Chapter 781 - 750: Two Worlds
Xu Chunliang received a call from Elder Ye early in the morning. Elder Ye already knew he had arrived in Capital City and invited him over to his house. Xu Chunliang, recalling Uncle Qiao’s advice, cautiously said he had official business to attend to and would only be able to come in the afternoon.
Although Elder Ye’s tone was as usual, Xu Chunliang sensed an impending storm. He took the initiative to bring up the issue of Qiao Rulong: "Godfather, you don’t have to worry about Rulong. I have a way to restore his health."
Elder Ye replied with an "I understand" and then hung up the phone.
While the morning light was just right outside the window, a thick layer of gloom shrouded Elder Ye’s heart. Qiao Rulong’s car accident this time exposed too many secrets, which could very likely lead to the collapse of the friendship that the Ye and Qiao families had cultivated over the years.
The Ye and Qiao families had mutually benefited each other, and his friendship with Uncle Qiao had spanned almost his entire political career. The marriage alliance between his granddaughter and Qiao Rulong was initially opposed by the family because the Ye Family was prosperous with talents, while the Qiao Family was declining. Qiao Rulong was the last hope for the Qiao Family, but he initially chose business over a political career.
Families like theirs generally do not accept a businessman, no matter how successful he is.
The reason Elder Ye chose Qiao Rulong was not because he favored him, but because of his trust in Uncle Qiao. However, this car accident not only took Qiao Rulong’s heart but also deeply hurt Elder Ye’s heart. His trust in Qiao Rulong, and even the entire Qiao Family, was shaken. He even suspected that the Qiao Family had long been aware of this matter.
Uncle Qiao had already returned to Capital City yesterday and specifically called to inform him that he would come to visit this morning.
They were too familiar with each other; Uncle Qiao was a patient man, adept at fighting in adversity. But this time was different, as his most relied-upon card was almost completely destroyed. According to Ye Changyuan, even if Qiao Rulong could survive the ordeal, he would still be a wreck, leaving the Qiao Family with no hope of rising. Qiao Rulong was no longer a match for his daughter.
Elder Ye lit a cigarette. He hadn’t smoked in a long time, nor had he encountered such a difficult situation in a while. He didn’t even understand why he had called Xu Chunliang, yet Xu Chunliang’s words echoed in his mind. Xu Chunliang’s words were unmistakably clear; he had a way to restore Qiao Rulong’s health.
Xu Chunliang didn’t say this to comfort him but to make him carefully consider the relationship between the two families. Nominally, Xu Chunliang was his god grandson, but in terms of affection, this young man certainly stood on the side of the Qiao Family.
If anyone else had said this, Elder Ye might have laughed it off, but coming from Xu Chunliang, he chose to believe it, because Xu Chunliang had personally saved him from a painful illness. Elder Ye believed that Xu Chunliang had such an ability.
When Ye Changyuan knocked and entered the study, he was irritated by the room full of smoke, coughing twice in a row before quickly moving to the window to open it: "Dad, you have to take care of your health. It’s not long since you’ve recovered, why are you smoking again."
Elder Ye extinguished the half cigarette in his hand. "I won’t smoke anymore."
Ye Changyuan said, "Get ready early, will you go to the restaurant to eat, or should I bring it over to you?"
Elder Ye shook his head and said, "I don’t feel like eating."
Ye Changyuan knew his father was in a bad mood and came to him: "Dad, don’t worry about it, leave this matter to me."
Elder Ye asked, "Are you really planning to separate them?"
Ye Changyuan said, "What else can we do if we don’t separate them? The Qiao Family is too bullying."
Elder Ye said, "I remember you once said that marriage is a business."
Ye Changyuan smiled sheepishly: "Dad, I was young and ignorant when I said that."
Elder Ye said, "What exactly is marriage? Different people have different understandings, and different times have different thoughts. At the beginning, I insisted on the marriage alliance with the Qiao Family, and almost everyone in the family opposed it. Your opposition was particularly fierce."
Ye Changyuan nodded.
Elder Ye said, "Because you saw marriage as a business and believed this alliance with the Qiao Family was unprofitable, thinking our family’s strength had already surpassed the Qiao Family."
Ye Changyuan had never said it, but he indeed thought so in his heart.
Elder Ye said, "Qingya has been married for five years, and these five years your road has gone quite smoothly."
Ye Changyuan knew his father was reminding him that he had received plenty of help from Uncle Qiao during those five years. Ye Changyuan did not deny that Uncle Qiao still had a strong influence, but people who lack long-term perspective will inevitably face immediate concerns. The Qiao Family has no future, and this time, it was Qiao Rulong who betrayed them first.
"Dad, I know you have a deep friendship with Uncle Qiao, but Qingya is my only daughter. I can’t watch her suffer."
Elder Ye sighed and said, "I understand what you want. What you want, the Qiao Family can no longer afford."
Ye Changyuan said, "Qiao Rulong is a ticking time bomb. Even if he can regain his working ability, he won’t go far. This scandal, even if we don’t expose it, someone will eventually use it against them. The Qiao Family has many enemies, and by then, it won’t just be the Qiao Family losing face; we will also be implicated."
"So you want to take this opportunity to cut ties with the Qiao Family."
Ye Changyuan said, "Dad, I think, whether for Qingya’s personal happiness or the family’s interests, a decision should be made early."
Elder Ye said softly, "Your Uncle Qiao will be here shortly."
Ye Changyuan said, "It’s the same even if he comes forward."
Elder Ye said, "You don’t understand him, but I understand you. As long as your Uncle Qiao can offer compensation that satisfies you, you should tacitly agree to let this marriage continue."
"Dad, is this how you see me?"
Elder Ye said, "For example, by promoting you."
Ye Changyuan’s heart raced for a moment, but he controlled himself well, "Dad, in your heart, am I really someone who would sacrifice my daughter’s happiness for my own political gain?"
Elder Ye said, "A rational man must know what’s more important. Whether Qingya is happy or not, only she knows. No matter what, Qiao Rulong’s matters cannot be revealed to her. She is someone who keeps herself clean and is strong beneath her gentle facade. If she found out, she wouldn’t forgive Qiao Rulong."
Ye Changyuan sensed from his father’s words that he probably didn’t support the two divorcing.
"Dad, some things can’t be hidden."
Elder Ye said, "Even if it can’t be hidden, we shouldn’t be the ones to tell her. You’re her father, can’t you see that Qiao Rulong’s position in her heart isn’t that significant."
Qiao Rulong’s physical condition recovered quickly, even Shu Yuanhang found it surprising. It should be Qiao Rulong’s excellent health that played a role. There’s another more important reason: his body cooperatively accepted Pei Lin’s heart with no strong rejection reaction.
Qiao Rulong half-reclined on the hospital bed, looking at Ye Qingya outside the window, and he took the initiative to pick up the phone.
When Ye Qingya saw the call from Qiao Rulong, she knew he had smoothly entered the recovery stage. When she was about to answer the call, she hesitated. She subconsciously rejected talking to Qiao Rulong. Ever since she knew there was another woman in his car, a subconscious resistance to him grew within her, even though she didn’t understand the woman’s identity or her relationship with Qiao Rulong.
Some things she simply didn’t bother to pay attention to, which didn’t mean she was naive. Her father’s tardiness and quick departure contained a lot of information. Although father and daughter didn’t communicate much, Ye Qingya could still grasp the intricacies.
They’ve been married for five years, which can be described as courteous and respectful to each other. The couple often lived apart. Ye Qingya already knew she didn’t love Qiao Rulong and was aware that he didn’t love her. What brought them together was political interests, and what maintained their relationship was the same political interests.
In the eyes of their families, it was always a regret that she and Qiao Rulong hadn’t conceived after years of marriage. However, in her heart she felt relieved, having never anticipated the arrival of a new life.
The phone kept ringing. Qiao Rulong pointed at the phone, and Ye Qingya, as if awakening from a dream, answered the call, "Rulong."
When Qiao Rulong heard her calm voice, his first reaction was that Ye Qingya didn’t care about him. Their marriage from the start was for political purposes. Both were of equal status, and Ye Qingya was talented and beautiful. No matter who looked at them, they seemed like a perfect match, but they lacked love.
Qiao Rulong admired Ye Qingya’s aloofness, but because of her aloofness and nonconformity, it highlighted the mercenary side he once had as a businessman. Since meeting Ye Qingya, he had to put away his true self and pretend to be someone others wanted. After five years of marriage, the predominant feeling in his heart was fatigue.
Ye Qingya never asked what he did outside, or whether he was tired. She seemed to completely trust him, but the real reason was that Ye Qingya didn’t care about him at all.
No one can sail smoothly all the time, and Qiao Rulong was the same. He needed a close companion during distress and someone to share joy, not a woman like Ye Qingya, who was always immersed in her own world, admiring herself.
Qiao Rulong looked at Ye Qingya outside the window. There was only a pane of glass between them, but their hearts were in two different worlds, as it was before, even more so now. Qiao Rulong couldn’t find any trace of love in Ye Qingya’s eyes.
Ye Qingya couldn’t find what she wanted from Qiao Rulong’s gaze either. The two just stared at each other.
After a while, it was Ye Qingya who spoke first, "How are you feeling?"
"Not bad!"
"That’s good, rest more, and talk less." Ye Qingya finished speaking and hung up. After hanging up, she realized she had been too calm, so calm it was almost indifferent, and she flashed a faint smile as if completing homework.
Qiao Rulong realized not all women are good actors. Ye Qingya was one of those, perhaps due to her family background, she was born without the ability to please others. This smile was so mechanical, full of perfunctory indifference towards him. Qiao Rulong couldn’t help but entertain a strange thought: if he had died in this car accident, she wouldn’t be sad.
Here is the first update, asking for monthly tickets as usual. The second Chapter is guaranteed, the third will depend on whether the Octopus finishes today, the first day of August, must ask for monthly tickets!