Chapter 26: The Ice Queen’s Fierce Love
Tao Ning, unable to find Xu Qiuyi after waking up, went downstairs and found her chatting with someone on the sofa.
Xu Qiuyi’s hair was loose around her shoulders, her posture slightly stiff, but she seemed unharmed. The woman she was talking to looked familiar.
She wore a smart business suit, her shoulder-length hair framing a smooth forehead, her makeup light and professional.
She looked barely thirty, not a day over forty, certainly not the formidable head of the Tao Corporation.
“Qiuyi, right? Ningning talks about you all the time,” Tao Yan said, her legs crossed elegantly, a cushion resting on her lap.
Xu Qiuyi, clearly surprised, pointed at herself. “You’ve… heard of me?”
She was surprised not only that Tao Ning had mentioned her, a mere student, to her busy mother, but also by Tao Yan’s surprisingly approachable demeanor.
It was a stark contrast to the fear she inspired in others, the ashen look on Tiger’s face still fresh in her mind.
Tao Yan smiled. “Of course. Every time we video call, she mentions you. She says she owes all her recent progress to ‘Xu Laoshi.’”
Xu Qiuyi blushed, waving her hands dismissively. “It’s nothing. Ningning is a quick learner. I haven’t done much.”
Tao Yan’s smile widened. “Ningning predicted you’d say that.”
Xu Qiuyi, unaware of the persona Tao Ning had crafted for her, genuinely believed she hadn’t done much. Tutoring Tao Ning wasn’t difficult.
She didn’t understand how significant Tao Ning’s transformation appeared from Tao Yan’s perspective. This sudden dedication to academics was unprecedented, a miracle. Tao Yan had almost jumped up from the conference table, wanting to announce, “My daughter improved three hundred ranks in the last exam!”
She had restrained herself, but her sudden outburst of laughter had prompted the presenter to ask nervously if he had said something amusing.
Tao Ning, watching them from the top of the stairs, saw them both turn and look up, having sensed her presence.
Caught red-handed, she smiled sheepishly, waving. “Morning?”
Half an hour later, after being subjected to an enthusiastic hug, Tao Ning finally sat down for breakfast.
Tao Yan, having not seen her daughter for a while, abandoned all table manners, talking non-stop throughout the meal, her attention shifting between Tao Ning and Xu Qiuyi.
Her voice filled the dining room, a constant stream of words.
At one point, she almost declared Xu Qiuyi her adopted daughter, exclaiming, “We’re so alike! I feel like I’ve known you forever! I’ve always wanted another daughter! Can I come visit your house?”
Xu Qiuyi, startled, politely declined, looking at Tao Ning with a pleading expression. Help! Is she sure she’s drinking soy milk, not alcohol?
Tao Ning, barely suppressing her laughter, gently steered her overexcited mother back to her breakfast, ensuring she finished her meal before making any more impulsive declarations.
She reassured Xu Qiuyi, “Don’t worry. My mom… gets attached easily. If she likes you, she really likes you.”
Xu Qiuyi, seeing Tao Yan’s affectionate gaze, believed her.
After breakfast, Tao Yan was sent upstairs to catch up on sleep, and both Tao Ning and Xu Qiuyi breathed a sigh of relief.
Managing Tao Yan required the same level of energy as wrangling ten hyperactive huskies.
Before meeting Tao Yan, Xu Qiuyi had assumed she simply had a daughter who happened to look like her. She had been wrong, very wrong.
Later, while changing clothes, Xu Qiuyi passed by the study and saw Tao Yan, who was supposed to be sleeping, sitting at the desk, her phone pressed to her ear.
She didn’t hear the other person’s words, but Tao Yan’s response, delivered in a cool, dismissive tone, was clearly audible. “Are all Nangongs such skilled liars? My car was seen near the Crown Club, and now that it’s been shut down, it’s somehow my family’s fault? The Nangong family might be powerful, but I don’t recall them starting out as hat-sellers.”
“Are you suggesting my staff snuck in those gambling tables, the fighting ring, the… What was it? Bodies in the basement? You killed someone and now you’re trying to blame it on the Tao family?”
“I don’t know who ‘Little Tiger Lu’ is, but I know someone messed with my daughter. Ningning had nightmares all night, woke up screaming. I haven’t even settled the score with you yet, and you dare to come to me with accusations? Anyone who bullies my daughter will pay.”
“I don’t know who this ‘Fei’ person is. I’ve praised countless talented young men. Has he made any significant contributions to the Tao Corporation that warrant my… leniency? No. So why are you even talking to me?”
“My daughter is spoiled? Are you joking? I didn’t work my ass off to make money for you to spend! Either put someone competent on the phone, or get lost.”
The gentle, approachable woman from the breakfast table had transformed into a ruthless businesswoman, her words sharp and precise, her eyes flitting between her computer screen and the documents on her desk, multitasking effortlessly, like someone casually snacking while watching TV.
Xu Qiuyi, hurrying past the open door, thought, So, it’s not just the looks. The verbal takedowns are also genetic.
After changing, she went back downstairs, her mood slightly calmer. She wanted to go home, to check on her family.
It was still early, and her mother hadn’t contacted her. She considered calling, but she didn’t know what to say.
Then, she received a message from Guan Ruolin, asking her to come home and look after Zhichun. She had to go out and would be back later.
Guan Ruolin’s usual refrain was “We’re family; we shouldn’t hold grudges.” She always saw the good in everyone, especially Xu Zhihong, her forgiving nature a constant source of frustration for Xu Qiuyi.
Her mind in turmoil, Xu Qiuyi went downstairs.
Tao Ning was waiting in the garden. The air was fresh and clean after the rain, the scent of damp earth and flowers mingling.
As Xu Qiuyi approached, she saw a young woman in a business suit talking to Tao Ning, then leaving.
They passed each other on the path, the woman glancing at Xu Qiuyi with a look of… recognition, before offering a polite smile and walking away.
Xu Qiuyi stopped, watching her go, convinced she had seen her before.
Tao Ning walked over. “What are you doing, standing here all alone?”
Xu Qiuyi, snapping out of her reverie, asked, “Is she… also your mother’s assistant?” She was referring to Zhou Tong.
Tao Ning replied, “She used to be. Now she’s mine. She brought some… information. About your father. Do you want to see it?”
Xu Qiuyi looked up, her voice firm. “Yes. Where is it?”
At the police station, Guan Ruolin, a rare visitor to such a place, had rushed over after receiving a call, having only had time to reassure Zhichun before leaving. Unable to find anyone to accompany her, she had come alone.
After giving her name, she was led to a small room, where Xu Zhihong sat at a table, flanked by two police officers.
His offense wasn’t serious, just a minor brawl. He even had injuries, the security footage clearly showing Tiger initiating the violence.
The charge of unlawful detention, however, was difficult to prove. There was no evidence of collusion between Xu Zhihong and Tiger: no messages, no calls, no financial transactions. He also vehemently denied any involvement, claiming to be a victim, a concerned father.
Guan Ruolin looked haggard, dark circles under her eyes. She hadn’t slept, her mind racing with unanswered questions.
Seeing her, Xu Zhihong’s face lit up, as if seeing a savior. He pleaded with her, begging her to convince Xu Qiuyi to ask her “powerful friends” to get him released.
He had spent a night in jail, and it had been a nightmare. The other inmates, sensing his weakness, had targeted him relentlessly. He had been forced to stand all night, too afraid to sit, too afraid to close his eyes.
They had heard he was a gambler, that he had used his own daughter as bait, and they had made him pay.
The guards hadn’t intervened, their occasional reprimands ignored as soon as they left.
He was bruised, exhausted, even speaking causing his facial muscles to ache.
Guan Ruolin, her lips dry and cracked, didn’t touch the water offered by the female officer. She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion, pain, and unshed tears, as if seeing a stranger.
Xu Zhihong, unnerved by her gaze, wanted to yell at her, but the officer beside him restrained him. “Say something, Ruolin!” he pleaded.
“How much did he give you?” she finally asked.
Xu Zhihong was taken aback. “What are you talking about? You think I… I colluded with them? Ruolin, you’re my wife! Don’t you trust me?”
Guan Ruolin asked, “Then why did you take Qiuyi to Bailu Lane? You know how dangerous it is.”
Xu Zhihong replied, “I had my reasons! I’m her father! I would never harm my own child! Calm down, Ruolin! Think rationally!”
Tears streamed down Guan Ruolin’s face. She finally understood. Wiping her tears, she said, “He gave you cash, didn’t he? No bank transfer. You lied about the bank transfer.”
Xu Zhihong opened his mouth to protest, but Guan Ruolin’s tear-filled eyes stopped him. “How much did he give you?” she repeated.
Silence filled the small room, the overhead camera recording everything, the clock in the corner ticking relentlessly. After a long pause, Xu Zhihong finally spoke.
“Why won’t you trust me?” he asked, his voice filled with despair.
Guan Ruolin, grabbing the cup of hot water on the table, threw it at him, her movement so swift no one could react. Then, her hand, red from the scalding water, slapped him across the face.
“You bastard!” she screamed, the sound echoing through the room. Xu Zhihong stared at her, stunned.
She slapped him again, and again, his head ringing, his mind reeling. He hadn’t expected this.
He had been so sure she would bail him out. He hadn’t confessed, there was no evidence, they couldn’t hold him.
For their daughters’ sake, she wouldn’t let him have a criminal record. He had clung to that belief, waiting for her arrival.
Now, his face stinging, his head spinning, he realized he had been wrong.
The female officer, finally reacting, pulled Guan Ruolin away. “Ma’am, please calm down!”
Guan Ruolin, however, wrenched herself free and slapped him again. “You bastard! You bastard! You bastard!”
The male officer, holding Xu Zhihong’s cuffed hands, said, “Hey, hey, no violence!”
Xu Zhihong, unable to retaliate, his own anger rising, yelled, “What did I do?! I did it for you! For our family! You never give me enough money! It’s always gone instantly! I wouldn’t have to borrow money if you just gave me more! This is all your fault!”
Guan Ruolin’s voice trembled. “My fault?”
“Yes, your fault!” he screamed.
Guan Ruolin, supported by the female officer, sobbed, “You’re hopeless.”
Xu Zhihong roared, “You’re naive! Stupid! You’re content to live in this slum! I’m not! Xu Qiuyi is an ungrateful brat! I know what’s best for her! Stop acting like the world is ending!”
He genuinely didn’t see anything wrong with his actions. In his mind, being pursued by a wealthy young master was an opportunity, a chance for a better life. Why be so stubborn?
What good was pride? Could it feed them? Clothe them?
Guan Ruolin, after a long silence, said, “I want a divorce.”
Xu Zhihong’s face froze. “Twenty years of marriage, and you want a divorce? No! I won’t agree!”
He had always believed their marriage was different, that Guan Ruolin wasn’t like other women, that she would never leave him. He had been envied for having such a devoted wife. He thought he had misheard her.
Guan Ruolin’s gaze was firm. “I don’t care if you agree. I’m divorcing you.”
After twenty years, she finally saw him clearly: a heartless man.
After Guan Ruolin left, the documents Xu Qiuyi had seen were delivered to the police station. While Xu Zhihong wasn’t directly involved in the Crown Club’s illegal activities, his connection to Little Tiger Lu, and their financial transactions, made him a person of interest.
The owner of the fast-food stall near the entrance to Xiao’an Village had grown accustomed to the occasional luxury car parked outside.
It was a national holiday, and most of the businesses in the area were closed, their owners either visiting family or traveling. He wasn’t busy, even having time to admire the gleaming cars.
This one looked different from the previous ones, but he didn’t dwell on it. Such good fortune wasn’t meant for everyone.
Seeing the car door open, assuming it was Xu Qiuyi, he waved.
He remembered when Xu Qiuyi, the star student, had been approached by teachers from various schools, all vying for her, their offers escalating, almost causing a fight right in front of his stall.
He had told his wife that night that if their own son had such opportunities, he would be overjoyed. His wife had agreed.
Then, they had looked at their son, the same age as Xu Qiuyi, who spent his days daydreaming and chasing girls instead of studying, and had proceeded to deliver a thorough parental scolding.
The car door opened, and a figure stepped out.
The stall owner, smiling, waved. “Qiuyi! Did you… dye your hair?”
Tao Ning turned around.
The stall owner, realizing it wasn’t Xu Qiuyi, but the wealthy girl who usually waved from inside the car, felt a twinge of embarrassment. He scratched his head. “Oh, it’s you. Slow day today. Holiday, you know.”
Xu Qiuyi, emerging from behind the car, said, “Not busy today, Uncle Li?”
Uncle Li, his nearsightedness finally allowing him to focus, said, “Yeah, it’s quiet. Everyone’s away.”
Xu Qiuyi, her mind elsewhere, eager to get home, was about to walk away when Tao Ning grabbed her hand. “I’ll walk with you.”
This time, Xu Qiuyi didn’t refuse.
As they walked away, the car pulled away from the intersection, looking for a place to park.
A short distance into the alleyways, Xu Qiuyi started to regret bringing Tao Ning home.
She was still just a student, with nothing to offer, and she didn’t want the person she admired to see her… circumstances, to form a negative impression.
She glanced at Tao Ning, who was walking beside her.
As the Tao heiress, Tao Ning had likely never seen such densely packed buildings, such open displays of poverty, dirty water casually tossed into the streets. Yet, she showed no sign of surprise or disgust, her expression calm, almost indifferent.
Noticing Xu Qiuyi’s distraction, Tao Ning gently pulled her arm, guiding her around a puddle. “Careful, it’s slippery.”
Xu Qiuyi, her thoughts elsewhere, stopped, her hand still in Tao Ning’s. Sometimes, I really can’t understand her, she thought.
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