Pei Liyan didn’t speak but instead lifted his arm, signaling her to loop her arm through his so they could walk back together.
Qiao Rui glanced at him, her eyes brimming with disdain, "Sorry, I have no interest in linking arms with you. Leave that to my elder sister."
Pei Liyan was montarily at a loss for words.
He let his arm fall back to his side, his gaze serene. There was no trace of awkwardness.
Indeed, he could both take it and leave it.
"You still haven’t told , why I am here!" Qiao Rui certainly hadn’t forgotten his earlier assertive tone.
"News about your brother," Pei Liyan said, looking at her with calm confidence in his eyes. "Or rather, a photograph!"
Qiao Rui was stunned, never having expected the secret she had kept deep in her heart and never revealed to anyone, to be so easily exposed by him.
How did he know?
Pei Liyan smiled gently. "Don’t ask how I know. The Pei Mansion might not have your brother’s photograph, but if you really want to search, you should look in the Qiao Family ho."
Qiao Rui was stunned again. The Qiao Family, she had searched there, but in those old photographs, there was nothing.
It was ironic that she didn’t have a single photo of her brother from their childhood, let alone now.
She didn’t even know if her brother was alive or dead.
This topic was a taboo in the Qiao Family, never to be ntioned.
Because when her brother had returned to the Qiao Family, he had disappeared without a trace and had been unheard of since.
Now that she wanted to find him, she didn’t even have a photograph to start with.
Finding a needle in a haystack, how could she possibly succeed?
She had thought the Pei Family was the Qiao Family’s lucky star and that maybe, with their relationship, she could discover sothing.
But Pei Liyan’s words made her sink into a deep silence, as if struck by lightning.
"Knowing you won’t give up, co with ," Pei Liyan said, then walked towards the mansion with his tall figure.
Qiao Rui followed closely behind.
anwhile, Pei Qiuhua was about to explode with anger.
She was led away by Si Ran, consud with anger at the thought of Qiao Rui boldy speaking of divorce with her brother; she couldn’t help but heave with fury: "Secretary Si, did you hear that? She actually said she’d divorce my big brother. What status does she have, what right does she have to say that?"
Si Ran tried to console her, "Miss Pei, President He will definitely handle his private affairs."
"Of course, my big brother can handle it, but that woman is infuriating," Pei Qiuhua stood with her hands on her hips, rambling, "I’ve never seen soone speak to my big brother like that."
Si Ran hesitated, then said softly, "Perhaps it’s precisely because of that, that Madam was chosen by President He."
Pei Qiuhua thought of her big brother’s handsoness and competence, the pride of the Pei Family, now plagued by a woman like Qiao Rui. She couldn’t help but want to cry injustice.
"Wasn’t she very ugly and unsophisticated before? Are the rumors not true?"
Si Ran did not speak.
She had been stunned when she saw the Madam like that today.
When Madam had said she wanted to talk, she was very surprised: "Madam, you can command directly if there’s anything."
However, Qiao Rui had said, "I wear glasses because there are many bachelors in the village, and I don’t want to be harassed by those old n who can’t find a wife, so I wear these glasses for protection."
Si Ran was dumbstruck for a mont, his eyes hesitantly sweeping over Qiao Rui’s face, softly saying, "That period must have been very hard for you."
"It’s fine, it’s all in the past now," Qiao Rui said.
"So now, Madam can remove the glasses," Si Ran still upheld the loyalty of a subordinate devoted to Pei Liyan.
Perhaps it was because of his persistence, or maybe because Qiao Rui didn’t want to make things difficult for him, that she took off her glasses and dressed up anew to attend the banquet.
Si Ran felt that if Qiao Rui had refused, he would have been at a loss.
Clearly, at that mont, the aura she brought with her was enough to match President He.
But when they arrived at the Pei Mansion, they didn’t expect President He to bring Qiao Xiang along, giving the lady of the house a show of strength.
Yet the lady wasn’t angry, she couldn’t care less.
Si Ran was also shocked, she had never seen a woman who could be so composed,
Especially in front of President He.
"Secretary Si, I’m talking to you!" Pei Qiuhua snapped her out of her daze with a shove.
Si Ran imdiately ca back to her senses and shook her head. "Secretary Si isn’t sure of the details, but, the lady looked very beautiful today, didn’t she?"
Pei Qiuhua, although reluctant to admit it, nodded anyway. "Yes, very beautiful, especially her figure, simply enchanting. My eldest brother hasn’t fallen for her, has he!"
"President He’s business isn’t sothing others should comnt on," Si Ran cautioned.
"I’m just angry!" Pei Qiuhua stamped her foot in frustration.
At that mont, a voice ca, "Who has upset our beautiful Miss Pei so much?"
Hearing the voice, Pei Qiuhua imdiately turned around and, seeing who it was, her eyes lit up, and she excitedly called out, "Brother Zheng, you’ve arrived just in ti."
He Zheng was dressed in a suit and tie, a white shirt highlighting his extraordinary face.
Si Ran looked up and was montarily taken aback, then swiftly lowered her gaze and greeted him, "President He."
He Zheng nodded slightly, glanced at Si Ran, and then turned his attention to Pei Qiuhua.
Already impatient, Pei Qiuhua did not hesitate to recount everything to He Zheng in great detail.
After listening, He Zheng smiled and comforted her. "Qiuhua, you should trust your elder brother; he can handle his own affairs. And as for your sister-in-law, you haven’t truly interacted with her, you don’t understand each other. Isn’t it wrong to judge her based on hearsay?"
Pei Qiuhua was taken aback. "Why are you defending her?"
"Oh?" He Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Who else has been defending her?"
"Secretary Si!"
Si Ran looked bewildered; she hadn’t said anything, had she?
"Secretary Si may not have said it outright, but her attitude seems to indicate she quite likes that woman."
"That woman is your sister-in-law, your brother’s chosen wife," He Zheng reminded her.
"My brother ca holding hands with Sister Qiao Xiang today too. He seems indecisive!" Pei Qiuhua lashed out against Pei Liyan after her words.
Listening, He Zheng gave an indulgent smile. "You’re still a child. Let the adults handle their business."
"I am not a child!"
"Where are your brother and sister-in-law?" He Zheng wanted to change the subject.
"They were just here, they seem to have gone to the hall."
"I’ll go find them. As for you, go have sothing to eat. Si Ran, you keep Qiuhua company," He Zheng gave Si Ran a knowing look.
Si Ran nodded. "Of course, President He."
He Zheng turned and went to look for Pei Liyan.
Si Ran glanced back at his tall, retreating figure.
Si Ran then looked back at Pei Qiuhua.
Pei Qiuhua, watching He Zheng’s departing figure, complained with a sense of loss, "Brother Zheng never has ti for whenever he cos; in his eyes and heart, there’s only my elder brother. They couldn’t be in an improper relationship, could they?"
"Cough!" Si Ran choked, and imdiately said, "Miss Pei, that’s not a joke you can make."
"You never know, otherwise why would my brother choose Qiao Rui so impulsively? Maybe it’s because Brother Zheng is his unattainable love that he just casually picked a woman!" After saying this, Pei Qiuhua grabbed Si Ran, "Co on, let’s go see if they’re having an affair."
Just as Qiao Rui and Pei Liyan had entered the hall, the butler stopped them: "Young Master Liyan, the old master would like a word with you."
Pei Liyan frowned, "Just ?"
The butler nodded, looking at Qiao Rui, and said, "For the first dance later, the old master has asked Young Master Liyan to dance with Miss Xiang, and the young mistress may do as she pleases."
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