CEO's Ugly Flash-Marriage Wife Hides So Many Identities
Chapter 116 The Person Who Taught Me About Deep Love

Chapter 116: Chapter 116 The Person Who Taught Me About Deep Love

"Are the old photos locked in the safe?" Qiao Rui was momentarily stunned.

Pei Jibai nodded. "I saw them once before, Grandfather was looking at the old photos in the study, and after he was done, he had the butler put them in the study’s safe."

Qiao Rui’s brows furrowed slightly, yet she remained silent.

The old photos were kept in a safe, which likely meant they were quite precious, otherwise, they wouldn’t be stored there.

"Are there no old photos outside?" Qiao Rui asked.

"No," Pei Jibai said. "I don’t know what Grandfather’s fascination is, but all the old photos from twenty years ago are in the safe. Recently, we have been taking a family portrait every New Year, which is then framed and hung on the walls of the rear villa, but those are all of the Pei Family, none with outsiders."

Qiao Rui nodded slightly, it seemed finding any clues from the old photos would be difficult.

"Let’s go downstairs." Qiao Rui hadn’t forgotten that today’s event wasn’t suitable for private conversations with Pei Jibai.

Descending the staircase, the entire hall still buzzed with moving figures.

As soon as they came down, they were immediately met with gazes.

However, the looks from the siblings had changed from the initial unfriendliness and skepticism to complexity, admiration, and envy.

Overall, those gazes were exceptionally complex.

Looking at Pei Liyan, his handsome face was taut, and his smileless face was especially grim, as if everyone owed him something.

Qiao Rui walked down the stairs and didn’t go to find Pei Liyan, but instead headed to a corner.

Si Ran saw this and followed.

Pei Jibai turned his head, caught sight of Si Ran, and with a flash of his eyes, said with a smile, "Secretary Si, you sure are loyal to your CEO."

Si Ran glanced at Pei Jibai and replied calmly, "Second Young Master, the Elder Madam Pei requests your presence."

Pei Jibai was startled. "Is this a reprimand?"

Si Ran remained silent.

Pei Jibai said, "Then I won’t go."

Si Ran had no choice but to say, "If you don’t go, your parents will have to take your punishment tonight."

Upon hearing this, Pei Jibai immediately stood up and said to Qiao Rui, "Sister-in-law, I’ll be right back."

"Okay," Qiao Rui nodded and watched Pei Jibai leave.

It seemed like Pei Jibai was someone who dared to face the consequences of his actions.

Qiao Rui’s gaze returned to Si Ran and she offered a faint smile. "Secretary Si, please take a seat."

"Thank Madam," Si Ran brought her something to drink and sat down.

Qiao Rui quietly sipped her drink as if none of it mattered to her.

Si Ran looked at her several times before finally speaking up, "Madam, did you consider the consequences of today?"

Qiao Rui turned to look at Si Ran, and seeing the worry in her eyes, she suddenly smiled. "Secretary Si, thank you for your concern, but we can only know what the consequences are after we’ve acted."

"Offending the Elder Madam Pei might make things difficult," Si Ran said in a low voice.

These were things she shouldn’t have said, but she said them anyway.

Qiao Rui smiled again and calmly retorted, "Would it be any easier if I hadn’t offended her?"

Si Ran was suddenly lost for words.

Indeed, even without offense, things might not be much better.

Qiao Rui added, "If we’re always worried about the consequences, then we’ll never get anything done. All I know is, it’s enough to have a clear conscience."

Si Ran looked up at Qiao Rui, only to find that even though her beauty might not cause the fall of cities, her quiet demeanor as she sat there was surprisingly pleasant to behold.

The lights twinkled like stars, and there she was, in a corner, seated quietly, as if free from all worries.

Yet occasionally, Qiao Rui would turn her head, her eyes landing on the CEO.

At this moment, the CEO was drinking sullenly, obviously very vexed this evening.

Then, a few younger sisters came running up and surrounded Qiao Rui.

"Big sister-in-law, who taught you to dance the rumba?"

Qiao Rui was taken aback, looking at the captivating Pei Family girls, each one beautiful. She thought of her rumba teacher, and her gaze became distant.

"Big sister-in-law, it couldn’t have been your first love who taught you, could it?" another younger sister asked.

Qiao Rui was taken aback and smiled without speaking.

"Eldest sister-in-law, people say that many who learn the Rumba and Cha-cha together end up becoming couples, because the physical contact is too intimate, and that stirs the heart."

Qiao Rui remained calm and did not speak.

Si Ran also looked at Qiao Rui curiously, eagerly anticipating the answer.

Little did they know, at that moment, Pei Liyan and He Zheng were also nearby, overhearing all the questions.

Pei Liyan’s face turned gloomy.

"Elder sister-in-law, why don’t you speak? Was it your first love who taught you?"

Qiao Rui smiled and said, "Do you younger sisters always have romance on your minds?"

"Then tell us, is it or isn’t it?"

Qiao Rui said, "Yes, it was taught to me by someone I love very dearly."

"Wow, eldest sister-in-law, if big brother hears this, he will be jealous!"

"Don’t worry, your big brother is not so petty." Qiao Rui said with a smile.

On the other side, Pei Liyan’s face had already turned grim and frightening.

Taught by someone he loves very dearly.

He glanced over at Qiao Rui from a distance and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, the younger sisters were still pestering Qiao Rui with questions.

At this time, the Pei butler arrived. "Young Madam, our elder madam requests your presence!"

Qiao Rui looked at the Pei butler and nodded her head. "Very well, thank you for informing me, butler Pei."

"You’re too polite, young madam, it’s my duty."

Qiao Rui stood up, bid farewell to her sisters-in-law, nodded at Si Ran, and then followed the Pei butler out.

Upon arriving at Elder Madam Pei’s side, she saw Qiao Xiang sitting beside the elder madam, looking at her with a cold and distant gaze.

Standing at a distance, Qiao Rui inclined her head slightly and asked, "Elder Madam Pei, did you request me?"

"What? Won’t you call me ’grandmother’?" Elder Madam Pei said coldly.

Qiao Rui was startled, then smiled and countered, "In saying so, do you feel I should call you ’grandmother,’ Elder Madam Pei?"

The elder madam’s gaze swept toward Qiao Rui.

Everyone at the table turned to look at her, although Pei Jibai was nowhere to be seen, as if there were a few people missing.

Pei Qiuhua was also looking at her with a cold gaze.

"Shouldn’t you?" Elder Madam Pei asked.

Qiao Rui smiled and said, "I thought perhaps you might not be pleased, Elder Madam Pei, but since you are, then I will call you ’grandmother.’"

Her response made it seem as though Elder Madam Pei was the one eager for Qiao Rui to call her ’grandmother.’

Elder Madam Pei let out another cold snort and said, "Your dancing isn’t bad. Do they also learn the Rumba in the countryside?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Grandmother. I’ve only learned a bit," Qiao Rui replied modestly.

"How modest of you. Why did you learn to dance?"

Qiao Rui looked at Elder Madam Pei, smiled faintly, and answered in a tone neither too quick nor too slow, neither servile nor overbearing, "Because I am the sixth daughter of the Qiao Family. Even though I am from the countryside, I have not forgotten that I am a daughter of the Qiao Family. A daughter of the Qiao Family naturally represents the image of the Qiao Family. If I were ignorant and without manners, and became a laughingstock, that would shame the Qiao Family."

She answered so defiantly.

Everyone was taken aback and could read between the lines.

As the sixth daughter of the Qiao Family, she represented the Qiao Family, and no one had the right to insult her.

Otherwise, she would strike back, because she represented the face of the Qiao Family and understood the rules. Moreover, she was implying that both the Pei Family and Qiao Xiang lacked manners.

Everyone was startled; if her dance with Pei Jibai earlier represented the first counterattack, she was now declaring her position.

All eyes were fixed on her calm gaze, her demeanor resolute, as she stated a fact with poise and dignity.

Everyone was somewhat taken aback by her composure.

Elder Madam Pei furrowed her brows and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "If you care so much about proper conduct, why bother dancing with your brother-in-law?"