Chapter Twenty: Both a Father and a Brother-in-Law?

Chapter 20: Both a Father and a Brother-in-Law?

After a tremendous crash, the glass countertop shattered beneath Wang Tianguang’s face! Yet, no matter how broken the glass was, it paled in comparison to the ruined, bloodied mess that had once been his face.

It was a sight too ghastly to behold—his brow split open, an eyeball nearly bursting from its socket, blood gushing everywhere, and his nose twisted into a grotesque mess. Inside his head, drums and cymbals clanged chaotically; everything went black, and Wang Tianguang lost all sense of the world.

Beautiful! A single move, and his opponent was down!

Xu Yun waved dismissively at the two stunned lackeys. “Well? Hurry up and get him to a hospital! Don’t let him die here, I don’t want that kind of bad luck!”

Seeing Wang Tianguang so thoroughly finished, the two lackeys’ knees shook. The icy beauty beside them still wore her cold, unapproachable expression, exuding a chill that seemed to emanate from her very bones. Who would dare argue with her now?

The two men quickly lifted Wang Tianguang and rushed him out, desperate to avoid a death on their hands—Uncle Xi would never forgive them if things went that far.

Once they were out of sight, Xu Yun turned to Qiu Yan with a faint smile. “Are you sure about this? The monthly salary is just a thousand—don’t you mind it being so little?”

Though Qiu Yan didn’t respond, at least her gaze had lost some of its earlier frost. She hadn’t come for the money—it was protecting Guoguo that mattered now, her only goal.

“You’re not much of a talker. That’s going to make it hard to be a good waitress,” Xu Yun said, feeling a bit awkward.

Just then, the three ladies who had gone out shopping finally returned.

“Daddy, look how pretty Mommy and Sister Wan’er are!” Guoguo’s excited voice rang out before she even entered the door.

But as she pushed the door open, Guoguo froze. Her lips quivered, her eyes instantly reddened, and all the grievances, fears, and anxieties she’d bottled up over the past weeks came pouring out. With a wail, she threw herself at Qiu Yan. “Waaah! Big sister! Waaah! Where did you go?”

Seeing Guoguo’s pitiful face, Qiu Yan’s icy heart melted into a pool of tenderness. She rushed forward and embraced the sobbing child, murmuring softly, “Don’t blame me, Guoguo. I only left you because I had to… I’ll never leave you again, not ever…”

“Waaah…” Guoguo couldn’t hold back anymore. All her worry and fear for Qiu Yan over the past ten days erupted into tears. “You’re so mean… Do you know how worried I was when I couldn’t find you…?”

Ruan Qingshuang and Qin Wan’er, who entered behind them, were utterly confused. What on earth had happened? They could only look at Xu Yun, waiting for an explanation.

“Uh… Well, I think we’d better let Guoguo explain it herself.” Xu Yun shrugged helplessly. “Qiu Yan, why don’t you take Guoguo upstairs?”

Qiu Yan nodded without a word and carried the inconsolable Guoguo up the stairs.

Watching this mysterious woman, Qin Wan’er frowned and turned to Ruan Qingshuang. “Qingshuang, who is she?”

“I don’t know either. Didn’t Guoguo just call her ‘big sister’?” Ruan Qingshuang shook her head. She’d always thought Guoguo was an orphan—who knew she had other relatives?

“You don’t even know your daughter’s sister?” Qin Wan’er was at a loss. “How does that even make sense?”

Xu Yun whistled at her. “Wan’er, your new dress is awfully short. What’s the plan? Going undercover on the bus to catch perverts?”

“If I’m catching anyone, you’re the first pervert I’ll get! Look one more time and I’ll gouge your eyes out!” Qin Wan’er glared at him, her attention quickly diverted.

Though Ruan Qingshuang was still worried about Guoguo upstairs, she saw how calm Xu Yun looked and trusted that Qiu Yan wouldn’t harm the girl. Still, a heavy sense of pressure weighed on her heart. She was afraid Qiu Yan might take Guoguo away.

Guoguo wasn’t her biological child, and they hadn’t been together all that long, but for reasons she couldn’t explain, Ruan Qingshuang already loved the girl as her own.

When she’d first found Guoguo, the child had been as lost, helpless, and pitiful as she herself was when she first arrived in Hedong. No one had been willing to help either of them.

Ruan Qingshuang was genuinely afraid—afraid of what would happen if Guoguo left, afraid she would return to that old loneliness.

She’d fled her hometown for Hedong, braving solitude day after day until Guoguo brought new life and warmth into her world. She’d come to rely on Guoguo, and if the girl really had to leave, she wasn’t sure she could accept it.

“Qingshuang?” Qin Wan’er waved a hand before her eyes.

Ruan Qingshuang snapped out of her daze. “What is it?”

“I need to head back to the station—the chief just called me,” Qin Wan’er said. “Yesterday, the Four Wolves gang wouldn’t pay the thirty thousand to bail out their man. Maybe they’ve changed their tune. Don’t worry, I’ll help you get your money back!”

“Thank you, Wan’er.” Ruan Qingshuang was truly grateful.

Xu Yun, however, was less impressed. “She’s a police officer—serving the people is her job. What do we pay taxes for, if not to keep them fed?”

Qin Wan’er shot him a fierce glare. He always talked as if he had some grudge against the police—who knew, maybe he’d once been mistaken for a john and hauled off by mistake.

After Qin Wan’er left, Ruan Qingshuang wanted to ask Xu Yun about Qiu Yan several times, but he always dodged with a smile. “When the time is right, they’ll tell you themselves. Their story isn’t mine to explain.”

“And Guoguo… will she leave?” The question made Ruan Qingshuang’s heart skip, her eyes growing moist.

Just then, Qiu Yan appeared at the stair landing with Guoguo in her arms.

The tears were gone from Guoguo’s face, though her eyes were still red. Now, though, her mouth curved in a radiant smile. “Of course I’m not leaving Mommy!”

Ruan Qingshuang quickly turned, gazing at Guoguo with such tender affection that even Qiu Yan, always guarded, couldn’t help but be moved by the depth of her love.

Guoguo wriggled out of Qiu Yan’s embrace and dove into Ruan Qingshuang’s arms. “Mommy, this is Sister Qiu Yan—the one who’s always been the very, very best to me!”

“And what about me?” Ruan Qingshuang teased, just a little jealous.

“Mommy has been the very, very best to me for the past fifteen days!” Guoguo chirped, sweet as honey. “If it weren’t for Mommy, I don’t know if I’d even still be alive. You gave me a second chance at life! You’re the person I love most in the world!”

The words of a child not yet seven moved Ruan Qingshuang to tears.

Xu Yun could only smile wryly. What was this, a melodrama? Wasn’t this girl always the comic relief? Why the sudden turn to tragedy—he could barely handle it.

“Daddy, you knew Sister Qiu Yan all along! Why didn’t you tell me?” Guoguo demanded, fuming.

Xu Yun felt wrongly accused—it was Qiu Yan who’d been hiding; it wasn’t his fault!

“Hmph! You can only pick one—Sister Qiu Yan or Mommy. Don’t even think about two-timing them!” Guoguo declared before he could even try to explain. “You just want to be both Daddy and brother-in-law. That would be way too confusing for me!”

Damn! Xu Yun almost wanted to bash his head against the wall.

Guoguo didn’t dwell on the issue. She ran behind the counter and picked up the ledger, frowning when she saw it was blank. “Daddy, why didn’t you keep accounts? Can you really remember how much you sold?”

“I gave away a giant pot of free mung bean soup.” Xu Yun shrugged helplessly.

“What do you mean?” Ruan Qingshuang couldn’t help but ask.

Xu Yun didn’t want her to worry and chose not to explain.

Qiu Yan spoke coldly, “Some scoundrel tried to cause trouble.”

Xu Yun could only laugh dryly and pinch Guoguo’s cheek. “But your Sister Qiu Yan has already taken care of it.”

Guoguo puffed up her cheeks, fuming at the thought of earning nothing all afternoon. “It must have been those bad guys from that Dog Wolf Gang again!”

“Guoguo, they won’t dare bother you again. As long as I’m here, I won’t let you suffer another grievance,” Qiu Yan said, her eyes full of apology and affection.

Guoguo nodded happily and ran over to Ruan Qingshuang. “Mommy, let’s have Sister Qiu Yan work in the shop as our waitress. That way, we’ll all be together and no one has to leave!”

Of course Ruan Qingshuang agreed—the shop needed more help, and having someone she trusted was far better than hiring a stranger. “Qiu Yan, would you be willing…?”

Qiu Yan nodded. She was never one for words, even with all the gratitude she felt for Ruan Qingshuang, she found it hard to say anything sentimental.

Ruan Qingshuang smiled gently. “Then we’ll be counting on you.”

She could tell Qiu Yan was not comfortable speaking much.

Xu Yun noticed a flash of pain in Qiu Yan’s eyes. Maybe something last night had triggered her injuries, but she still stood firm before Guoguo, not letting a hint of weakness show.

“Guoguo, shouldn’t you go get a room ready for your sister?” Xu Yun reminded her.

Only then did Ruan Qingshuang and Guoguo realize what was needed. Ruan Qingshuang took Guoguo’s hand. “Let’s go tidy up a beautiful room for Sister Qiu Yan, shall we?”

“Okay!” Guoguo darted upstairs.

Room and board plus medical care—that was Xu Yun’s promise, and he meant to keep it.

“How long do you think you can keep going?” Xu Yun asked lightly.

Qiu Yan gave a self-mocking laugh. “If it weren’t for that Nine-Treasure Reincarnation Pill you gave me, I’d be dead already.”

“You’re pretty philosophical about it,” Xu Yun said, impressed by her fearlessness.

“What’s the point of not being?” Qiu Yan’s self-mockery lingered on her lips. “Xu Yun, I’ve rarely trusted anyone in my life, but I’ve chosen to trust you. I believe if I die, you’ll take good care of Guoguo.”

Xu Yun waved his hands defensively. “No, no, if you really wanted to die, you wouldn’t have come here at all. How could you face Guoguo before dying?”

Qiu Yan lowered her head. A long moment passed before she looked up with a blank expression. “I don’t want to die.”

“Then do as I say. I may not be some legendary healer, but I’m no worse than they are,” Xu Yun grinned. “Just don’t give me trouble by refusing to cooperate.”

Qiu Yan set aside her melancholy, her gaze resolute. “If I can survive, I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”