Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Breaking Out in Cold Sweat

Even Du An Rao felt that her own mom was exaggerating too much.

She said: “President Qiu and his team saw Second Brother’s fashion potential. It doesn’t have much to do with me.”

Mother Du gave her an indulgent glance. The smile on her face grew deeper, as if she were saying: Fine, fine, whatever you say.

“An An, she and…” Fifth Aunt was about to ask if Du An Rao knew Yayu Group’s President Qiu, but she suddenly realized that sounded wrong and quickly changed her words.

“An An, does she know anyone in Yayu Group?”

Du An Rao said: “We’ve met a few times. I was lucky enough to read a fortune once for Ms. Qiu’s son from Yayu Group.”

Mother Du smiled and added: “Because of that, Chairwoman Qiu specially gave both sisters a set of precious jewelry as thanks.”

“There’s even something like that? An An, you’re amazing!”

Du An Rao laughed: “It was all luck, really.”

[But since Second Cousin-in-law works at Yayu Group, this is actually much easier to handle. In a bit I’ll call President Qiu and ask what kind of monster this supervisor of hers is. If nothing else works, I’ll have him transfer Second Cousin-in-law to another department so she won’t suffer under that woman anymore. Hmm, I’ll just treat it as owing him a favor. At worst I’ll help read his love life and career a few extra times.]

This time Second Cousin-in-law was truly moved. This was clearly their first meeting. They had only exchanged a few words, yet Du An Rao already treated her so sincerely, worrying over her in every way, even willing to owe someone a favor for her.

Compared to certain “relatives” and “friends” who had known each other for tens of years, who always said “it’s for your own good” while secretly being afraid you would live better than them, this was a hundred times better.

In just this short while, Second Cousin-in-law finally understood why her parents-in-law had praised this newly found little cousin nonstop after the birthday banquet, talking about her every single day.

It was just… weren’t they here to give gifts and show their thanks? How did it feel like they had ended up owing another favor instead?

Second Cousin-in-law subconsciously turned to look at her husband, only to find that he was already covered in sweat.

Second Cousin suddenly realized that he really couldn’t keep living like a salted fish. With the tiny success he and Cousin Bi Xiao had now, they didn’t even have the ability to really help this little cousin from their family, let alone protect her. It would be good if they didn’t end up begging her for help and dragging her down instead.

He coughed lightly and said: “Um, you guys sit for a bit. I’m going to make a call.”

Du An Rao was also the impatient type. Once she decided something, she did it right away. She got up at once and went to call Qiu Ji Chen.

That day happened to be a weekend. Qiu Ji Chen and a few friends had taken a luxury yacht out to hang out and do some sea fishing.

Just when Du An Rao’s call came in, his fishing rod shook. A fish was about to bite. But the ring of his phone startled him. His hand jerked, and the fish got away.

“Whose phone is ringing? You made me lose my fish, hurry up and pay me back.”

His friend snorted and said: “You fail at fishing and blame the rod. That’s enough. It’s your own phone that’s ringing. Be glad we’re not asking you to pay us.”

Only then did Qiu Ji Chen realize that the ringing was coming from his own cell phone in his jacket pocket nearby. He frowned, glanced at the caller ID, and his whole expression froze. He jumped up and rushed to the side to answer.

“Hello, Master Du, sorry, something just came up and delayed me for a bit. I made you wait. Why are you calling me at this time? Is there something I can do for you?”

The friends who had come with Qiu Ji Chen had never seen him act this excited and fawning before. As soon as he walked away, they huddled together and whispered.

“What’s going on? Who is calling Young Master Qiu to make him this nervous? Is it his Empress Dowager at home?”

“What Empress Dowager? I heard it just now. The surname was Du, and he called her something like Grandmaster…”

“A Grandmaster with the surname Du? I haven’t heard of any famous Grandmaster named Du coming to City J lately. But there is a Miss Du. She’s the second miss the Li family just recognized.”

Once he said that, everyone’s gaze shifted at once to Xie Jing Yao, who was spaced out in the corner.

“Jing Yao, you and that Second Miss Li…”

Xie Jing Yao had already thought of certain past events and a certain person the moment he heard Qiu Ji Chen call her “Master Du.” Hearing this, he snapped back to himself.

He said calmly: “We’re just friends.”

“Really… just friends?”

The few people sitting closest to Xie Jing Yao were pretty familiar with him. They exchanged looks, their faces full of teasing.

They knew Xie Jing Yao well, and they knew more details about the Xie family and Li family’s situation than most.

Before, he had cared so much about Li Qian Xi. With his personality, even if the truth came out and Li Qian Xi was not actually the Li family’s daughter, he would never treat her like this and ignore her completely, while instead becoming “friends” with the newly found Second Miss Li.

Looked like there was more here than outsiders knew.

They were all old foxes. Xie Jing Yao didn’t feel like playing word games with them. He only gave a fair warning and said: “Stay away from that woman Li Qian Xi. If you get eaten until there’s not even bones left, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

“Hahahaha, we know, we know. We’re not like that idiot from the Zhang family, believing whatever people say and making such a huge joke. If I were his parents, I’d be so mad I’d die.”

Thanks to Ye Meng Zhen’s hard work spreading the story, everyone in City J now knew that Young Master Zhang had been tricked and even helped count the money. Just because of a few words from Li Qian Xi, he ran all the way to City S to the real Second Miss Li’s adoptive parents. In front of all the guests who came to celebrate the two Miss Du’s birthday, he exposed the baby switch, making a giant fool of himself.

After going home, Young Master Zhang shut himself in for nearly half a month. Then he basically turned into a top “black fan” seed for Li Qian Xi. Now, whenever someone mentioned her name, he would get triggered and wish he could erase her from his life completely.

That whole mess, along with the Li family welcoming back their real Second Miss and showering her with love, had become the favorite gossip of the upper-class circles in City J. They still hadn’t gotten tired of talking about it.

When Xie Jing Yao heard his friend say this, the muscles in his face twitched twice. He felt like he had also been hit by friendly fire.

After all, he had also believed Li Qian Xi too easily before. If not for the fact that what Du An Rao told him was too unbelievable, and not for the pile of bloody truths one after another, he might still be in the dark even now.

Even so, he knew that even if he had been fooled, he wouldn’t be as impulsive as Young Master Zhang, letting a few words stir him up and then charging over to publicly confront the hosts like an idiot. That level of stupid had no bottom.

“As for that one from the Li family, I suggest you don’t go poking at her for no reason. Even if you don’t get close to her, at least don’t offend her. Otherwise…”

If he hadn’t said that, it would have been fine. But now every person present got even more curious.

“What happens otherwise?”

“Otherwise, all of her brothers and sisters are not easy to mess with.”

Thinking of the first time he met those two sisters, and how they treated him outside the Li family courtyard that day, Xie Jing Yao could only give a bitter little smile and sip his red wine.

He said, full of meaning: “Did you see how Young Master Qiu reacted just now? Be careful you don’t end up begging them for help someday, only for them not to even bother with you.”