Su Zhan did not know which college Qiao Ying was from. Even if he did, going to find her directly like that would be inappropriate. So he went to find Principal Zhang instead.
"Forget it. Qiao is not a petty person and your niece has already apologized. Let's put last night's incident behind us," Principal Zhang waved his hand dismissively. "Chairman Su does not need to worry about it."
He thought to himself: The Su brothers are quite decent, how did they raise children who lack manners? It must be because they spoil them too much.
Su Zhan sincerely said, "But I still want to apologize to the student in person. I hope you can help me out and give me a chance."
Seeing how earnest Su Zhan was, Principal Zhang smiled. "For Chairman Su to come all the way here personally for this matter, how rare."
He took out his phone. "It happens to be lunch time right now. Qiao should be free. Let me give her a call and ask."
Principal Zhang called Qiao Ying and explained the situation to her. At first, Qiao Ying was reluctant to entertain this, but after Principal Zhang said a few words, she begrudgingly agreed.
After hanging up, Principal Zhang said to Su Zhan, "Qiao asked you to go over. Please take a trip there Chairman Su."
Su Zhan looked slightly surprised, then smiled and nodded. "Alright."
Seeing his reaction, Principal Zhang thought to himself: Could he be expecting Qiao to come to him instead? Wishful thinking! Even if Qin HanYue came, he would still need to use his own two legs.
Just agreeing to see him is giving face to his elder already.
Su Zhan: "I heard Qiao is from Yuncheng. May I ask which district she is from?"
Principal Zhang: "Why does Chairman Su ask?"
Su Zhan: "To be honest with you, Qiao looks very similar to an acquaintance of mine. That's also why I came to find her today − to confirm if I was mistaken last night. Perhaps I know Qiao's parents."
An acquaintance?
Principal Zhang thought about Qiao Shengquan's honest simplicity and Li Lilian's shrewdness. He felt it was unlikely they would be acquaintances of Su Zhan's.
"I've met Qiao's parents," Principal Zhang shook his head. "They look nothing like Qiao at all. Chairman Su must have mistaken her for someone else."
Even when Qiao was still chubby, she did not resemble them.
Su Zhan then went to the cafeteria and saw Qiao Ying.
She was sitting in a window seat, having just finished her lunch. She was typing on her laptop when Su Zhan walked in and headed towards her. Seeing her face up close, he was momentarily stunned; it was an surreal feeling of déjà vu.
"Qiao...?" Su Zhan spoke.
The resemblance was uncanny. Just one look was all it took before Qiao Ying glanced away again.
Su Zhan collected himself and politely asked, "May I sit here?"
She seems well-mannered.
Qiao Ying indifferently replied, "Go ahead."
Su Zhan sat down opposite her. His gaze studied Qiao Ying's features intently. She really did look far too alike.
Last night, he had wondered several times if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Sensing his stare, Qiao Ying looked up again and bluntly said, "You don't need to apologize on your niece's behalf."
While her face resembles that person, their personalities are clearly poles apart. Despite her youth, this young lady was unfazed and spoke decisively.
She seems opinionated.
Su Zhan smiled. "Qiao, I'm Su Qingyu's father. My name is Su Zhan. Nice to meet you."
Su Zhan: "Please excuse my intrusion. I hope I have not offended you by coming uninvited. Although you said it's unnecessary, I still want to apologize on my niece's behalf. I'm truly sorry about what happened."
Qiao Ying looked at him.
"I heard that Qiao is from Yuncheng. It is very impressive for an out-of-town student like you to get into Peking University. You must be exceptionally outstanding."
Qiao Ying sensed Su Zhan had ulterior motives beyond just apologizing. So she asked directly, "Was there something else?"
Su Zhan came today just to confirm if he had seen wrongly last night. After all, doppelgängers aren't so rare in this wide world.
But now, seeing her again, all kinds of thoughts began swirling in Su Zhan's mind.
Acting on impulse, Su Zhan had an idea. "May I buy you a drink, Qiao?" He gestured to call the waiter over.
"No need." Qiao Ying stood up to leave.
She had no patience for such vague beating around the bush. Since Su Zhan refused to state his agenda, Qiao Ying was too lazy to waste any more time entertaining this.
Qiao Ying: "If there's nothing else, I'll get going."
Su Zhan also stood up, clearly wanting to say something but unable to find the right words. He could only watch wordlessly as she left. For now, he didn't dare make any rash assumptions, lest he make a fool out of himself.
After leaving the cafeteria, Su Zhan called Second Brother to say he would be away on a business trip for several days, throwing out some random excuse.
Once out of campus, Su Zhan got his assistant to drive towards Yuncheng.
There were no flights to Yuncheng over the next two days. Su Zhan could only make the journey by car. He brought just one assistant and didn't alert anyone else...
After evening self-study session had ended, Qiao Yi turned on his phone, hesitating for a moment before doing so.
As soon as it powered on, countless missed calls flooded in.
Qiao Yi felt dejected.
Just as he was lost in thought, another call came in.
Ever since his transfer to the capital, calls from Mother and Second Sister had been relentless, with both taking turns to bombard him day and night.
If he didn’t pick up, the barrage of calls would be never-ending, easily reaching hundreds a day. And if he did answer, it would be non-stop weeping and emotional blackmail from Mother and Second Sister.
WeChat was also constantly flooded with messages and video call invites from Second Sister, who even sent videos of Mother bawling to him...
Qiao Yi bought a separate mobile phone, inserted his old SIM card into it, and left it in his dorm room, bravely allowing them to continue their harassment.
He tried to avoid looking or listening, to focus wholeheartedly on his studies instead.
But one was his biological mother, the other his elder sister by blood; Qiao Yi didn’t have the heart to sever ties like Eldest Sister. Yet he also felt too overwhelmed to handle things. The tremendous mental and psychological strain made him feel on the verge of breakdown.
But this time, the call was from Father.
Qiao Ying had just returned to the villa when her younger brother called.
"Sis, Mom and Dad want a divorce. I'd like to ask for leave to go back for a bit."
Qiao Yi had not told Qiao Ying about Mother’s and Second Sister’s phone harassment. It was only now that things had escalated.
Qiao Ying asked directly, "What do you plan to do when you go back?"
There was silence on the other end before Qiao Ying heard her brother's voice slightly trembling. "Sis... it was Dad who suggested the divorce. Mom wants Dad to fork out 500,000 and the house, plus custody over me..."
Qiao Ying said, "What are you hoping to salvage there? Or are you trying to help Qiao Shengquan with the divorce?"
Qiao Yi: "I don't know..."
Faced with his family of over a decade on the verge of shattering, Qiao Yi felt lost and helpless, struggling to come to terms with it.
Qiao Ying said, "There are only two options here. If you don't want them to split, if you want the family together, then let them continue making a scene − don't get involved."
"Over the years, you've witnessed the kind of nonsense Qiao Shengquan has endured from Li Lilian. If you want them divorced, I can make that happen."
Of course, she was not about to give Li Lilian 500,000.
Qiao Ying added, "As for which parent you want to follow, that will be up to you. I can also make the arrangements if you want to come to me instead."
Qiao Yi remained silent.
Qiao Ying said, "Think it through first before letting me know your decision. I'll handle things when I'm in Yuncheng. Focus on your studies for now."
Qiao Yi: "Mm."
