Qiao Rui didn’t say a word and sat directly on his lap, burying her face into the crook of his neck.
Pei Liyan froze and his body stiffened slightly—this gesture was far too intimate.
But considering Qiao Rui was injured, he had no ti to think about anything else.
He really didn’t know whether he should be angry at the swollen redness on her back, or at her reckless bravado for facing off against more than ten people alone.
He glanced at her swollen injury and gently pressed an ice pack wrapped in a plastic bag against it.
Qiao Rui flinched at the cold. "Ah, it’s so chilly."
At least she was smart—by sitting on his lap and leaning into his arms, she managed to stay a bit warr.
Though the front was warm and the back was cold, making it feel like she was caught between fire and ice.
The man’s movents were exceptionally gentle, taking care not to exert too much force as he applied the ice to the swollen area.
Once the initial sting of the cold subsided, it started to feel much better. The coolness eased quite a bit of the pain.
"Are you angry?" Qiao Rui sensed his tension and raised her head, eting his deep, fathomless gaze.
Pei Liyan lowered his eyes to look at her, his voice tinged with helplessness. "I thought you could take care of yourself. Clearly, I overestimated you."
"I’m only human, not a god," Qiao Rui said. "Look on the bright side—this punch wasn’t for nothing. Didn’t my uncle end up apologizing?"
Pei Liyan furrowed his brows, his voice now carrying a hint of displeasure. "If I hadn’t co, you’d probably have had a very hard ti forcing him to apologize—even assuming he would at all."
"True." Qiao Rui gazed at his resolute face, his slightly pursed lips showing his irritation.
At this mont, he looked particularly commanding, with his sharp brows and starry eyes exuding an icy arrogance and nobility.
But those furrowed brows made one feel an irresistible urge to smooth them out.
Qiao Rui truly acted on that impulse, gently reaching out to brush his brows with her fingers.
"Relax your brows, Mr. Pei," Qiao Rui said with a playful smile. "I’ll be more careful next ti."
In Pei Liyan’s deep, unfathomable eyes, a faint warmth finally erged, though traces of displeasure and concern remained predominant.
Qiao Junxian wasn’t likely to let this go so easily.
After all, he’d been running the Qiao Family business for so many years; how could he willingly step aside?
Elder Qiao pushing Qiao Rui to take the front stage was likely a deeper strategy at play—the fisherman reaping the spoils while the standoff between the sandpiper and clam played out.
eting Qiao Rui’s gaze, he cautioned her, "You really need to be exceedingly careful. Today’s events are likely just the beginning."
Qiao Rui’s heart tightened, not expecting him to think the sa way.
Indeed, she also felt today was just the start; Qiao Junxian would never settle for this outco.
She looked at Pei Liyan. The fact that he had rushed all the way back from Liancheng out of concern for her, just to back her up—it moved her.
To be honest, his presence did make things much easier for her.
At the very least, those outside imdiately started speculating, believing the two of them had a solid, loving marital bond.
With this perception, Qiao Rui could sit securely in her position, borrowing his power for leverage.
"What are you looking at?" Pei Liyan asked irritably, noticing her distracted expression.
"Looking at you!" Qiao Rui snapped back to attention, eting his extraordinarily handso face. "Looking at how beautiful you are."
"Stop with the childish nonsense," Pei Liyan said in a deep, slightly hoarse voice, now tinged with gravity.
"Alright." Qiao Rui nodded and rested her face against the crook of his neck.
Seeing her being so obedient, Pei Liyan’s furrowed brows finally relaxed, though the sight of the redness and swelling on her back made him frown again.
She was, after all, just a girl, yet she had been beaten, and she didn’t even seem to care.
This was what bothered him the most.
Taking a closer look at her back, he suddenly noticed faint scars that weren’t imdiately visible. Upon closer inspection, they were still distinct.
The scars looked old, having been there for so ti.
He carefully observed them and asked, "Were you injured often in the past?"
Qiao Rui froze, then raised her head again, her startled gaze eting his, only to quickly turn her head toward her back.
"Don’t move," Pei Liyan said in a stern voice, stopping her fidgeting.
Qiao Rui’s heart skipped a beat. Could there really be scars on her back? Had they been seen by him? Was that why he asked?
"You saw them?" Qiao Rui asked softly.
"They’re not very obvious, but if you look carefully, they’re quite distinct," Pei Liyan replied.
Qiao Rui thought to herself that she would have to be extra cautious from here on out.
Perhaps he hadn’t noticed before because, back then, they were always busy in the bedroom with no ti to examine closely.
Now that he’d noticed, she’d have to be more vigilant going forward.
Still, she resolved firmly—not to let him have any more opportunities to get close to that other side of her life.
"Got it," Qiao Rui said with a slight nod.
"Who taught you how to fight like this?" Pei Liyan asked again.
"Oh, that?" Qiao Rui chuckled. "I learned it from brawling in my village. There was an old man there who felt sorry for , always getting beaten up as a child, so he taught a few moves. Later, when he saw I had potential and didn’t make him lose face, he taught more. Eventually, I beca undefeated in village fights."
Pei Liyan couldn’t tell if she was joking or serious, but he could glean from her words that her childhood had not been easy.
"Qiao Rui." Pei Liyan suddenly spoke, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "Was it tough for you growing up?"
The warmth in his voice caught Qiao Rui off guard, and she hesitated before shaking her head slightly.
"Without enduring the piercing cold of winter, how can one enjoy the fragrance of plum blossoms?"
Pei Liyan faltered, startled by her nonchalant tone. Yet, he could clearly feel the hardship and sorrow of her youth.
Back then, she was still a child, abandoned in the countryside by Elder Qiao, left to fend for herself. The fact that she had survived at all might very well be a miracle.
Seeing how she managed to look back on those tis so calmly, he felt both heartache and an indescribable mix of emotions.
Qiao Rui gave him a light smile and said, "Alright, I think I don’t need any more ice."
"It’s best to ice it a little longer," Pei Liyan said. "I don’t mind the trouble—why do you?"
"I haven’t seen Gai Yin yet. She must be busy right now, but I really need to talk to her."
"Who’s Gai Yin?" Pei Liyan asked in a low voice.
"My assistant," Qiao Rui replied. "Alright, I have work to do—it’s my first day, can you not sabotage ?"
Hearing that, Pei Liyan abruptly pressed harder on her back.
"Ow!" Qiao Rui winced, sharply inhaling as pain flickered across her face.
"That wasn’t even much pressure, and it already hurts," Pei Liyan said irritably. "Give it five more minutes. We’ll talk after that."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Qiao Rui said, "That must be Gai Yin. Get up quickly."
Pei Liyan shot an annoyed glance toward the door. Were Fang Mo and Li Chongming just dead weight?
The knocking continued.
"Wait a mont!" Qiao Rui called out loudly.
From outside, Gai Yin’s voice sounded. "President Qiao, are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Wait for ," Qiao Rui replied before turning to Pei Liyan.
He glanced at Qiao Rui, his displeasure obvious. "Such a lack of decorum."
Qiao Rui defended Gai Yin. "Co on, she was just worried about ."
With a faint scoff, Pei Liyan said, "You’re a little too full of yourself."
"Alright, hurry up and let go," Qiao Rui urged as she tried to get up.
But the man caught her by the waist and pulled her back down. He leaned closer, lowering his head to capture her lips in a kiss.
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