Xie Lianqing was still unaware of his parents' sympathy towards him, but even if he knew, it probably wouldn't have been much use. He was currently on his way to his apartment in Manhattan with Xu Qingqing.
Parsons School of Design was located right in downtown New York City, not far from Xie Lianqing's address. After arriving at their destination, Xie Lianqing and Xu Qingqing first settled in for a while, then changed clothes to visit the school as tourists.
The campus environment was beautiful and seemed to have a good cultural atmosphere. After touring the school, Xie Lianqing earnestly sought his girlfriend's opinion: "What do you think?"
Xu Qingqing still appeared somewhat hesitant, but in her heart, she had already made a decision.
Xie Lianqing discerned her decision and subsequently called a real estate agent, saying he wanted to buy an apartment near the school to make it convenient for Xu Qingqing to study there in the future.
Xie Lianqing knew that Xu Qingqing's personality was seen as high-maintenance by others. Such a temperament could easily breed conflict and trouble when sharing living space with others, so he had no intention of letting Xu Qingqing suffer through that.
Moreover, the overseas environment was complex. If Xu Qingqing were still in City A, they could keep an eye on her anytime. But in a foreign country across the ocean, with flights taking over ten hours, it would often be too late if something really happened.
Although Xie Lianqing would be happy to let Xu Qingqing live in his own property, the Xu family probably wouldn't want to save money this way. So it was better for him to arrange everything for her now, all at once.
Xu Qingqing sat obediently to the side, watching her boyfriend make plans for her, and a different thought arose in her mind. Even though they were just visiting now and would still have to return to China for about a year, she already felt a bit reluctant to part with Xie Lianqing.
She trailed behind him like a little tail, looking at him with eager eyes and saying, "Senior Xie, you will come to see me, right?"
Xu Qingqing's emotions were always very apparent. For example, when she was angry, she called him Xie Lianqing, but when she was trying to please or beg for forgiveness, she would call him Senior Xie.
Xie Lianqing was actually feeling somewhat down too, but seeing Xu Qingqing suddenly become so clingy was also a bit amusing: "Yes, I'll come see you when I have time."
Although the distance was great, after this busy period at the company, his schedule would ease up a lot. It wouldn't be impossible to spend one or two weekends a month flying over on the private jet after work to see Xu Qingqing and then return.
It would probably be quite troublesome, but in a relationship, someone inevitably has to put in more effort. Xie Lianqing was willing to make concessions for Xu Qingqing.
It was just that at this point, he couldn't help but feel some regret.
If back then he hadn't been so proud, hadn't broken up and skipped a grade after learning the childish truth behind Xu Qingqing's revenge, he would have grown up and shared many moments with Xu Qingqing. Perhaps they could even be studying abroad together now.
But he had already, due to a moment of impulsiveness, spent that time alone and ahead of schedule.
However, there was nothing to be done about it. He was just a teenager back then, without the maturity and methods he possessed now. Otherwise, even knowing about Xu Qingqing's little schemes, he could have completely won back her affection.
Xu Qingqing was completely unaware of Xie Lianqing's inner sigh. Hearing him promise to visit her, she also breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "That's good then."
Her grandparents were getting older, and her aunt was very busy every day, so they probably couldn't visit her often. Although Le Jiaojiao was also at the same school, she would reunite with her family during holidays. If Xie Lianqing didn't come to see her, how boring it would be all alone.
After the two confirmed the school, they handed the housing matter over to the agent and went off to enjoy their vacation sightseeing. Unfortunately, Xu Qingqing had school matters to attend to, so after simply playing for two days, they returned home.
Since Xu Qingqing had decided to apply to the same school as Le Jiaojiao, she needed to work even harder on her studies.
Before, she hadn't visited the school location and only thought of it as a name, without any real impression. Now, having visited in person, she felt everything had become real, and at the same time, she felt a greater sense of urgency.
Xu Qingqing's life became increasingly busy, spending her days either at the library or at school, with weekend classes at a tutoring center. Her English was already very fluent now; she could handle going abroad alone for an interview without a problem, and not long ago, her IELTS score successfully reached 7.
Xu Qingqing's recommendation letters were written by Xie Lianqing and her aunt, both of whom were people with considerable reputation and connections.
Finally, after all the materials were prepared and the application was submitted, Xu Qingqing could relax. She had been busy for months, and now she just had to wait for the results.
Afraid of being mocked by her rival, Xu Qingqing decided not to tell her friends about applying to this school. She didn't even tell Zhou Chenyu, precisely to prevent the news from leaking and reaching Le Jiaojiao.
Even when she received the interview invitation, Xu Qingqing went to the interview alone and in secret.
Then she discovered Le Jiaojiao on the plane.
Xu Qingqing: "...No way?"
Le Jiaojiao crossed her arms, giving a smug, cold laugh: "...No way?"
Actually, Le Jiaojiao had long ago learned from Zhou Chenyu that Xu Qingqing was struggling with choosing a school, so she had deliberately written her application in front of her.
She wasn't as careless and clueless as Xu Qingqing. She had long prepared her materials, submitted her application ages ago, and even privately contacted potential supervisors several times. Why would she wait until that day in class to write her application? It was all just an act specifically for Xu Qingqing's benefit.
Sure enough, this fool Xu Qingqing fell for her little trick immediately.
On the plane, Le Jiaojiao looked smugly at the guilty-looking Xu Qingqing beside her, feeling immensely pleased.
Indeed, this high-maintenance girl still wasn't as smart as her. All those years she hadn't won arguments against her, it was because she hadn't used her brain.
In terms of intelligence, she completely outmatched Xu Qingqing!
...
After submitting her application materials, Xu Qingqing's life was largely liberated. She just needed to peacefully prepare her graduation project and thesis. And the thesis timeline was still quite generous; the school hadn't even assigned supervisors or topics yet, so there was no need to rush.
Having strived hard for several months, Xu Qingqing immediately decided she was going back to being a couch potato! She was going to play games, read novels, and binge comics!
Then she called Zhou Chenyu to play games, but he ruthlessly refused her, saying, "Miss, I have to work, okay?"
Xu Qingqing was shocked: "You work?!!" Only after saying it did she remember that Xie Lianqing had told her last time that Zhou Chenyu was recently starting a business.
Xu Qingqing had hung out with Zhou Chenyu for so long, and if Xie Lianqing hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have known he had started a company. After all, this guy didn't go to an office to work, usually never mentioned being busy with work. Xu Qingqing estimated that even Le Jiaojiao probably didn't know her cousin was starting a business.
Thinking of this, Xu Qingqing immediately went to ask Le Jiaojiao if she knew about Zhou Chenyu's business venture.
Upon hearing about Zhou Chenyu starting a business, Le Jiaojiao exclaimed in shock: "With a boss like Zhou Chenyu, it would be lucky if the company didn't go bankrupt, but it can actually make money??!"
Xu Qingqing also found it pretty unbelievable.
If someone like Zhou Chenyu, who spends every day gaming, sleeping, and partying, can start a company and make money, Xu Qingqing felt she might as well inherit the Xu Group and become its CEO.
After Xu Qingqing and Le Jiaojiao earnestly expressed their doubts, Zhou Chenyu was nearly driven to spit blood in frustration.
Without a word, Zhou Chenyu sent them a link. Xu Qingqing clicked on it with her phone; it seemed to be a live-streaming platform, with a female streamer broadcasting on the homepage.
The streamer was beautiful and captivating, singing and dancing gently. Xu Qingqing, having a dance background herself, wasn't particularly interested in that. After a while, she wandered into the gaming section and, as if by instinct, started watching a game streamer.
The streamer was playing a game Xu Qingqing had been into recently. After watching for a bit, she realized the player was incredibly skilled, and the comments below were refreshing rapidly.
She took a screenshot and asked Zhou Chenyu, "Who is this? They seem really popular."
Zhou Chenyu was shocked: "No way, Miss Xu? You play games every day but don't follow the esports scene? This is LXp, a very popular pro player lately!"
Xu Qingqing was completely clueless; she usually only played against bots and never watched competitions. However, she knew what a professional player was. She glanced at the streamer's name, searched on Weibo, and though she didn't fully grasp how amazing they were, it seemed they had won many tournaments, and the fans in the comments were raving.
Thus, the previously indifferent Xu Qingqing was instantly awestruck!
Just then, the streamer started reading out last week's gift leaderboard. They mentioned picking a few viewers to play a few rounds with, as a fan benefit.
Before Zhou Chenyu could even say anything, Xu Qingqing immediately started topping up her account and throwing money at the screen! How cool would it be to play with the streamer! And to be on stream! If she played with a pro player, then by extension, she was practically a pro player too. Let's see who would dare call her a noob after that!
Confidently, Xu Qingqing spent her money. Even if she was too late this time and didn't get picked, surely her turn would come next time!
However, the power of money proved quite useful. Xu Qingqing successfully got a spot in the streamer's party and played a few rounds. Even though everyone in the game was roasting her for being terrible, Xu Qingqing was still very satisfied.
She was now someone who had played games with a professional player!
After finishing her gaming session, Xu Qingqing remembered the original question and saw Zhou Chenyu covering his face, laughing at something.
She was puzzled and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Zhou Chenyu said, "Now do you understand how I make money?"
Xu Qingqing was still confused: "Why would I know? Oh right, I haven't even asked what your company is. Why did you bring me to watch a livestream?"
Zhou Chenyu poured himself a glass of water and said leisurely, "This livestreaming platform is mine."
Xu Qingqing, who had just splurged a bunch of money: "..."
A while later, the streamer who had just played with Xu Qingqing and the others switched to broadcasting a different game. Reportedly, it was a recently released martial arts game that was particularly popular.
After entering the gaming section earlier, Xu Qingqing had seen many people streaming this game. She didn't play it, so she wasn't interested in watching.
She was about to close the page, but after watching the streamer play for a bit, she thought, wow! The streamer was so incredibly skilled, weaving in and out of battle with just a fan, and effortlessly scoring elegant pentakills in PvP. It was simply amazing.
Watching the streamer rack up kills, Xu Qingqing inexplicably got the illusion that she was just as good.
Moreover, the in-game mall's outfits and effects were gorgeous. The characters' qinggong (lightness skill) was incredibly cool and flashy, and their faces were beautiful and captivating.
The more Xu Qingqing watched, the more tempted she became. Instantly awestruck, she went to download the game, then spent a fortune, vowing to pull those pretty outfits from the gacha.
Zhou Chenyu was cackling with laughter beside her again.
Xu Qingqing looked at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Did you develop this game?"
Zhou Chenyu grinned: "Oh, getting smarter, are we?"
Xu Qingqing shook her head: "How treacherous the world is! How treacherous! Capitalists, your hearts are all dirty!"
Zhou Chenyu was using his streaming platform to drive traffic to his game—a natural, free advertisement. Once the game took off, he'd be making double the money.
Although Xu Qingqing had just started watching streams, she quickly grasped the key point.
Later, Xu Qingqing told Xie Lianqing about this incident. He was on a business trip across the ocean, and they were on a video call.
After explaining the whole story, Xu Qingqing said, "If Zhou Chenyu can do business, I think I can too."
Although Xie Lianqing occasionally felt jealous of Xu Qingqing's trust in Zhou Chenyu, at this moment he couldn't help but sigh and defend his friend: "Zhou Chenyu went to an Ivy League school abroad."
Although he liked to have fun, he also had a good head on his shoulders. He wasn't like some of the useless second-generation heirs in their circle. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been friends for so many years.
Xie Lianqing's intentions were good, but when he turned, he found Xu Qingqing wasn't even listening to him.
She was deep in thought, saying, "What do you think about me starting a business in the future? I'll go into design." After all, she had already applied to schools and would be studying a related major.
Xie Lianqing thought for a moment and, instead of discouraging her, said, "If you're serious, why not ask Le Jiaojiao?"
Xu Qingqing was puzzled: "Le Jiaojiao?" What did her starting a business have to do with her?
The grievances between Xu Qingqing and Le Jiaojiao were too numerous to record. They had been bickering back and forth for so many years, and this time, neither forgot to drag the other into it.
Xie Lianqing sighed and said, "Have you forgotten? Le Jiaojiao's family has resources in the fashion industry." They also had connections abroad. The two would likely start working on this during their studies overseas, and having her on board would naturally make things much easier.
Xu Qingqing's eyes lit up: "You're right! I'll go ask Le Jiaojiao if she wants to start a business with me."
Although Xu Qingqing aspired to be a freeloading rich second-generation heiress, having grown up in an elite family surrounded by such influences, she had a basic understanding of most essential things. At the very least, she knew that doing business required connections.
With Le Jiaojiao's connections, they probably wouldn't lose money.
Le Jiaojiao was somewhat surprised when she found out, but she readily agreed to Xu Qingqing's invitation. She felt quite pleased—Princess Xu Qingqing, with her terminal princess syndrome, after all these years, was actually taking the initiative to invite her to collaborate!
However, Xu Qingqing and the others were still busy preparing for graduation. This period was hectic enough, so the two only had a brief discussion for now. The specific plans would have to be discussed in detail later.
A month later, Xu Qingqing received a reply email from Parsons School of Design. Although not an official acceptance letter yet, her spot was basically confirmed.
Several months had passed since the last holiday. During this time, Xu Qingqing had finally passed the Level 4 exam she had struggled with for years and secured her future school and path.
Meanwhile, Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan had finally tied the knot, setting a date for their engagement ceremony.
Because of what Bai Youlan held in her hands, the Lin family regarded her with great importance. Furthermore, with the Lin family suffering investment losses recently, people from all walks of life were watching them closely, trying to gauge the future development of the Lin Group and see if they could profit from it.
Therefore, Lin Donghan and Bai Youlan's engagement ceremony was held with great fanfare, with a large number of guests invited. Apart from fulfilling Bai Youlan's demands, there was another purpose: to let the outside world know that the Lin family, with its deep-rooted heritage, remained wealthy and powerful, thereby discouraging anyone from harboring inappropriate notions.
Probably because Grandma Xu had repeatedly rejected the Lin family's peace overtures and spoken too bluntly in front of Lin Donghan, angering Old Master Lin, the Xu family did not receive an invitation this time.
Even the Lin family's granddaughter, Xu Qingqing, received no news. Neither her grandmother, nor her uncles, cousins, or anyone else sent her a message.
Xu Qingqing was disappointed. Besides not being able to go and cause trouble herself, it was the first time she clearly understood that she had already been excluded by the Lin family.
Her grandparents, cousins, and others no longer considered her family.
However, Xu Qingqing was only downcast for a day before cheering up again. If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain. Even though no one invited her, Xu Qingqing decided to take the initiative, create an opportunity, and go herself!
Xu Qingqing hung a small calendar on her headboard. Every night before bed, she would solemnly and ceremoniously cross off a day on it.
Xie Lianqing would read a book or documents for a while before sleep, and seeing this, he couldn't help but glance sideways at Xu Qingqing.
When they first started living together, Xie Lianqing, like in the previous dozen or so years, was accustomed to working and reading in the study, returning to the bedroom to rest only after finishing. But now it was different. With his sweet, fragrant, and warm girlfriend by his side, Xie Lianqing didn't need anyone to remind him; he quietly moved his pre-sleep reading time to the bedroom.
Even though Xu Qingqing occasionally played on her phone or games in bed, he was willing to stay by her side, enjoying the cozy feeling of sharing a room.
Xie Lianqing had noticed Xu Qingqing scribbling and drawing on the calendar for more than a day or two. Recently, she seemed obsessed with something, holding the calendar and looking at it every day, even seriously crossing off the current date before sleep.
Xie Lianqing looked at her with amusement and asked, "What are you doing? Is there something important happening in a few days?"
He took the calendar she had put down, gave it a quick glance, and immediately saw a date circled with a red marker.
Xu Qingqing pretended not to hear, ignored him, and lay in bed happily playing on her phone.
Xie Lianqing wasn't angry either. Smiling, he guessed, "Y brand's new bag release?"
Xu Qingqing hummed a tune without answering, which meant he guessed wrong.
"Ranked season ending? New skins?" Xie Lianqing made a few simple guesses, then suddenly realized, squinting his eyes as he asked, "When is Lin Donghan getting engaged?"
Xu Qingqing jumped up from the bed: "Next week, next week! Next Wednesday!" She pulled Xie Lianqing's hand, cheering together.
Xie Lianqing: ...
Shaken back and forth by Xu Qingqing, he helplessly put down the book in his hand, hugged the restless girl, and said with a laugh, "It must have been tough for you, little genius."
If Xie Lianqing remembered correctly, several months had passed since Xu Qingqing last told him that Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan went to the Xu family to announce their engagement.
For such a long time, Xu Qingqing had actually remembered it until now, even getting a calendar to count down the days. It seemed she had been thinking about it day and night, pondering how to make a big splash at her enemy's wedding.
Moreover, given the current relationship between the Lin and Xu families, they probably wouldn't specially notify Xu Qingqing. He didn't know where she had specifically gotten the news from.
Xu Qingqing didn't know Xie Lianqing's thoughts. Having just stirred up some excitement herself, she suddenly felt full of energy. She eagerly got up, took a stack of document folders from her bedside table drawer, laid out the contents, and showed them to Xie Lianqing one by one.
She held up a stack of colorful paper, saying, "This is the final version of our flyers! This is our banner slogan, these are our badges..."
She pulled Xie Lianqing, tirelessly sharing everything with him.
Seeing her fully equipped, Xie Lianqing couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't you afraid of being kicked out?"
If the Lin family saw these things at the scene, they'd probably disown this granddaughter on the spot.
On this point, Xu Qingqing was very proud: "I've already made arrangements. Besides you, Zhou Chenyu and Le Jiaojiao have also agreed to lend me their bodyguards."
With bodyguards, there was no way she could be kicked out.
As for whether the Lin family would still acknowledge her as a granddaughter, Xu Qingqing had thought about that too, but she no longer cared or had time to worry about them.
As the saying goes, whoever makes her unhappy, she'll make them unhappy forever. If this could make Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan miserable, she was determined to stay at the wedding venue and coexist or perish with it!
Although Xu Qingqing felt she was very well-prepared, as the date approached, she still worried if there was anything she hadn't anticipated.
To ensure she could leave Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan with a perfect and regret-free wedding, Xu Qingqing specially consulted her boyfriend, humbly asking for advice: "Is there anything else I need to prepare? Besides kicking me out, what other ways could they use to make me leave?"
Seeing her nervous expression, Xie Lianqing couldn't help but stroke her hair, saying, "I think there's probably nothing that can stop you now."
Satisfied with the answer, Xu Qingqing nodded contentedly. She put down the flyers in her hand, ready to pack up the things in the folder.
Just as Xu Qingqing curled up under the covers, lay down obediently, closed her eyes to sleep, and looked forward to a brand new tomorrow,
Xie Lianqing suddenly said slowly, "But Qingqing, do you know this is illegal?"
Xu Qingqing instantly opened her eyes, her excited expression freezing, and said nervously, "N-no, it can't be, right?"
She was a law-abiding good citizen! How could she possibly break the law!
Xie Lianqing unhurriedly placed the book in his hand aside and calmly explained to his nervous girlfriend: "It likely violates public order regulations. If the Lin family chooses to call the police, you might spend a lovely day at the police station."
Xu Qingqing's expression was one of disbelief, nervously clutching the little blanket in front of her: "Really?"
Xie Lianqing looked at her with pity. Finding her nervous look adorable, he couldn't help but smile and reach out to stroke her hair, saying, "I'm afraid so, Miss Xu."
In fact, ever since Xu Qingqing described this grand plan to him over the phone, Xie Lianqing had been cautious. After consulting the company's lawyer personally, he received this exact answer.
However, at that time, Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan's engagement date wasn't set yet, and Xu Qingqing seemed to just be talking about it, so he didn't proactively reveal it to stop his girlfriend and pour cold water on her.
Who would have thought that after some time, not only had Xu Qingqing not given up, but she also seemed to have executed everything with full force. Xie Lianqing could only sigh. Now, he had to tell her, so he revealed the truth.
After hearing this, Xu Qingqing pouted, unwilling to believe the facts.
She crawled out of bed and nervously searched online, finding that it really did seem to be as Xie Lianqing had said. Actions like pulling banners and using loudspeakers danced on the edge of the law; strictly speaking, they violated the Public Security Administration Punishments Law. In serious cases, one could even be arrested and detained for up to fifteen days.
Moreover, it wasn't just that. The news actually had precedents of people being arrested for causing trouble and obstructing weddings.
Xu Qingqing instantly deflated.
Feeling low, she turned and looked at her boyfriend with pleading eyes, asking, "Do you think making a scene at someone's wedding counts as a serious case?"
Xie Lianqing, looking at her pitiful and adorable expression, emotionally wanted to say no. But in the end, reason prevailed, and he honestly told her, "I don't know, but if they call the police, you definitely won't get away."
Furthermore, Xie Lianqing thought to himself, if someone dared to cause such trouble at his own wedding, the matter certainly wouldn't end simply.
After getting her answer, Xu Qingqing chickened out.
She was still young and really didn't want to eat prison food!
Clutching at her last shred of hope, she cautiously asked, "What if they don't call the police on me?"
From what she understood, the Lin family cared deeply about saving face. If they involved the police, the matter would only blow up bigger, potentially even making social headlines. Then, it wouldn't just be the wedding guests who knew about the Lin family's dirty laundry; probably the whole nation would get to know them.
So Xu Qingqing guessed that, given her grandfather's personality, there was a high probability he would resolve the conflict privately within the family. Of course, if they were furious and acting on impulse, they might not make the most rational decision...
Xu Qingqing's heart pounded with uncertainty; she wasn't entirely sure.
Xie Lianqing neither agreed nor disagreed with her speculation but said, "I heard the Lin family invited quite a few guests this time. What if there's one good Samaritan among them..."
Xu Qingqing widened her eyes nervously. Xie Lianqing turned to look at her and said lazily, "Congratulations, Miss Xu, you might get to taste the legendary police station boxed meal."
Xu Qingqing was startled, then angrily accused him, "I get it now, you're trying to scare me!"
She realized that from the start of this conversation until now, Xie Lianqing had been nothing but a wet blanket, trying to intimidate her!
Facing Xu Qingqing's accusation, Xie Lianqing readily admitted, "You're currently so worked up and carried away by this idea. I'm just informing you of the possible outcomes."
He turned his gaze to meet Xu Qingqing's eyes and said calmly, "I could also lie to you and say the outcome won't be too bad. But what if you go, clinging to hope and completely unaware, and end up getting arrested?"
With Xu Qingqing's bully-the-weak-but-fear-the-strong, cowardly nature, if she got arrested, she'd probably burst into tears on the spot.
To prevent such an accident from happening to her, Xie Lianqing could only fulfill his duty as a boyfriend by laying out all the possibilities before things reached the worst outcome.
Even now, Xu Qingqing still didn't understand the seriousness of this matter. Moreover, from the planning stage until now, such a long time had passed, yet no one around her had revealed the truth to her. This left her fearless due to ignorance, completely unaware of the consequences.
Xie Lianqing believed it was his duty to inform her, and then let Xu Qingqing decide whether she still wanted to go through with it.
Xu Qingqing also knew Xie Lianqing was telling the truth. She deflated all at once, scratching her head.
She let out a deep sigh, sat on the bed, and said gloomily, "Then what should I do?" She didn't want to get arrested, but she also didn't want to not go. She was utterly torn.
Xie Lianqing patted her little head and comforted her softly, "I was just talking about the worst-case scenario. What if it doesn't happen?"
He knew Xu Qingqing had been looking forward to this for a long time. Ever since Bai Youlan announced her engagement at her house, she had started planning. If she couldn't go, Xu Qingqing would be terribly disappointed and upset.
Seeing Xu Qingqing so dejected, Xie Lianqing, to cheer her up, said on purpose, "Maybe everyone will be too busy watching the commotion that day and forget?"
Xu Qingqing was still depressed. "Impossible. If I were a guest watching, I'd definitely call the police too."
Besides, she had just reasoned it through. Although her grandfather cared about face, if she really caused such a scene at Lin Donghan's engagement party, he would probably lose all dignity and reputation. At that point, if he wasn't so angry he had a stroke, it would be a miracle. He definitely wouldn't care about calling the police anymore.
Maybe Lin Donghan and Bai Youlan would be counting on her spending a few days in jail to help them calm down.
The more Xu Qingqing thought about it, the more sense it made. If she were Bai Youlan, she would definitely hope for that.
Seeing her so conflicted, Xie Lianqing couldn't help but kiss her forehead and say, "If you really want to go, then go."
This level of mischief wasn't highly harmful; usually, one wouldn't be detained for too long. When the time came, he could talk with the Lin family. If they withdrew the complaint and settled amicably, at most Xu Qingqing would receive some criticism and education before being released.
Xu Qingqing hadn't expected Xie Lianqing to have even figured out her escape route for her. After wrestling with the decision alone for a long time, she finally decided she should go.
If she went, she might, perhaps, probably get a several-day "ideological education tour" at the police station, and incidentally trend on Weibo, making the Lin family and Xu Changshan nationally famous along with her.
Thinking of that last point, Xu Qingqing felt a strangely thrilling sense of temptation?
But if she didn't go, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Just think about it. Once, a sincere opportunity lay before her. The two people she hated most in her life were holding their engagement party, and all the people she had ever disliked were attending... Such a perfect opportunity was right in front of Xu Qingqing. If she didn't go and cause trouble, she would surely regret it to death later.
Maybe when she was old and giving her last words, she would still hold a grudge about this, lying on her sickbed: "Back when Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan got engaged, such a perfect opportunity, and I actually didn't go!!!"
Then, overcome with fury, she would talk herself into a fatal rage halfway through.
Imagining the scene of herself coughing up blood from anger, Xu Qingqing took a deep breath and decided to do it!
However, her original tactics definitely needed to change. She initially planned to stay from start to finish at the wedding venue, refusing to leave no matter who tried to kick her out. But now she decided that after distributing flyers, unfurling the banner, and shouting her slogans, she would make a quick retreat, catching the Lin family off guard!
If she was lucky and ran fast enough, maybe she wouldn't even get caught.
So thought the outlaw Xu Qingqing!
But Xu Qingqing was still very worried. So, to increase her sense of security, she decided to specifically invite Le Jiaojiao along separately.
Even Xie Lianqing couldn't guess her whimsical idea at this point. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you calling her?"
Xu Qingqing said very seriously, "If we get caught, I'll say she's a foreigner who doesn't understand our country's laws and thought pulling banners was a way to express affection... Would that reduce the sentence?"
At this moment, Xu Qingqing was quite upset that Le Jiaojiao's appearance was no different from a native local's, not looking like a mixed-race person at all.
Xu Qingqing was preparing to fabricate a legitimate foreign identity for Le Jiaojiao and suggested, "Southeast Asia? Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos?"
Xie Lianqing stared at her and reminded, "But her passport is from M Country."
Xu Qingqing: ...scratching her head.
After hearing this, Xie Lianqing just found it amusing and didn't take the matter seriously afterwards. He believed Le Jiaojiao wouldn't agree to Xu Qingqing's rather unscrupulous idea.
After all, the relationship between Le Jiaojiao and Xu Qingqing had always been a mix of rivalry and friendship. If she could see Xu Qingqing get arrested, Le Jiaojiao would probably post over a dozen celebratory messages on her social media. How could she possibly risk joining Xu Qingqing in this venture?
But what Xie Lianqing didn't anticipate was that Le Jiaojiao actually agreed!
At the Zhou family home, Le Jiaojiao was listening to Xu Qingqing introduce her meticulous plan: "These are the flyers, this is the megaphone... and also, I've had the bodyguards practice the suona and erhu for a while. Our entrance will definitely be eye-catching enough."
After finishing her introduction, Xu Qingqing said very honestly, "The only problem is, we might get arrested."
Le Jiaojiao was quite loyal. She had long disliked Bai Youlan, that wicked woman and her mother who destroyed another family.
Last time, when Bai Youlan's product 'Spring Water' blew up in scandal, although many society ladies still claimed her beauty salon was effective, they all secretly went for check-ups, afraid that hormones or fluorescent agents had been added to achieve such fast results.
Le Jiaojiao was very glad that because she stood on Xu Qingqing's side, she resisted the temptation and didn't use any products from Bai Youlan's beauty salon.
Le Jiaojiao and Xu Qingqing had been rivals since childhood; they knew each other from a young age, so she had also met Bai Youlan back then.
At that time, Xu Qingqing was so proud and happy, even bringing Bai Youlan to their house to play with her and Zhou Chenyu. Le Jiaojiao thought back then that Bai Youlan was no good person, and sure enough! Xu Qingqing had been deceived!
Le Jiaojiao felt that the unluckiest thing in Xu Qingqing's life was getting to know the mother-daughter pair, Bai Yaxiu and her daughter. Xu Qingqing's mother was such a good person, her cookies were delicious too, but it was a pity she met an unscrupulous man like Xu Changshan and a friend like Bai Yaxiu.
If not for them, Xu Qingqing's life would have been utterly perfect. It's a shame she encountered such things.
If not for Grandpa Xu and the others being sensible, who knows how miserable Xu Qingqing's life might be now.
The most despicable ones were the Lin family. They were clearly Xu Qingqing's relatives, yet for the sake of benefit, they helped the other woman deal with their own granddaughter. So shameless.
She didn't know Lin Donghan, but he probably wasn't a good person either, marrying the daughter of the woman who caused his relative's death.
In short, whoever Xu Qingqing disliked, Le Jiaojiao disliked too.
So, being extremely loyal, when Le Jiaojiao heard Xu Qingqing's plan she didn't hesitate: she grabbed the flyers and sprang into action with Xu Qingqing.
Finally, on the day of the wedding, Xu Qingqing quietly reminded Le Jiaojiao, saying, "If we are unfortunately caught, remember not to speak."
Le Jiaojiao nervously hugged the flyers, a bit skeptical: "It won't come to that, will it? Didn't you say someone would only come if we were reported? If we act quickly and run fast afterwards, we shouldn't get caught, right?"
There couldn't possibly be an undercover informant, with police lurking outside the wedding, ready to rush in and arrest them the moment they pull out the megaphone, could there?
As soon as Le Jiaojiao finished speaking, she quickly remembered that Xu Qingqing had trained in sprinting! If this woman ran too fast, wouldn't that leave her alone to get caught?!
She immediately changed her tune, saying, "No, you have to run slower later."
Xu Qingqing was also doing this sort of thing for the first time. She was usually very law-abiding. This time, she was just driven to desperation by Bai Youlan and the others, leading her momentarily down the wrong path.
Le Jiaojiao was getting a bit nervous, so after getting in the car, she secretly called Zhou Chenyu, saying, "Bro, if Xu Qingqing and I get arrested, remember to visit us and bring us food."
She wasn't sure if you could bring boxed meals when visiting prisoners. The more Le Jiaojiao thought about it, the more apprehensive she felt.
Zhou Chenyu was inspecting his family's hotel when he heard this and almost jumped up: "What the hell? What are you two doing?! Didn't you say you were attending a wedding?"
Le Jiaojiao's ears hurt from his shouting, and she said in a coquettish tone, "Why are you making such a fuss? Xu Qingqing and I are going to hold up banners and hand out flyers at Bai Youlan's wedding venue. I heard this might be illegal."
Zhou Chenyu frowned upon hearing this, feeling a headache coming on: "Are you on your way now? Where are you?"
Le Jiaojiao found him annoying, so she hung up on him.
Zhou Chenyu: ...???
Damn, he must have owed these two in a past life! Causing him trouble before wasn't enough, now the stunts they're pulling together are getting bigger and bigger.
At the same time, the two in the car chattered away, making plans without giving a single thought to the mental breakdown of their childhood friend and cousin.
Xu Qingqing took out a notebook and said, "If we really get caught, remember not to speak, okay? Pretend you don't know Chinese!"
Le Jiaojiao couldn't help but interject, "But I study at A University. They can easily find out with one check."
Xu Qingqing was shocked: "They can check that?" That's not how it's portrayed on TV!
Xu Qingqing was beginning to feel that something was really off. In TV dramas, the ex-lover of the bride or groom always casually barges into the wedding, suavely runs off with the person in the wedding dress or suit, leaving a stunned audience behind.
Based on the information she gathered, the other party should also be violating public order and disrupting the wedding! So why don't the people in TV dramas get arrested?
But with the moment of truth approaching and the car getting closer and closer to the engagement venue, Xu Qingqing didn't have the mood to ponder these melodramatic plots anymore.
Holding a subtle sense of nervousness about doing something bad, Xu Qingqing and Le Jiaojiao cheered each other on before getting out of the car.
Meanwhile, the engagement venue was bustling with activity. The Lin family and Xu Changshan's family were all present.
Although the Lin family and Xu Changshan were somewhat awkward, to maintain surface harmony, everyone stood together with smiles, chatting with guests attending the engagement ceremony, occasionally exchanging a few quiet words amongst themselves. The atmosphere was very harmonious.
Among the attendees were quite a few people who knew the inside story of what had happened back then. Seeing this scene, they looked on in surprise, hiding the disdain in their eyes.
Even a clay figurine has some temper. Who would have thought the Lin family's disposition was so mild that they could warmly become in-laws with the very people responsible for their daughter's death. It was truly contemptible.
Although some knew the female lead of today's engagement ceremony had a somewhat shady background, the Lin family's fortunes were currently rising. Since everyone does business together and sees each other often, no one would be foolish enough to deliberately say something tactless in front of the bride.
Therefore, today's engagement ceremony was exceptionally lively, with compliments and congratulations coming one after another. Both the Lin family and Xu Changshan were beaming, extremely happy.
Even Bai Youlan, who was unwilling to get engaged and felt somewhat uncomfortable, looked much better after hearing the continuous stream of praise from the guests.
But some people just don't know when to quit. The youngest daughter of the Lin family's second branch, who had been outside greeting guests, now ran in and said nervously to Chairman Lin, "Grandfather, you should come out and see this."
...
A row of stretch limousines was parked outside, each adorned with white paper flowers.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xu Qingqing stepped out of the car in her high heels. Wearing sunglasses and a solemn black dress with a black veil, she had arrived with a dramatic flourish.
Xu Qingqing was the first to exit the car, with Le Jiaojiao following closely behind her, sporting similar makeup and attire—sunglasses and red lips. As she stepped out, her body paused suspiciously for a moment before she straightened up as if nothing had happened.
She struck the same pose as Xu Qingqing, both with arms crossed. Le Jiaojiao's lips moved slightly as she whispered, "Damn, these heels are too high. I almost twisted my ankle just now."
Le Jiaojiao hadn't originally planned to wear such high heels, but after seeing Xu Qingqing in hers, standing a good half-head taller, she had gritted her teeth and added another five centimeters to her own heels.
She couldn't afford to lose face! Standing next to Xu Qingqing and looking so much shorter would make her legs seem stubby!
As a result, Le Jiaojiao had just lost her balance for a second and nearly fallen.
Striking a cool pose, Xu Qingqing threatened in a hushed tone, "If you fall, I'll fight you."
If Le Jiaojiao fell, the whole plan would be ruined. She was here to crash a party, not to become a laughingstock.
Xu Changshan moved the fastest. Upon seeing his daughter, he was the first to speak up: "Xu Qingqing?! What are you doing here?"
Old Master Lin, walking more slowly and accompanied by his descendants, also emerged: "Qingqing?"
Xu Qingqing completely ignored them.
After she and Le Jiaojiao got out, a row of burly bodyguards in sunglasses followed, exiting the cars with expressionless faces. They swiftly pulled out megaphones and black-and-white banners from the vehicles, which read—"A match made in heaven for the dog-faced man and woman."
"One, two, three!" Seeing that the crowd outside had gathered, Le Jiaojiao gave the signal. The bodyguards simultaneously pressed the buttons on their megaphones, unleashing a deafening sound.
"Congratulations to Mr. Lin Donghan and Ms. Bai Youlan on their happy union,"
Everyone: ...!!!
Then they quickly dropped the megaphones and put them back in the cars. The employer had made it clear—these things were illegal.
The numerous expressionless, sunglass-wearing bodyguard giants then promptly produced suonas and erhus, ready to perform at any moment.
With the suona and erhu band prepared, Xu Qingqing began leading the charge inside.
The burly bodyguards formed two columns to clear a path, protecting Xu Qingqing and Le Jiaojiao in the center. Everyone else was pushed to the sides, completely unable to get close to Xu Qingqing.
The Lin family had never anticipated anyone crashing the event, so they had only hired basic security. However, these guards were no match for the bodyguards Xu Qingqing brought. Caught off guard and unable to resist, they let Xu Qingqing and her entourage storm right in.
Moreover, the security personnel were now in a difficult position. It sounded like the intruders were relatives of the wedding's hosts. With the other side so well-prepared, they couldn't forcibly stop them. Starting a fight on the hosts' wedding day was out of the question!
The crowd had already been stunned when the sounds from the banners and megaphones erupted. The appearance of the erhus and suonas instantly shocked the entire venue.
It wasn't until they saw Xu Qingqing's next move that everyone snapped back to reality. Xu Changshan was the first to roar: "What are you doing?! Xu Qingqing, stop right there!"
His face flushed red with anger, he couldn't believe what was happening.
Standing in the center of the human wall, Xu Qingqing marched straight ahead, sunglasses on, accompanied by the sounds of suonas and erhus, not even bothering to glance at him.
In her heart, she replied:
—Isn't it obvious what I'm doing? Crashing the party!
"Qingqing, what is this? Let's talk this through properly!" That was her grandmother's voice.
—I tried talking properly, but you wouldn't listen. Since you've thrown away all shame, I might as well stop acting like a decent person too.
"Xu Qingqing! Get out! I don't have an unfilial daughter like you."
—Fine by me. It's not like I care.
"Xu Qingqing, do you still consider me your uncle? Today is your cousin's joyous day. What kind of relative acts like this?"
—I'd like to ask you, on my mother's behalf, if there's any relative like you.
Xu Qingqing, wearing sunglasses and an expressionless face, continued walking forward. In her ears were the curses, reprimands, and shouts from her former closest family members. Behind her, the suona band played and slogans were chanted, while bodyguards impassively flung handfuls of flyers into the air.
The flyers fluttered down from the sky like paper funeral money. Combined with the mournful, piercing sounds of the suonas and erhus, it felt as if everyone had been transported to a funeral procession.
Hearing those familiar voices and seeing those familiar faces on the other side of the bodyguard wall, Xu Qingqing maintained a leisurely posture, as if she couldn't hear or see any of it, isolated in her own world.
It had always been like this, all these years.
No matter how carefully she tried to protect things, what was destined to shatter would eventually shatter. Family bonds were worthless. In the face of so-called true love and personal gain, they couldn't even make the other party hesitate for a moment.
Just how shameless could one be to do something like this so openly and brazenly?
But it didn't matter anymore. Because she no longer considered these people her family. So no matter how outrageous their actions in the future, she wouldn't feel hurt or heartbroken anymore.
The shocked murmurs of the guests rose and fell, mingling with the furious curses and shouts from the Lin family, Xu Changshan, Bai Yaxiu, and others, all woven into the high-pitched notes of the suonas and erhus.
As the Lin family and Xu Changshan's words grew increasingly harsh and venomous, Le Jiaojiao shot a worried glance at Xu Qingqing.
She thought these people were being far too cruel. They were clearly the ones in the wrong, yet now that Xu Qingqing had arrived, they showed no self-reflection, only blaming Xu Qingqing for being disobedient and embarrassing them.
Aside from the furious Lin family, Xu Changshan, and Bai Yaxiu, the other attending guests were also utterly shocked, their discussions growing louder and louder.
The once quiet and warm wedding venue had now become extremely noisy. The onlookers buzzed with conversation: "What is she doing? An ex-lover crashing the wedding?"
"You don't know? Her surname is Xu. She's the biological daughter of today's bride's father. The Lin family is her maternal family..."
