Chapter 80 - 76: He Wasn’t Like This Before

Gu Yanjing was worried that Qiao Yuxian would be mistreated at the Qiao Family, so he waited outside the villa for nearly two hours. Seeing that she hadn’t come out, he finally asked Meng Yan to drive away. Qiao Family. When Qiao Yuxian returned, Qiao Yu was sitting on the sofa in the living room. The usually upright person had a slightly bent back at this moment. Hearing the sound, he looked towards the door. Seeing it was Qiao Yuxian returning, he first looked her up and down, his gaze falling on her bandaged hand, then frowned and asked, "What happened to your hand?" Qiao Yuxian hid her bandaged hand behind her and said, "It’s nothing. Lech... "Your aunt is with her." Qiao Yu’s expression was bad, gloomy mixed with hostility, but his tone towards her was gentle. Qiao Yuxian glanced upstairs, then sat on the sofa opposite Qiao Yu and directly said, "It was Jiang Shouzhuo." Qiao Yu’s pupils shook for a moment, and then anger filled his face. He stood up quickly, grabbed a coat from the sofa, and started walking out. Qiao Yuxian quickly caught up with him, grabbed his arm, and said, "Dad, I’ve already been to the Jiang Family." Qiao Yu stopped, turned around, and looked at her. Qiao Yuxian released him and said, "I’ve already dealt with it." "How did you deal with it?" Qiao Yu’s angry expression was tinged with concern as he asked urgently, "What did he do to you? What did you talk about?" "I’m fine, and we didn’t talk about anything." Qiao Yuxian said flatly, "I just beat him up before calling the police; he should be sent to the hospital now." Qiao Yu was stunned for a moment and then immediately asked, "Will you be in trouble?" Qiao Yuxian shook her head. Qiao Yu looked at her, but he couldn’t see through her at all. Calm, composed, strategic... With a maturity and steadiness beyond her age. Completely unlike the daughter he remembered. "Dad, just wait a few days peacefully," Qiao Yuxian said, "The Jiang Family will receive the punishment they deserve." Qiao Yu frowned, his lips moved a bit but he didn’t ask anything; he just responded. The last time he pressured the Jiang Family, he had witnessed her power. Today, within such a short time, she brought Qiao Lech home. This kind of power was far greater than he had imagined. Father and daughter sat back down on the sofa. Qiao Yuxian was quiet for a while and then said, "Dad, in the future, if something happens, talk to me." Qiao Yu looked at her, unable to hold back, and advised, "Yuxian, no matter what you do, always protect yourself. Ensure your own safety." Qiao Yuxian nodded, "I know." Father and daughter didn’t say much more, both sitting in the living room, feeling uneasy, frequently glancing upstairs at Qiao Lech’s room. Nearly half an hour passed, and Qiao Lech’s door opened, Chen Hui came out. Qiao Yu immediately got up and walked towards Chen Hui, "How is Lech?" Chen Hui’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her complexion very bad. The last thread supporting her spirit snapped when she met Qiao Yu’s eyes. She lowered her head, and tears started to fall one by one. Qiao Yu held her in his arms, gently patting her back, "It’s alright. Didn’t the doctor say everything’s fine?" Chen Hui buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing softly, unable to speak. Qiao Yu comforted her, "It’ll all be fine. Lech is not that fragile. The people who bullied her have been dealt with too..." Qiao Yuxian stood in the living room, watching the two embrace on the stairs. She rubbed the bandage on her finger, lowering her gaze, hiding the hint of loss in her eyes. "It was, it was Jiang Shouzhuo, Jiang Shouzhuo." Chen Hui choked as she whispered. "I know, I know." Qiao Yu took a deep breath, "Yuxian already went to the Jiang Family, and she’s dealt with that beast." Chen Hui stayed in his arms for a few more seconds before suddenly realizing something, quickly standing up straight and withdrawing from Qiao Yu’s embrace. She looked down, saw Qiao Yuxian downstairs, quickly wiped her tears, and went downstairs, "Yuxian." Qiao Yuxian looked up at her and smiled slightly, "Aunt." Chen Hui approached, a bit embarrassed, "I’m sorry you had to see that." Qiao Yuxian shook her head, "Lech she..." "She said she wanted to see you, asked me to check if you were still here," Chen Hui said. Qiao Yuxian paused for a moment, "Alright." She went upstairs, knocked on the door outside, and opened it to enter. Qiao Lech was sitting on the bed hugging her knees. When Qiao Yuxian entered, she was tilting her head looking out the window, and only looked at the door when she heard footsteps. Chen Hui had helped wash her hair, bathe her, and change her into clean pajamas. The areas on her face that were hit were still swollen, partly covered by her hair. Her eyes were even redder and more swollen than when she first came back. She didn’t seem to be in good spirits. Huddled in a lump on the bed, looking thin and fragile. "Sis." She called hoarsely when she saw Qiao Yuxian. "Hmm." Qiao Yuxian responded, walking to the bedside and looking at the injuries on her face. Qiao Lech said, "The doctor said it’s alright, the ointment just applied doesn’t hurt anymore." Qiao Yuxian stood by the bed without speaking. Qiao Lech lowered her gaze to the blanket covering her, after a moment she said, "Sis, am I a bit stupid, always getting bullied." "They are all no good, it has nothing to do with you," Qiao Yuxian said. Qiao Lech lowered her head, murmuring, "In high school, I was also cornered in the alley, it was you who beat them off. After that, no one dared to bully me again." "No one will dare bully you anymore," Qiao Yuxian’s voice was calm, yet like a promise. Qiao Lech’s expression was somewhat dazed, her eyes unfocused, wandering. Her lips slightly curved, pulling out a small smile, "Sis..." After calling, she suddenly choked and buried her head in her knees, unable to speak. Qiao Yuxian stood by the bed, clenched her fingers, and after a moment, raised her hand to touch Qiao Lech’s head, "It’s alright now. Everything has been dealt with, every issue erased. Jiang Shouzhuo and the entire Jiang Family won’t speak again." Qiao Lech cried for a while, then got up and hugged Qiao Yuxian’s waist, burying her face against her; after some time she said, "Sis, he wasn’t like this before. I, when I was a child abroad, I met him, he wasn’t like this." Qiao Yuxian awkwardly patted her hair, not saying anything. Qiao Lech said, "I got lost abroad with my mom when I was little, he waited with me all afternoon. He was very good back then." Qiao Yuxian almost understood; she didn’t necessarily have to like Jiang Shouzhuo, but he had once been her only reliance, and she always saw him through a filter. "People change." Qiao Yuxian lowered her gaze, speaking warmly, "Forget him, everything will be the same as before." Qiao Lech didn’t say anything, holding onto Qiao Yuxian and crying for a long time. Before coming to Capital City, she and Chen Hui had lived abroad for more than ten years. Chen Hui loved her very much, but was also very strict with her discipline. There were many things she couldn’t express to Chen Hui, but instead, she was closer to Qiao Yuxian, who didn’t seem to like her. Qiao Yuxian always stayed with her, let her hold her, and patted her head. After a long time, Qiao Lech was slightly better and withdrew from her embrace. Qiao Yuxian handed her a few tissues. Qiao Lech lowered her head to wipe her tears. Qiao Yuxian looked down at her, and after a few seconds, said, "Lech, I’m sorry." Qiao Lech looked up at her blankly for a moment, then immediately lowered her head, avoiding her gaze. "This issue started because of me, Jiang Shouzhuo’s hatred is also towards me." Qiao Yuxian spoke slowly, "Yet you had to bear all this." Qiao Lech did not look up, only shook her head, "No, it’s not your fault. It was him, he was too bad. He targeted our family’s company first. It was all him, nothing to do with you." Qiao Yuxian held and squeezed her fingers, pressing against her wound without noticing. Seeing her silent, Qiao Lech lowered her head and tugged at her clothes. Qiao Yuxian came back to her senses, asking, "Do you want to rest a bit?" "Hmm." Qiao Lech nodded. Qiao Yuxian helped her lie down, and after she fell asleep, she left the room.