CEO's Ugly Flash-Marriage Wife Hides So Many Identities
Chapter 267: From Love to Hatred

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: From Love to Hatred

The call was from Elder Qiao of the Qiao Family.

Qiao Rui saw the call and naturally didn’t want to answer during dinner, fearing it would spoil her appetite.

Pei Liyan suggested answering the call, but she still refused.

"No need!"

She slid the answer button and took the call.

Elder Qiao’s quite courteous voice came through, "Qiao Rui, are you in Liancheng?"

"Yes, Grandpa!" Qiao Rui said.

"When are you coming back?" Elder Qiao asked.

"That, you should ask Mr. Pei," Qiao Rui said, "I don’t know the exact return date yet."

"Well, I called to ask if your eldest sister has been causing you trouble?" Elder Qiao continued.

Qiao Rui was taken aback, not expecting Elder Qiao to speak like this; it was not his usual approach, which would have been to accuse and question.

Today, he was unexpectedly speaking from her perspective.

This surprised Qiao Rui a bit, and she immediately understood it was all because of the eight hundred million in funds she controlled.

If the Qiao Family didn’t need that eight hundred million, Elder Qiao probably wouldn’t be speaking so humbly.

After calming her emotions slightly, Qiao Rui spoke, "Why would Grandpa ask such a question?"

Elder Qiao paused when counter-questioned by Qiao Rui, his words bearing consideration, and after a moment he said, "Your elder sister called me just now."

"Oh!" Qiao Rui merely responded indifferently.

Elder Qiao paused again, breathing a bit heavily, but when he spoke again, his tone was still restrained.

"She was kidnapped, fortunately, it was without harm."

"That’s right." Qiao Rui also spoke indifferently. "Elder sister is so clever; she knows how to protect herself, Grandpa, don’t worry!"

Elder Qiao paused again then continued, "Did it cause you a lot of trouble?"

Qiao Rui said, "Not really, just almost used Mr. Pei’s eight hundred million to pay her ransom!"

This statement startled Elder Qiao.

Qiao Rui indifferently curled her lips; she indeed wanted to see whom Elder Qiao would choose between eight hundred million and his granddaughter.

The answer was beyond her expectation.

Elder Qiao said, "She dared to speak about the money you hold, this damned thing, she really infuriates me!"

Between money and life, Elder Qiao chose the former.

Just like back then, faced with his son’s marriage and the matter of equal social status, Elder Qiao had abandoned his own son.

Compared to his son, his granddaughter was perhaps even less worth mentioning.

Qiao Rui now felt a bit sympathetic toward Qiao Xiang, who had called her grandfather aiming to expose wrongdoing, but her grandfather knew well how to weigh pros and cons.

"Grandpa need not be angry." Qiao Rui spoke indifferently, "Elder sister must have been anxious, considering the people who kidnapped her were her close friends!"

"Close friends?" Elder Qiao’s voice involuntarily rose, "What happened?"

"I’m not sure," Qiao Rui said. "Since Elder sister called Grandpa, didn’t she explain the reason?"

"Just tell me what exactly happened?"

"The police will figure it out!" Qiao Rui said.

Elder Qiao paused again, and after a long while, he said, "Qiao Rui, you’ve had a hard time!"

"Grandpa, it’s all within the family, no need for such formalities," Qiao Rui said indifferently.

"That’s good, knowing that you consider yourself a member of the Qiao Family, Grandpa is very comforted." Elder Qiao hadn’t made any demands, just said these words, "Alright then, Grandpa is waiting for you to come back!"

Soon after, Elder Qiao hung up the call.

Qiao Rui understood that the old man’s call, mentioning that she was a member of the Qiao Family, was still advocating for Qiao Xiang’s interests.

Of course, it was mostly for the Qiao Family.

If Qiao Xiang’s reputation is shattered, the Qiao Family will also lose face.

Elder Qiao, hindered by the eight billion in her hands, condescended to talk to her, just to give her face.

He didn’t order directly but was so intentional.

After hanging up the phone, Qiao Rui bowed her head and continued eating.

Pei Liyan glanced at her and asked, "Did Grandpa Qiao talk to you about Qiao Xiang?"

Everyone at the table pricked up their ears to listen.

Qiao Rui paused, "Yes, he specifically told me that I am part of the Qiao Family!"

Pei Liyan instantly understood Grandpa Qiao’s intention.

He Zheng was also stunned before he said, "Elder Qiao wants to plead for Qiao Xiang!"

A wave of frustration surged in Qiao Rui’s heart; she didn’t speak, just stuffed her mouth with food.

At this moment, He Lan chimed in, "It’s just about stopping the police report, after all, it would be quite embarrassing if reported."

"Just eat and stop talking," He Zheng glanced at his sister, as if her intervention was unnecessary.

Pei Liyan could see Qiao Rui was troubled, and he decisively said, "You don’t have to worry about this matter, filing a police report isn’t for you to decide, let Grandpa Qiao come to me if there is an issue."

Qiao Rui was stunned, looking at the handsome face of the man before her, his expression serious, a naturally cold aura surfacing, his voice equally commanding and domineering.

Qiao Rui smiled.

Her gloomy mood suddenly cleared.

She realized that she shouldn’t harbor such feelings towards Grandpa Qiao; it was better to let it go.

She hadn’t expected Pei Liyan to defend her, which was unprecedented.

He Lan added, "Pei is right, Grandpa Qiao can also come to me, I’m one of the victims too, and I want to file a report."

Qiao Rui looked at her, saying, "Thank you!"

"What’s there to thank me for?" He Lan displayed an unreasonable expression. "We all just want the truth."

He Zheng was almost speechless, recalling He Lan’s troublemaking antics from before which were worlds apart from now.

He Zheng felt embarrassed; a woman’s change of attitude, whether friendly or hostile, could switch in an instant.

Qiao Rui nodded and said, "Let’s eat."

Then everyone resumed eating properly.

After dinner, they weren’t in a rush to leave, waiting for news.

Qiao Rui finished eating and took a walk around Ludao to digest, accompanied by Si Ran, and He Lan also chattering wanted to come along.

Once the three girls left, only Pei Liyan and He Zheng remained in the house.

He Zheng looked at him and walked over to the sofa, sitting in front of Pei Liyan, and started, "Give me a straight answer, do you also suspect Qiao Xiang?"

Pei Liyan lit a cigarette, pursed his sharply contoured lips, and said indifferently, "Aren’t you suspicious as well?"

He Zheng was taken aback, watching him and sighed helplessly, "I hope she wouldn’t go to such extremes, but she’s regretted it, she confessed to me, she really regrets not being there on the day of choosing a wife."

Pei Liyan glanced at him expressionlessly, "The world doesn’t sell regret medicine."

"Yet, if she had been there, wouldn’t you have chosen Qiao Rui?" He Zheng had always wondered about Pei Liyan’s true feelings regarding his choice of Qiao Rui.

Thus, he continued to probe Pei Liyan.

Pei Liyan looked at him with cold eyes. "Is that not tedious?"

"Not tedious at all!" He Zheng also lit a cigarette, joining him in puffing smoke, then analyzed, "I really thought you liked Qiao Xiang, Xiangxiang stuck by you for those years, cherished you dearly, and was quite adorable, and you were very gentle with her, we all thought you’d choose her, but unexpectedly, you picked Qiao Rui!"

Pei Liyan remained silent.

"Besides, I always feel that Qiao Xiang now regrets that you chose Qiao Rui, so she foolishly did something foolish, probably out of love turned to hate." He Zheng pondered then added, "In my opinion, you should just make it clear to her, constantly bumping into each other and causing issues, what a hassle."

Pei Liyan frowned, "Make what clear?"

"That you liked her before, but not anymore."