Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Qiao Xi is Not Your Child Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Qiao Xi is Not Your Child Upon arrival at the clinic,
Qiao Xi made her way to the living quarters behind the clinic.

When she pushed open Granny Qiao’s room door and saw the familiar handsome face inside, her smile faded, “Why are you here?”

Xu Yunye, leaning on his crutch and smiling at her, said, “Granny Qiao asked me to come. She made me century egg and lean pork congee. It’s really delicious!”

He was fearless.

Granny Qiao also smiled affectionately, “Yunye is such a handsome and sensible boy, with a sweet mouth that makes him likable.”

She was very fond of Xu Yunye, thinking that he had a kindly face.

Granny Qiao could now get out of bed and walk, but not very smoothly.

“Granny Qiao likes me, that’s why I’m here. Doctor Qiao, you shouldn’t always pick on me, I have backing,” his eyes, which were very much like Qiao Xi’s, brimmed with slyness and triumph.

Taking a deep breath, Qiao Xi said, “So what are you two doing? Folding Ingots?”

“Today is your father’s death anniversary, I wanted to burn some Paper Money for him. To give him some money to tip others with, so he could live comfortably down there,” said Granny Qiao with a somber look in her eyes.

Older generations held this belief profoundly in their bones.

They believed that the souls of the deceased lived on and that King Yan ruled over them, so on holidays and festivals, they would offer incense and burn Paper Money for the dead.

“Granny, we can’t just burn Paper Money here randomly. After a while, when we go back to the village, we can pay our respects there, okay?”

Granny Qiao pursed her lips, nervously fumbling with the Paper Money in her hands.

“Granny, next time we have a break, we’ll go back to our hometown,” Qiao Xi said as she hugged the frail old woman, her voice full of compassion, “We’ll go back together.”

Tears welled up in Granny Qiao’s eyes as she nodded.

“Okay, we’ll go back home together to pay our respects.”

Qiao Xi stroked her whitening hair, “You can start folding the Paper Money now, the more the better. We’ll bring it all with us to the countryside to burn for dad.”

She barely had any memory of her father.

He had died when she was very young.

Xu Yunye stood to the side, experiencing for the first time the bitterness of human life. He lived a life of luxury in the Xu Family, acting absurdly in a plea for his parents’ love. In contrast, some people never had the chance to even ask, growing up in hardship and struggle.

Qiao Xi was like a Lingxiao flower that grew from the crevices of steep cliffs.

Beautiful in a way that broke the heart.

Suddenly feeling a heavy weight in his heart, Xu Yunye said, “I’ll help Granny Qiao fold the Paper Money, too. Doctor Qiao, all the patients outside are waiting for you.”

Granny Qiao squeezed out a smile and said, “Nannan, you go to work first.”

“Alright.”

Qiao Xi glanced at Xu Yunye worriedly, “Granny, call me if you need anything.”

“Go on, go on,” Granny Qiao urged.

After Qiao Xi left, Xu Yunye looked at Granny Qiao and asked, “Did she have a tough childhood?”

Granny Qiao gave a wistful smile, “Indeed, she did. With no money at home, she used to collect scrap. Later, following Old Cheng to learn medicine, she went into the mountains to gather herbs at the age of seven or eight, saying that herbs could be sold for money. The village kids even bullied her for not having parents, refused to play with her…”

With old age, Granny Qiao’s memories became clearer.

In Xu Yunye’s mind emerged an image of a little girl with a pitiful gaze, watching other children play, shunned because she was covered in mud. Without the love of parents, she had to carry the burdens of life.

Compared to her, what was he?

Xu Xingluo was even less than nothing!

His heart ached slightly, a wave of indescribable palpitations surging up.

“Yunye, has your family or relatives ever lost a child?” Granny Qiao suddenly asked.

She harbored a ludicrous speculation,
Always feeling that the two children looked quite similar from certain angles.

She knew that Qiao Xi was not a child of the Qiao Family.

Xu Yunye paused, then slowly said, “Our family hasn’t lost any children. My sister…”

Xu Xingluo and Xu Guangyao looked so alike, and they always had a good father-daughter relationship.

How could such a melodramatic possibility exist?

“I was just asking,” Granny Qiao laughed awkwardly.

She really was bewitched!

Her body had been getting increasingly worse lately, she could feel that walking was much more strenuous than before.

“Granny Qiao, why would you ask that? Could it be that Qiao Xi isn’t actually your child…”

“Of course, she is!”

Granny Qiao emphasized, “I raised her with my own two hands, of course, she’s my child.” She dared not reveal this secret, fearing that the Huo Family might have certain opinions about Qiao Xi.

What if her biological parents were deeply sinful, no good at all?

Xu Yunye had completely abandoned such thoughts.

It couldn’t be that every slightly familiar-looking girl who bore some resemblance to him was his sister.

He must have been cursed to this state by Xu Xingluo!

…

Qiao Xi had been busy in the clinic all day.

In the evening, she could see from a distance the luxury cars moving out from the Tianyuan Group’s entrance. Many of the executives were setting off for the Jinling Grand Hotel, the Rolls-Royce among them.

Jiang Yue, seeing this, enviously said, “It’s really lively.”

“Yes, it is.”

Qiao Xi’s face bore a gentle smile.

“It’s a pity, Doctor Qiao, that you need to keep us company in the store.”

Qiao Xi said with a smile, “Close up early and take a holiday. Do whatever you want tonight, I’ll accompany Granny.”

She was very grateful to Jiang Yue and Wang Lang, both of whom cared a lot for Granny Qiao.

“Sure, I’ve been looking for a chance to check out the night market.” Jiang Yue’s round face was filled with surprise, “I’ll get ready to head out right now.”

Qiao Xi looked towards Wang Lang, who was distracted in the corner, and asked, “Wang Lang, are you not feeling well?”

Wang Lang was startled and shook his head, “My dad is undergoing surgery in the hospital these days, I’m a bit worried. Tonight’s a good time to go see him…”

Qiao Xi generously said, “Then take tomorrow off as well, take good care of your dad.”

“Yeah.”

Wang Lang hesitated as he looked at her, but swallowed back the words that came to the tip of his tongue.

His head was down, his eyes full of struggle.

…

The veil of night descended.

The bustling streets lit up with colorful lights, and the nightlife of Haicheng was displayed before everyone.

It was like a dream, bustling and extraordinary.

At eight o’clock sharp.

Jinling Grand Hotel was booked by Tianyuan Group, nearly a hundred people were gathered inside.

Zhou Yu was dressed flamboyantly, like a peacock, taking the place of the president to give a speech. He was always good at motivating people, saying things that could stir up excitement. So Huo Xingzhou had left this chance to seize the spotlight to him.

Thus, Zhou Yu, holding the microphone on the stage, painted a rosy picture for the mid-and-senior management, boosting morale.

Meanwhile, Huo Xingzhou sat at the main table, lazily looking down as he drank his wine, the Patek Philippe watch on his wrist sparkling alarmingly. Sitting beside him was Huo Jiancheng, and next to them were Xu Guangyao and his daughter.

Xu Xingluo’s gaze was constantly stuck on Huo Xingzhou.

At this moment, the head chef of the Jinling Grand Hotel appeared, carrying a bamboo weaving food basket, and respectfully said to Huo Xingzhou, “President Huo, this is the two portions of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall you instructed the kitchen to pack. Please check if there’s anything else you need?”

“No need, thank you for delivering it outside. My driver will take care of it, I will be leaving soon,” Huo Xingzhou said indifferently, his expression cold.

“Very well.”

Xu Xingluo, puzzled, asked, “Brother Xingzhou, why do you want to pack it?”

“Qiao Xi loves it,” he said without even lifting his eyelids, utterly indifferent.

Jealousy consumed Xu Xingluo, that country bumpkin had never seen the world before, even wanting to pack up Buddha Jumps Over the Wall!

Just you wait!

Tonight, Qiao Xi will suffer agonizing regret!