ask Qiao Shu about it.
“Shushu, that Lu Chengye kid didn’t do anything to you, right?”
“Nope, sis. He just ate some leftovers at our place, then Qianqian Sis took him away.”
Hearing Qiao Shu’s words, He Yingzi finally relaxed. She’d been worried about leaving Qiao Shu alone at home while she and the family were out.
“Shushu, don’t just open the door to strangers when you’re home alone from now on.”
Clutching the phone, Qiao Shu burst out laughing at the voice from the receiver.
“Sis, you’re making a fuss over nothing! This is the Military District Compound—security here’s top-notch! Besides, Lu Chengye isn’t a stranger.”
Even so, Qiao Shu felt deeply touched in her heart. Her big aunt cared so much about her~!
“You still need to be careful…”
“Got it, got it, sis. I’ll be careful from now on. If I’m home alone, I definitely won’t open the door to strangers! Or anyone I’m not close to~!”
With Qiao Shu’s particularly obedient promise, He Yingzi finally hung up, reassured.
Qiao Shu, hanging up the phone, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Of course, what filled her heart more was the warmth of being cared for by her family.
Thinking of the Feng Family members who cared for her so much, Qiao Shu couldn’t help but think of her own family. Perhaps with Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, she suddenly missed them terribly.
She wondered how Mom and Dad were doing, and if the phone at home had been installed yet…
If only this era had video phones, so she could see her family every day…
Just as Qiao Shu yearned for her parents in her heart, Qiao’s father and mother were missing their daughter Qiao Shu at that very moment!
—Qiao Village—
“Sigh, I wonder if our letter made it to our girl.”
After dinner that evening, as He Meijun lay in bed, she sighed softly, her thoughts turning to her little daughter far away in the Capital after marrying there.
“Our village is so far from the Capital—it probably hasn’t arrived that fast. Don’t overthink it. We’re making money now, so we can go see Shushu soon.”
Qiao Chang gently patted He Meijun’s back and said softly.
He Meijun, who had been frowning from missing her daughter too much, brightened up a bit at her husband’s words.
“I never imagined our melon seed company with Xia Hua and that Hong Kong fellow would make this much. It’s only been a few days, and we’re already turning a profit. Too bad we invested too little at the start—otherwise, we’d get even more…”
“Our share isn’t small. Besides, Boss Ji said since the formula’s from our girl, she gets 30% of the shares too. So we’re actually taking the biggest cut…”
Qiao Chang beamed, thoroughly content.
He was easily satisfied and knew his own limits. He didn’t mind that he and his wife had the smallest shares in their joint melon seed venture.
To him, they were just ignorant farmers. Earning money this easily was like pie falling from the sky.
“You’re right. Boss Ji agreed our Shushu’s 30% is for her technical contribution…”
He Meijun nodded, though something still felt off to her.
“Husband, don’t you think Boss Ji’s acting a bit strange?”
“Huh? What’s up with Boss Ji???”
Qiao Chang asked blankly at his wife’s words.
“Don’t you think he’s too nice to us? He doesn’t put on any boss airs, always greets us smiling, and brings gifts from Hong Kong every time. It’s like he’s buttering us up, but what do we have worth currying favor for…?”
As she spoke, He Meijun voiced the suspicion she’d been harboring.
“Do you think Boss Ji has a thing for our daughter? Why else be so nice to us and give her 30% shares???”
Qiao Chang, who’d been getting sleepy, perked up at his wife’s words.
He chuckled and shook his head, advising gently, “Wife, you’re overthinking. Even if our Shushu’s pretty, Boss Ji has to see her first to fall for her. He hasn’t even met our girl—how could he like her?”
“You’re right…”
He Meijun thought it over and realized that made sense.
Still, something nagged at her.
“Enough, wife. Don’t dwell. If there’s money to be made, let’s focus on that. Everything else is fake—what’s real is money in our pockets. Who cares what Boss Ji’s thinking? As long as he hasn’t harmed us or our girl, it’s fine!”
Reassured by Qiao Chang, He Meijun finally let it go.
“You’re right, husband. Whatever schemes Boss Ji has, money in our hands is ours! Let’s earn more quick, buy a house in the Capital early, and live with our girl…”
As the couple murmured about the melon seed company’s recent progress and planned to deposit all their earnings in the bank, a faint sound suddenly came from outside the door.
It sounded like someone stepping on and snapping a twig.
“Who’s out there???”
Having just discussed money, both were on high alert. Even though the noise stopped, they cautiously dressed, opened the door, and checked around outside carefully.
“No one.”
“Did we hear wrong?”
Seeing no one, He Meijun and Qiao Chang closed the door and returned to bed.
Though they found nothing, the scare made them decide to deposit all their earnings in the bank tomorrow, so no one could steal it from home!
Little did He Meijun and Qiao Chang know, their worry was spot on.
The noise outside hadn’t been imagined—someone really had been crouching there eavesdropping!
And that person was none other than—Qiao Hui!