Chapter 460 : The First Song of Qin (33)

Qiao Qian’qian obtained Tang Jinchen’s number from someone and called him to meet up.

According to the plot, Tang Jinchen ought to have met Qiao Qian’qian soon after she returned.

But since Qiao Qian’qian didn’t enter a large company, instead going off to manage the Qiao Family’s company, the chances of the two meeting now that they were on different levels was very slim.

She’d seen Tang Jinchen a few times, but always avoided him.

Tang Jinchen was even more of a Casanova than he was before. It seemed like he had quite a few women on the side, enough that he’d have a new ‘companion’ every day.

He had even brought one of them with him to see Qiao Qian’qian.

Tang Jinchen examined Qiao Qian’qian from head to toe before sitting down across from her, embracing the woman in his arms. He spoke in a mocking voice, “Qiao Qian’qian, and here I thought you wouldn’t appear before me ever again.”

“Tang Jinchen…” Was there any need for their conversation to be like this?

“Tang-zong, who is she?” The woman leaned in Tang Jinchen’s arms, coquettishly asking him.

“No one important.”

Tang Jinchen’s expression of ridicule nearly made Qiao Qian’qian get up and leave. But the memory of what that person said to her came back.

‘I was the victim back then, yet he’s acting like I was the one who let him down. How could he?’

“Tang Jinchen, let’s talk in private.”

She had to reach the same position as Qiao Chu. Otherwise, she’d be stuck in the latter’s shadow for the rest of her life.

Tang Jinchen fell silent for a moment, before he reached out to pinch the woman’s waist. “Go wait for me in the car.”

The woman appeared rather unwilling. Tang Jinchen gave her a passionate French kiss right in front of Qiao Qian’qian, before the woman was willing to take the car keys and leave.

Qiao Qian’qian still liked Tang Jinchen in her heart, so seeing his unbridled behaviour caused her face to turn ghastly pale.

“Go on then. What did you want with me?” Tang Jinchen raised his chin as if he were giving charity by listening to her.

Had Qiao Qian’qian not experienced what she had recently, she probably would have just felt upset. But now, together with seeing Tang Jinchen acting this way, she felt like he was looking down on her.

The last bit of hesitation in her heart left, making that idea she had turn even more crazy.

……

Qiao Qian’qian and Tang Jinchen ended up together in a very weird way.

Tang Jinchen gave her company the chance to pick itself off the ground, while in return, Qiao Qian’qian would become his mistress.

Oh right, Tang Jinchen got married. His bride was a weak-willed woman who didn’t dare to assert herself with Tang Jinchen. Hence, even when Qiao Qian’qian entered her house, she didn’t dare to say a single word of objection.

Qiao Qian’qian wanted to reach the same heights as Shi Sheng.

But how could it be easy to marry into a rich household? What more when it wasn’t a proper marriage…

The Tang Family didn’t like Qiao Qian’qian to begin with, yet she openly started living with them. Things were still okay while Tang Jinchen was around, but Qiao Qian’qian suffered quite a lot whenever he wasn’t.

But she bore through it all.

She told herself she had to be resolute, and the first step was to be harsh to herself. Only then could she get what she wanted.

When a woman decided to harden her heart, even men might not be able to compare.

Tang Jinchen would bring Qiao Qian’qian with him to participate in some banquets.

Qiao Qian’qian thought she’d see Qin Ge and Shi Sheng at some point, but she never saw them at these places.

“…You’re talking about Qin-zong? He rarely participates in these types of events.”

“Eh, this Qin-zong is a really insensitive fellow. The other time when I dropped my stuff, he just walked past…”

“I reckon you were just trying to attract his attention, right?”

“Oh, shut up. As if you guys don’t want to. Everyone wanted to take Qin-zong down back then. I heard he’s getting married soon. I really envy Qiao Chu.”

As Qiao Qian’qian listened to their discussion, though she was still smiling, she felt like her heart was being pricked by needles.

‘Qiao Chu, Qiao Chu, Qiao Chu… Why is she everywhere?!’

“What? You jealous?” Tang Jinchen appeared from who knows where, smelling of alcohol. He embraced her waist and pulled her to the side.

“Didn’t you team up with him to deceive me? Why didn’t you just make it real then?” Tang Jinchen pressed Qiao Qian’qian against the wall in the corner. “That little sister of yours is much smarter than you are.”

Qiao Qian’qian’s expression turned even more unsightly. “Tang Jinchen, is there any point to talking about something that happened so long ago?”

“There isn’t?” Tang Jinchen leaned closer to Qiao Qian’qian, his warm breath reeking of alcohol caressing her face. “Didn’t you look for him again? Weren’t you planning on seducing him?”

“I wasn’t!” Qiao Qian’qian defended herself.

Tang Jinchen gave a cold bark of laughter and released Qiao Qian’qian. “If you wish to stay by my side, you’d best behave. Or else…”

He brushed Qiao Qian’qian’s fair neck. “It’d be a shame if something were to appear on such a good-looking neck.”

Qiao Qian’qian couldn’t help but feel a shiver run up her spine. ‘This Tang Jinchen is too scary…’

Fortunately, Tang Jinchen didn’t do anything, as if he wasn’t the one who’d said those words.

By the time the two returned to the manor, it was already in the wee hours of the morning. The main hall was still brightly lit.

A woman was seated on the sofa, reading a book. Her temperament was that of a gentle lady who’d been raised in a respectable family.

Seeing Tang Jinchen return, she immediately put down her book. “You’re back?”

Tang Jinchen pulled the woman into his embrace and kissed her passionately, completely ignoring Qiao Qian’qian who had followed him in.

After a moment, he swept the woman into his arms and made his way upstairs.

Qiao Qian’qian stared at his departing back, her fingernails biting into her flesh, a hint of hatred slowly appearing in her eyes.

……

“Qian’qian-jie, you shouldn’t do that…” Boasting a large belly, the woman stood behind Qiao Qian’qian, giving the latter a timid look.

Qiao Qian’qian turned to look at her before turning around as if she hadn’t seen her. Qiao Qian’qian snipped the flower viciously with her shears.

The woman was scared into paling.

But Qiao Qian’qian felt a hint of the satisfaction that came with payback.

‘Tang Jinchen got married and is even going to have a kid now, but me? What did I have overseas for so many years? Just the same old cold and lonely life. I saved myself for him, but what happened? He gets a bunch of women! And even has one at home! All men are assholes!’

And that night had been the one that got the woman pregnant. Ever since then, Tang Jinchen was actually treating her better and better.

Qiao Qian’qian tossed the shears to the ground and turned to leave. When she was passing by the woman, she shot the latter a sideward glance. The woman gripped onto the railings to the side and shrunk back, appearing very afraid.

Qiao Qian’qian harrumphed coldly and walked past her.

Not long after she left, the woman was sent to the hospital where she gave birth prematurely to a son.

Suddenly giving birth a month before she was expected to naturally caused people to grow suspicious.

The servant who sent her to the hospital said that when she found her, the woman had already been lying on the balcony. The servant even said that only Qiao Qian’qian had been there at the time.

Qiao Qian’qian clearly never expected the woman to suddenly make this move after acting scared of her for so long.

Tang Jinchen had his arm around the woman, staring darkly at Qiao Qian’qian who was standing in the middle of the hospital room.

“Jinchen… I was careless and fell. It had nothing to do with Qian’qian-jie.” The woman weakly explained, but it seemed more like adding oil onto the fire.

“Qiao Qian’qian!” Tang Jinchen squeezed her name out from between clenched teeth. ‘She’s really getting more and more presumptuous!’