"What else? We're not related anymore! I don't owe you anything."
"What do you mean?" Ning Yizhan gradually understood what she meant, but he didn't want to believe it.
Qiu Hu simply said bluntly, "Okay, I feel guilty about what happened to you three years ago, so I've been so obedient to you. I hope you can forgive me."
Ning Yizhan's heart grew cold. "Ha, you're quite blunt." His peach blossom eyes also turned cold as his tone became. So, the reason she had been going to the Ning residence with Old Master Qiu for the past two years, and still remembered to visit him and be obedient to him, was because of guilt. "Hypocritical."
"What are you saying?" Qiu Hu frowned.
"I say you're hypocritical, that you'll stop at nothing to achieve your goals, including your feelings." Cold words came from Ning Yizhan's mouth.
"You don't actually think I like..." Before she could finish speaking, Ning Yizhan slammed the door shut. Qiu Hu was hit by a gust of wind, her hair fluttering. "Phew," she exhaled, smiled, and walked away easily. "Grandpa, I'm not going to beg for your forgiveness for three years straight. Who do you think you are?"
In the room, Ning Yizhan angrily sat down on the single sofa, pulled his hand behind his back, grabbed a cushion, and threw it away. "Damn it!" Not satisfied, he picked up two cushions from the sofa next to him and threw them away as well.
"You little devil, Qiu Hu! You pretended to be an innocent little lamb in front of me for three years, but the moment I mentioned forgiving her, you dropped the act for even half a second. Humph, you're driving me crazy! I'll definitely teach you a lesson in the future!" Ning Yizhan paced back and forth in the room, complaining and venting his frustration.
Ning Yizhan grew angrier the more he thought about it, as if his anger was stuck in his throat, unable to rise or fall. He got up and called to order a bottle of whiskey. Recalling the past three years, every Spring Festival he would come to his house with Grandpa Qiu to pay his respects. He was always dressed so well, calling him "Brother Ning, Brother Ning" so sweetly, and he would even bring gifts for him.
Three years ago, Qiu Hu told Old Master Qiu about what happened, and was severely scolded by him. She was also deceived and used by Fu Shen. He immediately took Qiu Hu to the Ning family to apologize, but the Ning couple still felt that Ning Yizhan had bullied her, and there was nothing she could do.
So every Spring Festival, she would go to his house with her grandfather to pay New Year's greetings. She would also ask Awan to buy him a gift in advance, since she was the one who caused him to be like this. She heard that Ning Yizhan locked himself in his room for a long time back then, and he would draw the curtains and doubt his life.
However, he was genuinely questioning his existence at the time. He wondered why he had been so easily deceived by the wicked Qiu Hu. Had he really fallen for her at first sight and become so devoted to her? Was he really that love-struck? Did she even like him? He even wondered if she was forced into this situation, if she had some hidden difficulties. In the blink of an eye, he thought he should capture her and teach her a lesson, making her suffer and be depressed like he did. In the end, his conclusion was that he would make Qiu Hu unable to live without him in the future.
Ning Yizhan pulled open his bathrobe, revealing the Feather Jade watch on his wrist. He closed his eyes and took it off.
Soon, the wine arrived. He slumped onto the sofa, reminiscing as he poured himself a drink and downed it in one gulp. He didn't know why he liked this woman so much, but he just really liked her. He liked her at first sight, and felt from the first glance that she belonged to him.
The next day, warm sunlight streamed through the window, and Ning Yizhan, who had been drunk alone, slowly woke up and quietly put his Yu Fei away.
In the hotel lobby, Ayi brought Xiang Gexuan to find Qiu Hu.
"Fox, your darling has come to see you!" Xiang Gexuan rushed over to find Qiu Hu, hugged her, and spun her around a few times.
It was rare for Qiu Hu to smile so happily. "Princess Xiangxiang, it's been a long time." Xiang Gexuan was a year older than Qiu Hu. They had been friends since kindergarten and had recently gotten married. After the wedding, they went on a three-month honeymoon and had just returned.
"Why didn't I see you last night? It's your grandfather's 70th birthday and I didn't even see you."
"It's a long story."
Xiang Gexuan's childhood sweetheart and current husband, Shang Ji, also arrived, followed by Ning Yizhan, who seemed rather reluctant.
Qiu Hu was surprised to see the two of them walking together. "You two know each other?"
Xiang Gexuan was pulled back to Shang Ji's side, and he didn't forget to explain to Qiu Hu, "Fox, it seems that they have only become familiar with each other in the last few years. You haven't been back to Qincheng for too long, so you don't know very well. I'll tell you when I have time."
Yes, that's right, the major families of Qin City: Ning, Shao, Qiu, Shang, and Fu. The Ning and Shao families have been friends for generations, and Ning Yizhan has a close relationship with the Shao brothers, Shao Jin and Shao Ling. The Shang family has been living overseas for decades. The Fu family declined a few years ago and has long lost its status in Qin City. The Qiu family was originally the most low-profile in Qin City, but in recent years, Qiu Bing's wolfish ambitions have made them increasingly high-profile. In business and aristocratic circles, there are bound to be encounters. Ning Yizhan and Shang Ji were only nodding acquaintances before, and it was three years ago that Ning Yizhan took the initiative to seek cooperation with Shang Ji, but the reason remains unknown.
"Fox, let's go eat! I want to eat your seafood hot pot." Xiang Gexuan took Qiu Hu's arm and walked towards the hot pot restaurant, with two men following behind.
On the way, Qiu Hu told Xiang Gexuan about what happened last night, and Xiang Gexuan complained, "Your aunt is really going too far! But what does she want the necklace for?"
"I don't know, Qiu Ting doesn't know either, I'll have to check."
"Yes, we need to investigate. I have a feeling it's not that simple."
"I heard someone outside is willing to pay a high price for the Lake Heart Necklace, didn't you know?" Ning Yizhan interjected.
Who wants it?
"The Colin family overseas."
"Colin? That ancient family? A family of doctors." Shang Ji had also heard of them.
Qiu Hu suddenly looked at Ning Yizhan and asked, "Then what do you need the Lake Heart Necklace for?"
“It’s useful, but it has nothing to do with Colin.” Ning Yizhan didn’t know what use the necklace from the center of the lake was to him.
Inside the hot pot restaurant, Xiang Gexuan warmly attended to the three of them. Noticing the expensive watch on Ning Yizhan's wrist, he praised, "President Ning, this watch is quite nice." Xiang Gexuan's words drew the attention of the other three, who all stared at the watch on Ning Yizhan's wrist. Shang Ji recognized the watch, "Yu Fei, the latest limited edition from the beginning of this year."
Ning Yizhan's thin lips curved slightly, revealing his only smile of the day, as if to say, "You do have good taste."
At this moment, a lazy, soft voice came, "It's quite pretty, and it looks familiar, like I've seen it somewhere before."
Ning Yizhan's thin lips pursed slightly, his cold eyes fixed on Qiu Hu, his voice turning serious, "Somewhat familiar? Just somewhat familiar?"
"Um".
Ning Yizhan was so angry he laughed. Good heavens, he'd forgotten!
"Did I say something wrong?" Qiu Hu could tell that Ning Yizhan was angry.
However, Ning Yizhan did not answer him. He put down his chopsticks, stopped eating, and just leaned wearily against his chair, looking at her with a detached expression.
"What's wrong with him?" Xiang Gexuan asked Qiu Hu in a low voice.
Qiu Hu simply shook his head.
The meal was introduced amidst the two women's confusion.
Since that day, Qiu Hu has never seen him on the island again.
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