Chapter 422: Qiao Xiyan: Follow Me, I Won’t Lose You

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Gao Xue plagiarism incident caused an uproar online. In the end, it ended miserably. Even the venue for her solo exhibition was sealed that day.

Gao Xue’s Yuming Cup gold medal had already been revoked. She had signed a contract with the organizer before the exhibition. Because she had plagiarized, she had violated many of the terms and was facing having to pay a large compensation.

1

On the other hand, the Jade Hall of Spring and the Qiao family became famous because of this incident. In addition, the exposure of Joe as Old Master Qiao’s second disciple raised the Qiao family to a higher level.

In the past, many people had said that after Old Master Qiao’s health deteriorated, his creations had decreased, and his talent had run out in his later life. Who knew that he had left behind thousands of drafts? And almost all of them were excellent works.

The museum in Suzhou also sent a message on the same day.

They said that they would be holding a solo exhibition for the works that Old Master Qiao had gifted the museum for three days during the Lunar New Year holiday. The tickets were only 30 yuan each, and all the income would be donated to charity.

Old Master Qiao’s status in the industry instantly rose again, and he even harvested a wave of fangirls.

***

At this moment, Qiao Xiyan was waiting for the elevator in a hotel’s underground parking garage. Qiao Wangbei and Yan Wangchuan had booked a private room in a restaurant and had invited his second uncle-master and his daughter. They got him and Song Fengwan to pick them up.

“Cousin, stop smoking,” Song Fengwan, standing beside him, said helplessly.

Just as she finished speaking, the elevator stopped at B1, and the doors slowly opened.

A young woman happened to be standing inside. When she saw the two people outside, her gaze landed on the man smoking with his eyes lowered.

The underground parking garage was a little dim. He was holding a cigarette in his mouth, and the flickering sparks made his profile look even more well-defined. Perhaps because Qiao Xiyan noticed someone and thought she was coming out, he took a few steps back.

The person didn’t seem to have any intention of coming out. Only then did he look up, and their eyes met.

The man’s eyes that were as deep as the sea seemed to drown her.

He had a thin face, thin phoenix eyes, and thin lips.

He was wearing a simple, well-fitting black suit with a white shirt and black vest underneath. He was clearly dressed exquisitely and refined, yet he had one hand in his pants pocket and the other holding a cigarette. He looked indescribably uninhibited.

His gaze was cold and distant, and it didn’t stay on her for long.

“You must be Song Fengwan,” the woman suddenly said. After all, the live broadcast on the day of the exhibition had received a lot of response, and her face was already very recognizable.

“Yes, I am. You are…” Song Fengwan originally thought that she was a hotel guest, but she didn’t expect her to call her suddenly.

“I am Tang Jingci. My father was afraid that you would be impatient, so he asked me to come down first.”

Upon hearing her name, Qiao Xiyan lowered his head and stubbed out his cigarette. Then he officially sized her up.

Tang Jingci?

Second Uncle’s daughter?

He really knows how to choose a name. Why didn’t he name her blue and white porcelain1?

His first impression of Tang Jingci was that she was good-looking, and her facial features were so beautiful that he couldn’t pick out a single flaw.

Her forehead was full, and her chin was slightly raised. She didn’t have the kind of internet celebrity face that was popular nowadays. Instead, she had a typical oval face with cold facial features. She was wearing a long yellow dress and a gray knitted sweater, adding a hint of asceticism and tastefulness to her.

“Are you Second Uncle-Master’s daughter?” Song Fengwan was also sizing her up.

“Yes.” Tang Jingci nodded.

“This is my cousin, Qiao Xiyan.” Seeing that Qiao Xiyan was silent, Song Fengwan introduced him.

Seeing that the elevator was about to close, Tang Jingci walked out first and stretched out her hand to Qiao Xiyan. “Hello.”

Standing in front of him, she realized that the person in front of her was very tall. She raised her head slightly, revealing her smooth and fair neck and collarbone. It was ostentatious and even seductive.

It was like a disguised incitement.

“Hello.” Qiao Xiyan extended his hand, and their fingers touched lightly for a second.

Tang Jingci: This hand is the same as Dad’s. It’s thick, calloused, and experienced.

But Dad’s group of senior and junior brothers and disciple-nephews all seem to have the same temperament. They don’t like to talk much and are too boring.

On second thought, these people usually deal with jade and stones all the time. So their tempers are naturally bad and tough, and it’s really difficult to interact with them.

Qiao Xiyan put his hand back into his pocket. Didn’t Dad say that Second Uncle-Master’s daughter is also in this line of work? Why are her fingers as smooth as a mirror? She doesn’t even have any calluses.

“Let’s wait here for a bit. My dad will be coming down soon.” Tang Jingci and Song Fengwan were both girls, so they were naturally closer to each other. They leaned against each other and chatted about clothes and hobbies, as if they had endless things to talk about.

Qiao Xiyan was impatient from waiting and prepared to smoke.

“Ahem—” Song Fengwan suddenly coughed twice.

Qiao Xiyan put away his cigarette.

Tang Jingci let out a muffled laugh. He’s afraid of his cousin?

***

After waiting for more than ten minutes, Tang Wangjin took the elevator down with a lot of things in his hands. The group set off for the booked private room of the restaurant.

It was rare for the three senior and junior brothers to be together, so they naturally had to drink some alcohol. Qiao Xiyan was in charge of cleaning up the aftermath and driving, so he accompanied Song Fengwan and Tang Jingci to drink some fruit juice.

While eating and drinking to their hearts’ content, they would naturally mention the past.

“I really didn’t expect Xiyan to have already grown so big after not seeing him for so many years. I remember that when he was young, Master often used a willow branch to whip him and chased him all over the courtyard.

“Master’s legs weren’t nimble, so he couldn’t catch up to him. Master was so angry that he slapped his thigh.

“This kid was mischievous when he was a child. He took Master’s best stone and threw it at a sparrow.”

Tang Wangjin was obviously a little drunk. At this moment, he no longer had the bearing of a master and had already started talking randomly.

“This kid was really worrisome when he was young. He always led those brats around to cause trouble everywhere.” Qiao Wangbei also criticized his son.

“In the past, Master was always afraid that he would grow up crooked. Look at him now. After growing up, doesn’t he resemble a certain person?”

Song Fengwan couldn’t help laughing out loud. This word was indeed used.

Qiao Xiyan lowered his head and took a sip of tea. They’re speaking as if I was really terrible when I was young.

“I remember when Jingci came to our house to play when she was young, she liked to run behind Xiyan. I asked him to take her out to buy snacks, and he almost lost your daughter. Do you remember?”

Qiao Xiyan and Tang Jingci looked up at the same time, apparently not remembering this.

“I remember!” Tang Wangjin smiled. “Thankfully, the neighbors found her and brought her back. If he had really lost her, it would have been difficult to find her.”

“Because of this, Xiyan was beaten up by Father. He probably doesn’t remember it.” Qiao Wangbei smiled. “He only cared about himself and didn’t even care about his little junior sister.”

Qiao Xiyan looked embarrassed. Which boy doesn’t misbehave when he’s young?

It was the first time Song Fengwan saw her cousin look so embarrassed. She lowered her head and tried to hold back her laughter.

***

After the group finished eating, the three senior and junior brothers didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving because they rarely met. But Song Fengwan had to go back to school, and Tang Jingci had to go back because of her jet lag, so they could only trouble Qiao Xiyan to send these two back first.

After leaving the restaurant, Song Fengwan wrapped her jacket tightly around herself. “Cousin, I’ll arrive at my school after taking a turn. You don’t have to specially send me there. I’ll take a walk and digest my food. You can send Big Sister Tang back to the hotel.”

“You’re going back alone?” Qiao Xiyan was worried.

“It’s fine. It’s just a few steps away.” Song Fengwan had an appointment with Fu Chen, so she naturally didn’t want Qiao Xiyan to send her back. Before he could speak, she ran off. “Goodbye, Cousin. Goodbye, Big Sister Tang.”

Only Qiao Xiyan and Tang Jingci were left at the hotel entrance.

Qiao Xiyan walked toward his car with his car key. The black Jaguar glowed with a dim light in the night. The man stood beside the car, and the darkness made him look a little dangerous.

Especially when his eyes were fixed on her, it made her feel very oppressed.

Tang Jingci coughed twice. “Actually, the hotel I’m staying in is quite close to here. Why don’t you go back and accompany my dad and them? I think they’re drunk.

“I also want to take a walk to digest my food.

“Don’t worry. I can find the way.”

Qiao Xiyan looked at her. “Then, tell me now. Which direction is north, south, east, and west?”

Tang Jingcai was speechless. She had had a poor sense of direction since she was a child. She had always only known how to go up, down, left, and right, and she didn’t know north, south, east, and west. He really asked about her blind spot.

Qiao Xiyan smirked, his expression clearly teasing.

She and Qiao Xiyan were not children. It was always a little uncomfortable for a man and a woman to be alone together.

“Get in the car.” Qiao Xiyan frowned. He was used to being arbitrary, and his tone of voice was as tough as usual, leaving no room for negotiation.

It’s fine if Wanwan rejects me, but why isn’t she willing to let me send her back?

Besides, what kind of gaze is she looking at me with? Does she think I’ll eat her up? She’s a road idiot who can’t even differentiate between north, south, east, and west. She probably doesn’t even know where the hotel is, yet she still wants to go back by herself?

If I lose her again, Uncle-Master will probably strangle me to death!

Qiao Xiyan didn’t say anything. He got into the car and waited for her.

Tang Jingci raised her eyebrows and could only bite the bullet and get into the car. She wasn’t afraid of Qiao Xiyan, nor was she timid. It was just that this person’s aura was too strong, especially the faint tobacco smell on him, which seemed to seep into her bones.

His powerful and domineering aura made her feel a little helpless.

“I’ll be responsible for sending Uncle-Master back later.” Qiao Xiyan started the car.

“When my dad is drunk, he talks a lot. I’ll have to trouble you later.”

“Don’t worry…” Qiao Xiyan turned his head and looked at her. “I won’t lose you this time.”

Tang Jingci smiled bitterly and turned to look out the window. Her ears were slightly hot.

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