Chapter 76

Qiao Yu felt that Lu Shangyi clearly didn't realize that she was actually an alpha who could scare away many ega. Her eyes widened slightly in confusion as she stared at Lu Shangyi's composed demeanor and couldn't help but wonder: Had she gotten so caught up in her ega act that she'd forgotten her true nature?

After glancing at the nonchalant Lu Shangyi and then at the equally shameless Ye Yunjian, Qiao Yu pressed her finger to her brow and sighed softly.

Silently taking half a step back, Qiao Yu said hesitantly, "How about I go and prepare two guest rooms for you, Auntie and Sister?" She couldn't very well let the guests sleep on the floor with her, could she?

Even if Ye Yunjian and Lu Shangyi like to sleep on the floor, she's still not happy about it.

Seeing through Qiao Yu's thoughts, Ye Yunjian raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing with a hint of danger: "Guest room?"

Lu Shangyi's disapproving gaze also fell on her.

Although Qiao Yu didn't know why the two were so resistant, she really didn't want to spend the whole night terrified by the two alphas. She pursed her lips and tried to explain reasonably, "My room is too small; it would be a bit crowded if we all slept together..."

"It doesn't matter." Ye Yunjian shrugged, then looked at the space again. "I think it's quite big."

Qiao Yu: "..." A breath caught in her throat, leaving her speechless. After a moment, Qiao Yu tried again, "Besides, the floor is hard and cold, and you're still recovering from your colds. If something happens to you here, I..."

"Isn't there heating?" Lu Shangyi, who had been silent, cut off all of Qiao Yu's remaining words.

Qiao Yu was completely bewildered: "???"

It's just asking them to sleep in a guest room for one night, why are they all so unwilling?

"Maybe I should just give them my room and sleep in the guest room myself," Qiao Yu thought resentfully.

Taking a small, deep breath, Qiao Yu finally struggled to speak, "If Aunt Ye and Sister Lu really like my room, I'll reluctantly give it to you." Qiao Yu was heartbroken, "You sleep here, I'll sleep next door."

During the Lunar New Year, even her old hideout was occupied. Qiao Yu seemed to have already foreseen the tragic fate of being oppressed in the coming year.

Qiao Yu had already mentally prepared herself and was about to give the two of them some advice when Mrs. Qiao's voice suddenly rang out at the door, "Who's going to sleep next door?"

The moment Madam Qiao's voice rang out, the languid Ye Yunjian straightened his back ramrod straight, looking every bit the refined, aloof, mature, and composed CEO. Looking at Lu Shangyi, he too sat upright, like a pine tree, ramrod straight and dignified, leaving no room for criticism.

These two elegant and aloof women were only half a meter apart, yet they were equally captivating, leaving Qiao Yu momentarily unsure where to look.

The moment Mrs. Qiao stepped in, Qiao Yu saw the two women, with identical innocent and harmless expressions, say in unison, "Me."

The words had barely left her lips when Qiao Yu noticed her mother's sharp gaze instantly fall upon her, her face full of disapproval: "How long has it been since anyone slept in the room next door? How could you arrange for them to sleep there?" Madam Qiao frowned slightly: "Nonsense."

Qiao Yu glanced at the two serious-looking people, her eyes twitching twice, "..."

She opened her mouth to try to explain, and Ye Yunjian seemed to have noticed, so he explained, "It's okay, I don't mind." Her voice was filled with laughter, "I don't care where I sleep."

After she finished speaking, Lu Shangyi chimed in, "I don't mind either."

Madam Qiao glared at Qiao Yu again, as if to say: Look, look, look how generous and easygoing she is, and look at you, what kind of person are you? How did I teach you before? All the rules and manners I taught you before have been wasted.

Qiao Yu was speechless again: "..."

With a desperate look in her eyes at the two innocent-looking people, Qiao Yu felt as if her heart was being torn apart. "If I am guilty, please let the law punish me, instead of letting these two alphas play the victim in front of my mother."

Qiao Yu remained silent for a long time. Madam Qiao frowned and said in a slightly harsher tone, "Aren't you coming with me to pack? It's so late."

Ye Yunjian and Lu Shangyi immediately stood up in unison, "No need to trouble Yuyu, we can clean it ourselves."

“How can that be?” Mrs. Qiao refused no matter what, and forcibly dragged Qiao Yu to do housework for half an hour. Qiao Yu wanted to ask the housekeeper for help, but Mrs. Qiao stopped her with the words, “Don’t bother others if you can do it yourself.”

After cleaning both of their rooms, Qiao Yu was exhausted and so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. She had drunk some alcohol, so her mind was already hazy. After doing so much physical labor late at night, she lost consciousness as soon as her head hit the pillow after washing up.

Staring at her sleeping daughter, Mrs. Qiao left the room with an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry, Yu Yu has become a bit unruly over the years because of my spoiling."

Ye Yunjian and Lu Shangyi naturally wouldn't hold a grudge against a child. After exchanging a few polite words, they each returned to their rooms.

Qiao Yu slept soundly and felt refreshed. When she got up, Madam Qiao was drinking tea without even lifting her eyelids. When Qiao Yu asked about Ye Yunjian and Lu Shangyi's whereabouts, she slowly opened her eyelids and said, "They left early this morning."

After saying that, she stared at Qiao Yu, whose hair was disheveled, and said, "What time is it now?"

She glanced at the wall clock; it was already noon. Feeling guilty, she scratched her cheek and turned to run back. "Mom, I'm going to Aunt Bai's to watch the fireworks tonight, so I won't be back for dinner."

Mrs. Qiao frowned, wanting to call out to her, but Qiao Yu ran off so fast that she disappeared before she could even utter a word. Helpless, Mrs. Qiao had no choice but to give up and let Qiao Yu go. It was two hours later when Qiao Yu finished dressing and getting ready. She picked up her car and went to a restaurant to fill her stomach, then did some shopping. When she was about to drive to find Bai Yiyu, she vaguely caught a glimpse of Song Wanzi sitting down face to face with a man.

Her inner engine immediately started spinning, and Qiao Yu couldn't help but take a few more glances, which Song Wanzi noticed.

The woman beckoned to her, and Qiao Yu hesitated for a moment before obediently walking in. "Sister Song." Her probing gaze lingered on the handsome young man's face for a moment before she looked away. "Sister Song, if you have an appointment, I won't bother you."

Song Wanzi stared at her and smiled, a smile that made Qiao Yu's heart flutter.

“Just a friend,” she explained softly, then gestured to the sofa next to her. “Sit down, I’m almost done here.”

After saying that, she tempted Qiao Yu by saying, "I'll take you out for something delicious after I'm done with my work."

Qiao Yu hesitated for a moment, not yet deciding whether to stay, when the handsome young man recognized her and greeted her, "Hello, Miss Qiao."

Qiao Yu looked up in surprise, "You know me?"

The young man smiled slightly, his every move exuding the refined manners and elegance of a wealthy young master: "Miss Qiao is as beautiful as a flower, and renowned throughout the capital. Who doesn't know her?" He called over a waiter and ordered a drink for Qiao Yu, then continued, "Moreover, I've recently had some business dealings with your cousin, Miss Qiao."

Qiao Yu thought for a moment, but couldn't recall which projects Qiao Junhao had been handling recently, so she replied perfunctorily, "That's quite a coincidence."

The pretty boy seemed intent on continuing his flirting, but Song Wanzi slowly picked up her teacup. Her smile, though still charming, carried a hint of coldness. "Let's stop here for today."

She rudely dismissed him, and the young man was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding. "But, Miss Song, we've only just met..."

Song Wanzi gently raised her alluring eyes, her long eyelashes and slightly curved pupils revealing a gentle smile, which made the pretty boy involuntarily shut his mouth. He glanced at Qiao Yu with some reluctance, then finally gave up, "Then, Miss Song, we'll see you next time."

As he stood up, he winked at Qiao Yu, the implication quite clear: "Goodbye, Miss Qiao."

Qiao Yu blinked. "See you next time."

After the gigolo left, Song Wanzi held her teacup, her expression unreadable. The air was eerily quiet. Qiao Yu glanced at Song Wanzi's expression and cautiously asked, "Sister Song, why aren't you talking to him again?" Lowering her eyelashes, Qiao Yu said, "Is it inconvenient for me?"

Song Wanzi snapped out of her reverie and replied dismissively, "No."

"I just suddenly don't really want to work with him anymore." The woman smiled slightly. "What? Are you disappointed?"

Qiao Yu was speechless. What was there to be disappointed about?

However, Song Wanzi was clearly not in a good mood, so Qiao Yu wisely refrained from mentioning the pretty boy again. When the pretty boy's drink arrived, Song Wanzi looked her up and down for a while, then suddenly asked, "Have you been studying hard lately?"

Qiao Yu: "..." This is awkward.

"Yes, yes," she replied without blushing or panting, "I've reviewed it several times." Especially before the New Year, under Lu Shangyi's earnest guidance, she could practically recite the key points and difficult concepts by heart.

She swore that even when she was asleep, she talked about the key and difficult points of the college entrance examination.

Song Wanzi nodded slightly, not asking her about her studies anymore. Instead, she looked at her meaningfully and said, "If you neglect your studies in the past six months, I don't mind setting aside some time to tutor you."

Song Wanzi tutoring her? Qiao Yu thought of Ye Yunjian and Lu Shangyi rushing to her aid, and the scene of the female lead running over to say she wanted to study with her, and almost fainted on the spot. She quickly shook her head and repeatedly assured them, "No, absolutely not."

"I won't lose to anyone except Jiang Mei."

When Jiang Mei was mentioned, Song Wanzi frowned slightly, but then her expression returned to normal.

The afternoon tea that Song Wanzi ordered had just arrived, and Qiao Yu, seeing that she couldn't eat it all by herself, stayed and lingered. Just as she picked up a macaron, her phone suddenly notified her of a friend request. She opened it and saw it was from that pretty boy from earlier.

The other party got her contact information from someone and, as if afraid she wouldn't agree, sent two application requests in a row.

After passing the verification, before Qiao Yu could even ask the other party's intentions, the pretty boy took the initiative to introduce himself: "Hello, Miss Qiao. We just met. My name is An Yilin, and I recently returned from abroad."

An Yilin? Qiao Yu blinked blankly. "System, why does this name sound so familiar?"

The system thought for a moment but couldn't recall where it had heard it before. "Perhaps you heard your girlfriends mention it when you were having a get-together."

Qiao Yu agreed, and holding the phone in one hand, she said, "Hello."

The other party was so enthusiastic that Qiao Yu was almost overwhelmed. Holding her phone, she didn't look up. Song Wanzi stared intently at her, her expression intriguing. After a moment, Song Wanzi put down the pastry in her hand and asked her seemingly casually, "Lu Shangyi?"

Qiao Yu exclaimed "Ah!" and then shook her head in denial, "No, it's that young master An from just now."

Young Master An? We've only known each other for a short time, and you already know his name.

Song Wanzi smiled, a radiant and captivating smile. "What does he want from you?" The woman's face showed no hint of probing. "He wants to be your friend?"

Song Wanzi knew An Yilin's intentions perfectly well. How could a man as eager as him to gain a foothold in the country possibly have genuine feelings? His interest in Qiao Yu was nothing more than his interest in the status and position of Qiao Yu's parents.

Qiao Yu was merely prey, a pawn, in his eyes.

Song Wanzi patiently waited for Qiao Yu's reply. Qiao Yu glanced at her phone screen, and An Yilin sent another message: "Chunshangju has recently launched several new products. I wonder if Miss Qiao has time tomorrow?"

Chunshangju? Staring at this unforgettable name, Qiao Yu had a sudden realization: wasn't this the scumbag who cheated her out of money and love in the original novel?!

I searched high and low but couldn't find it, and unexpectedly, the scumbag came to me on his own initiative!

Qiao Yu's eyes brightened slightly. No wonder the old lady's attitude towards her had become increasingly hostile lately; it turned out she thought Qiao Junhao was trying to climb the social ladder and achieve great success. That scumbag was a complete liar, not only deceiving the original owner of the body but also ruining a whole host of talented people in the capital before disappearing abroad to hide. He was truly cunning.

The smile on his face deepened involuntarily, making Song Wanzi's eyes grow even colder.

Qiao Yu belatedly realized that she hadn't replied to Song Wanzi yet, so she looked up and said with bright eyes, "Young Master An invited me to Chunshangju to try their new dishes."

Song Wanzi suddenly felt annoyed. Was eating a new product making her this happy? With a slight upturn of her crimson lips, Song Wanzi suppressed her displeasure and spoke gently, "So, did you agree?"

"I agree." Qiao Yu blinked. How could she possibly miss such a good opportunity to infiltrate the enemy? Thinking that she was about to overcome the final hurdle, Qiao Yu couldn't stop smiling. "Since Young Master An invited me, I couldn't refuse."

I glanced down at the weather again. Tomorrow is going to be sunny. Everything is perfect.

Song Wanzi didn't press the matter further, casually pinching the macaron between her fingers, a layer of frost already forming at the corners of her slightly upturned eyes. What kind of bullshit Young Master An is he? He doesn't even own a house in Beijing, and he dares to call himself a young master? Even the illegitimate children of the Ye family wouldn't dare to be so arrogant.

It's only because Qiao Yu is young that she could be fooled by such a smooth-talking pretty boy.

Staring at the excited girl, Song Wanzi felt even more heartbroken.

After enjoying afternoon tea, Qiao Yu set off to find Bai Yiyu. Song Wanzi pondered for a moment, then slowly picked up the phone and held it to her ear. "Do you know? Qiao Yu is going to see An Yilin tomorrow."

Before Lu Shangyi could speak, Ye Yunjian frowned and preemptively asked, "Who is An Yilin?"

Lu Shangyi switched her phone to the other side, stopping Ye Yunjian from eavesdropping. Ye Yunjian was very unhappy, his dark eyes fixed on Lu Shangyi. After Lu Shangyi finished talking to her friend, Ye Yunjian snorted, then took out his own phone and held it to his ear.

Just as Song Wanzi finished her call with Lu Shangyi, Ye Yunjian called. As soon as she answered, a woman's displeased voice rang out, "Who is An Yilin?"

Song Wanzi: "..." You found out so quickly?

“Nobody,” Song Wanzi said.

"Where does he plan to meet Qiao Yu?" Ye Yunjian asked again.

Song Wanzi fell silent, and Ye Yunjian tempted her, "If you tell me, I'll teach your parents a lesson tonight..." Before he could finish speaking, the woman on the other end of the phone quickly said, "11:30 a.m., Chunshangju."

"OK."

Qiao Yu accepted An Yilin's invitation, but asked with some concern, "Is Chunshangju's privacy protection adequate?" It wasn't that she was being arrogant; she was just worried that something unexpected might interrupt her plans while she was setting the bait, disrupting her arrangements and schedule.

An Yilin clearly misunderstood Qiao Yu's meaning and immediately assured her, "It's absolutely top-notch. Don't worry, I've invested in this shop, and as long as I give the order, no one can disturb us."

Qiao Yu was relieved and said, "Thank you."

Filled with excitement at the prospect of clearing the level, Qiao Yu was unusually excited that night. Bai Yiyu repeatedly looked at her with a questioning gaze, but Qiao Yu didn't mind at all, even smiling at the woman with an exceptionally bright and alluring smile. Bai Yiyu was taken aback for a moment, and when she came back to her senses, the emotions in her eyes became even more profound.

The next day, Qiao Yu was filled with excitement. An Yilin was taken aback for a moment, but then understood. He was good-looking and eloquent, so few women could escape his grasp.

An Yilin gentlemanly pulled out a chair for Qiao Yu and handed her the menu, saying, "Miss Qiao, please see what you would like to eat."

Qiao Yu didn't stand on ceremony and ordered a huge amount of food. After the waiter left, just as Qiao Yu was about to start gathering information, the door to the private room suddenly opened. Song Wanzi, Ye Yunjian, and Lu Shangyi stood innocently in the doorway. "Sorry, wrong room."

Qiao Yu subconsciously looked at An Yilin: "???"

Is this what you mean by "the privacy protection measures are done very well"?

Author's Note: