Plunder-Chapter 37 - Jumping into the Fire Pit

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Jumping into the Fire Pit

Chapter 37 -37: Jumping into the Fire Pit

“You want me to keep a secret for you?”

Ding Hao narrowed his almond-shaped eyes and scrutinized Qiao En intently.

She was truly different. If it had been any other woman who had landed Zhou Jin’an, she would have wanted the whole world to know.

So why didn’t she want people to know? What was the reason behind it?

Ding Hao’s curiosity soared to new heights.

“Would Doctor Ding do that?”

Qiao En countered.

She had the scent of a slippery fish about her, elusive and hard to catch.

But for those who hunt fish, the more elusive it is, the more they want to capture it.

Qiao En didn’t understand Ding Hao; she had oversimplified him.

“Then how will you thank me?”

Ding Hao’s mouth curled up in a smile as he launched into a new round of bargaining.

Qiao En laughed softly, “I’ll take you to some tasty places to eat.”

“Deal.”

Ding Hao extended a hand, a hunter’s gleam twinkling in his eyes.

Qiao En reached out and shook his hand, none the wiser.

After breakfast, a new day in Rong City began in full swing.

On the streets, pedestrians hurried along.

Ding Hao received a call about an emergency and promptly turned back.

Qiao En rushed to the company.

The two headed in opposite directions.

Just as she arrived at the company, An Kexin’s call suddenly came.

“Secretary Qiao, I’ve asked Manager Xu to give you the day off. Song Lian’s parents want to meet you tonight; remember to go there early.”

She really spared no effort in trying to mold Qiao En into the image she envisioned.

“Okay.”

Qiao En replied.

Soon after, An Kexin sent the time and place for the evening meeting to Qiao En.

She felt resigned, sitting at her work station for a long time.

She and Song Lian had only met twice, and neither occasion was pleasant.

Two nearly strangers were suddenly supposed to sit down and discuss marriage; it was absurd.

Was she really going to bind her life to such a terrible person?

Qiao En asked herself over and over again in her heart.

Suddenly, Zhou Jin’an’s words began to echo in her ears again.

“Consider it, let’s get married.”

Zhou Jin’an and Song Lian were two extremes. Zhou Jin’an, with his handsome and wealthy exterior and his composed and enterprising interior, was generous and respectful to her—a very suitable marriage partner.

Qiao En had considered it, but other women also liked such an excellent man.

Magnetic competition has always existed; what did she have that made her stand out in this race?

An Kexin’s desperation had extended its claws toward her family, and Qiao En couldn’t provoke her; she could only dodge the sharp edges.

And Mrs. Zhou, who had painstakingly managed things for half her life, how could she allow her son to marry an ordinary girl?

Qiao En was not a gambler; she couldn’t stake her and her family’s fate on a bet.

Zhou Jin’an and Song Lian, at opposite ends of the balance scale, one too perfect, the other too worthless.

She couldn’t marry either.

Qiao En thought all day but couldn’t come up with a way to make Song Lian not marry her.

Five in the afternoon.

She left work an hour early and went back to her apartment to dress up briefly.

A light purple dress suite, graceful and elegant, very suitable for meeting elders.

Qiao En, with her fair and delicate features, looked good in light purple.

The restaurant was located in Dongting, a seafood place with character. Qiao En had been there a few times with Zhou Jin’an, and their spicy grouper was especially delicious.

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Just as Qiao En arrived, she ran into An Kexin at the entrance of the restaurant.

Her eyes swept over Qiao En and she exclaimed, “Secretary Qiao, how could you come without dressing up?”

Qiao En’s dress was plain, her makeup simple, and she wasn’t wearing any jewelry—indeed, she looked rather too humble.

In contrast, An Kexin was quite fashionable.

A high-end Chanel suit, wearing a full set of Cartier’s latest diamond line jewelry. Her hair was newly styled, and her makeup was extra refined.

“I’m not very good at dressing up,” Qiao En said modestly.

An Kexin rolled her eyes and led Qiao En inside.

“Aunt Zhou is rather concerned about your matters,” she said when she saw me today, asking if you and Song Lian’s wedding date was set. Later, when you meet Song Lian’s parents, you need to be sweeter, understand?”

Qiao En smiled innocently, “Thank you for the reminder, Miss An, I’ll keep it in mind.”

An Kexin walked ahead of Qiao En, like a proud princess.

Qiao En followed behind her, somewhat like the princess’s handmaid.

In the deepest seat of the hall, Qiao En spotted Song Lian at a glance.

He had been discharged from the hospital and returned to his previous arrogant and overbearing demeanor.

The couple sitting opposite him had a similar stature to his.

A heap of seafood was ordered on the table, and Song Lian was devouring it with his head down, his parents doing likewise.

“Uncle Song, Aunt Song, this is Qiao En.”

An Kexin stretched out her hand and pointed at Qiao En, and three malicious gazes swept over her.

“Hmph!”

A cold snort came from Song Lian’s nostrils.

“So, you are Qiao En?”

Song Lian’s mother broke the silence, her sharp eyes settling on Qiao En as if to dissect her.

Song Lian’s father had just crunched through the leg of a hairy crab with his teeth and spat it out onto the ground, “ptui,” splattering remains on the hem of Qiao En’s dress.

Qiao En’s eyebrows wrung slightly; indeed, none in this family were easy to deal with.

“Hello, uncle, auntie!”

She greeted them with a sweet smile and took the initiative to sit down.

“Where are your parents? Why didn’t they come? Don’t they take the matter of marriage seriously?”

Song Lian’s mother spoke forcefully, her presence overwhelming.

Qiao En replied calmly and confidently, “Song Ye has not met my parents yet, bringing them directly wouldn’t be proper.”

“Heh, the poor have many rules,” Song Lian’s mother rolled her eyes.

“I want to eat shrimp, peel them for me.”

As he spoke, Song Lian shifted a large plate of North Sea shrimp in front of Qiao En.

He intended to boss Qiao En around, to have her submit in front of everyone.

“Alright, if Song Ye likes them, I will peel them for you.”

Qiao En felt disgust inside, but her expression remained smiling.

If he wanted her to peel shrimp, she would peel.

Qiao En peeled one and Song Lian ate one.

“Peel faster, will you starve me to death?”

Song Lian deliberately provoked.

Qiao En had only interacted with Song Lian a couple of times, but she had grasped his nature; he was someone who would not be content with what he had—if she catered to his wishes, he would only invent new ways to torment her.

Therefore, she deliberately slowed down her shrimp peeling.

“Our son always loved seafood, ever since he was young I would peel it and feed it to him by hand. Your technique needs a lot of practice. Otherwise, such good seafood will have gone cold by the time it reaches his mouth, what if he gets an upset stomach then?”

Song Lian’s mother could not stand it and started to pick on Qiao En.

Qiao En kept quiet, continuing to peel shrimp at her own pace.

Song Lian’s mother noticed the stubbornness in Qiao En’s bones and decided to put her in her place.

“I want some warm water, go pour it for me.”

She handed a glass to Qiao En, her fat face sagging like Garfield’s.

“Okay.”

Qiao En took the glass, stood up, poured the hot water, and brought it over.

“Auntie, your warm water.”

Just as she was about to place it before Song Lian’s mother, the woman’s arm swung back violently. Qiao En could not dodge in time, and the hot water spilled all over her hand, leaving a large red mark.

“Are you trying to scald me to death? Such a big person, so impulsive and rash. How are you going to serve my son in the future? To latch onto our Song Lian is your Qiao family’s ancestor’s graves puffing out green smoke, don’t be ignorant!”

Before Qiao En could even complain, Song Lian’s mother played the victim first.

“Pour another glass for Aunt Song,” An Kexin ordered Qiao En.

Qiao En covered her red, scalded hand and gave An Kexin a deep look.

What benefits had An Kexin given the Song family that made them unwilling yet still intending to marry Qiao En? Qiao En was unclear.

But one thing she knew—marrying into the Song family would be like plunging into a pit of fire.

“I will pour it again for you.”

Qiao En took a new glass and went to pour more water for Song Lian’s mother.

But she had only taken a few steps before being blocked by a familiar figure in her path.