Chapter 44: Quite a Coincidence

Lu Fengzhou had no intention of taking Liang Xiucheng’s number. He said, “Is Qiao Jiu with you?” It wasn’t a question, he was certain. “Let her take the call.”

Guan Wei turned her head, making exaggerated faces to signal Qiao Jiu about the request on the other end.

Qiao Jiu didn’t hesitate. She reached over and took the phone. “What exactly do you want?”

Lu Fengzhou’s voice was calm. “Did you go to the hospital?”

He already knew. Qiao Jiu glanced around, wary. “Did you have someone follow me?”

Lu Fengzhou scoffed. “What about you is worth following?” He continued, “Someone happened to see you and mentioned it to me.” He sneered, “You’re really attentive. Mrs. Liang was injured last night, and you rushed over this morning. Clearly, you’re determined to marry into the Liang family.”

Qiao Jiu sounded impatient. “I thought I made myself clear at Taiping Temple last time.”

Lu Fengzhou waited a moment, then became serious. “Qiao Jiu, the Liang family isn’t as impressive as you think. You don’t know how many people are eyeing them. Now that the Liangs are working with the Qiao Corporation, a lot of people will be stirred up. Don’t hand them gossip and ammunition at a time like this. Don’t let yourself fail to climb the tree and end up breaking the branch.”

The Qiao Corporation…

He even dared to mention it.

Qiao Jiu replied, “The company is already in your hands. Don’t use my family’s name. Do you really think no one knows what you’ve done before? Lu Fengzhou, a hypocrite is more shameful than a real villain. Can’t you be a little more straightforward?”

“And another thing,” she added, “I’ve never cared about consequences, you know that. Talking sense to me is useless. If you have time, you’d better think about how to minimize the damage if your cooperation gets dragged down by my affairs.”

She didn’t give Lu Fengzhou a chance to respond, hanging up immediately.

She handed the phone back to Guan Wei. “If he calls again looking for me, just say I left.”

Guan Wei had overheard Lu Fengzhou’s voice. “You and Xiucheng…”

“Nothing at all,” Qiao Jiu said. “I was just talking nonsense, mostly so I wouldn’t lose face in front of him.”

Guan Wei seemed relieved, but she still patted Qiao Jiu’s back. “Honestly, if you put everything else aside, you and Xiucheng actually seem pretty well matched.”

Matched?

Qiao Jiu couldn’t see it. Even back then, when she was still the eldest daughter of the Qiao family, she never thought herself worthy of Liang Xiucheng. Now, trodden into the mud, even friendship felt like a stretch—anything more was out of the question.

They walked on for a while. Qiao Jiu hesitated, then asked, “By the way, I’ve never had a chance to ask you—didn’t Liang Xiujin have a girlfriend before? That third daughter of the Xu family, I heard they were about to get engaged. Why did they break up? Was it because of you?”

Guan Wei’s expression gradually sobered. “As if I had that kind of influence.” She let out a long breath. “Xiujin got cheated on, caught her in the act—it had to end. I got together with him by accident afterwards.”

She laughed softly. “Honestly, thinking back now, it all seems a bit muddled.”

Qiao Jiu was surprised. “He got cheated on—didn’t expect Miss Xu to be so wild.”

Guan Wei clicked her tongue, but didn’t comment on Miss Xu. “Xiujin was pretty taken with her. He was hurt when it happened.”

Her expression grew complicated, as if there was more she wasn’t saying.

After lunch at a nearby restaurant, Guan Wei dragged Qiao Jiu into the outpatient building instead of returning to the ward—she didn’t want to go back yet. She slumped in her chair, rambling about how Mrs. Liang had tormented her the night before.

Qiao Jiu listened, then suddenly interrupted, “Has Ruyue been discharged?”

Guan Wei paused. “She left ages ago, but she hasn’t dared go to the bar lately, afraid of running into Lu Fengzhou.” The sorrow from before had faded, replaced by regret. “Qin Mama said a lot of people are asking for her by name. Lu Fengzhou is costing me a fortune.”

After a moment, she added, “She called me last night, wanted me to arrange a gathering so she could apologize to Lu Fengzhou, put the past behind them. Otherwise, she’s too scared to go back to the bar.”

Qiao Jiu couldn’t understand. “She must have made decent money these years. Why push her luck? Wouldn’t it be better to save up and live a normal life? This kind of work isn’t sustainable—her health will break down, and the gossip won’t be pleasant. The longer it goes on, the worse her reputation. In the end, it’ll be hard to find an honest man.”

Guan Wei laughed lightly. “What honest man? The girls I look after all have bigger appetites than the last. An honest man couldn’t handle it.”

She went on, “Ruyue did have a long-term boyfriend once—she wanted to make it official, tried some tricks, but couldn’t beat his wife. The wife showed up and nearly ruined her face; took months to heal. Now, this is the only path she’ll walk, never considers anything else.”

As they spoke, someone entered through the outpatient doors.

It was lunchtime; doctors were off duty, the lobby nearly empty. Few patients came and went. The person was pushed in on a wheelchair, wrapped up tightly—hard to miss.

Guan Wei stopped mid-sentence, and both turned to look. After a moment, Guan Wei lowered her voice, “Isn’t that… who is it…”

Qiao Jiu squinted. “Song Wan.”

“Yes, that’s her. Bundled up like this, it’s as if she wants everyone to notice her.” She curled her lip. “But what happened to her? In a wheelchair now? Are celebrities so precious these days they can’t even walk themselves?”

Qiao Jiu glanced at Song Wan’s legs—nothing seemed amiss.

Unaware of them, Song Wan wore a hat and sunglasses, a high-necked shirt, head bowed to hide her chin in the collar, looking furtive. Her assistant pushed her forward, and a doctor came to meet them—it seemed she was expected.

Guan Wei snorted. “I’d love to snap a picture and post it online, let everyone come after her.”

Qiao Jiu turned, unable to help but laugh. “Why are you so angry?”

Guan Wei was visibly annoyed. “Lu Fengzhou brought her to the bar that day, made me feel sick—she’s obviously trouble.”

She couldn’t help adding, “Lu Fengzhou must be blind. He doesn’t want you, but goes for a pointy-faced girl. Rolling around at night, isn’t he afraid of stabbing himself?”

The comment was amusing, but Qiao Jiu’s mind conjured the image and couldn’t laugh; she felt something she couldn’t name.

She’d expected Song Wan’s examination to take a while—these people tended to be fussy.

But not even five minutes passed before she was out again, pushed by her assistant toward the doors.

Now, with the lobby so empty, avoiding them was impossible.