Plunder

In the bedroom, Qiao En was packing up Zhou Jin'an's things.

He didn't stay over often, so there were almost no personal clothes; there were only two sets of seasonal outerwear in the wardrobe.

She took off the dust cover, folded, packaged, and stuffed them into an opaque bag.

Then she turned back to the bathroom and packed his toiletries into another bag.

If they were to separate, it had to be clean and final.

Being reminded of someone by their possessions would only add to the troubles.

While she was packing, the doorbell rang.

Qiao En, wearing slippers and loose-fitting home clothes with her long hair carelessly tied into a ponytail at the back of her head, went to open the door.

She thought it was Zhou Jin'an returning to retrieve something he had left behind.

At the door stood An Kexin with swollen eyes.

She was exquisitely dressed in a gentle and elegant lotus pink long dress, and even though she had cried, her makeup remained unspoiled.

"Secretary Qiao, I'm sorry to disturb you, may we talk for a moment?"

"Miss An, please come in."

Qiao En stepped aside, and An Kexin walked into the room with her high heels on.

The apartment Qiao En lived in was not big, a one-bedroom with a living room, modestly but tastefully decorated. She was a neat person, everything was spick and span.

As soon as An Kexin entered, she looked around.

Qiao En went to the kitchen to pour her a glass of water and came out to find her sitting on the couch crying again.

"Secretary Qiao, tell me, who is the woman Jin'an wants to marry?"

An Kexin, having hit a snag at Zhou Jin'an's end, turned her accusations towards Qiao En.

As Zhou Jin'an's secretary, she was most informed about his schedule. If there was another woman by his side, Qiao En couldn't be unaware.

But aside from Qiao En, there really was no other woman by Zhou Jin'an's side.

This was a deadly question.

An Kexin had already become suspicious, and the person she suspected was none other than Qiao En.

At this moment, Qiao En only felt overwhelmed. If Zhou Jin'an hadn't spoken out of turn, she might have been able to escape unscathed, but now, she was dragged into this mess.

The inevitable could not be avoided, and Qiao En had to face it head-on.

"Miss An, the person Director Zhou has always wanted to marry is you. That black diamond bracelet was something I accompanied Director Zhou to bid for during a business trip. He said then that he wanted to give the bracelet to someone very important. You are so important to him, how could the person he wants to marry not be you?"

Qiao En was bluffing.

She wanted to dispel An Kexin's suspicions, but obviously, An Kexin was not so easy to fool.

"To marry and wanting to marry are two different things. Do you understand, Secretary Qiao?"

Qiao En understood, but she had to pretend to be confused.

"If Director Zhou wants to marry you, he certainly must want to, no? Miss An is beautiful, has a gentle temperament, and comes from a prominent family—how could Director Zhou not wish to marry you?"

Playing dumb was the first lesson Zhou Jin'an taught her.

Playing the fool at the right times was the only way to protect oneself.

"But he said those things yesterday, and it really hurt me!"

An Kexin was weeping once more.

The mess that Zhou Jin'an created was full of holes, and Qiao En had to play the role of the goddess, mending the gaps for him.

"Director Zhou just took over Nanchen, and he's under a lot of pressure. Between your pending marriage and Mrs. Zhou pressing him, it's natural for him to be a bit rebellious. Please be more understanding."

Listening to Qiao En's words, An Kexin seemed to take some comfort.

"Secretary Qiao, you're right, I should be more patient and forgiving with Jin'an. After all, we've known each other for over a decade, not just anyone can replace that."

An Kexin's words carried a hint of meaning.

Qiao En smiled naively, "Miss An and Director Zhou share a deep connection. It's only a matter of time before things are set right."

Her ability to navigate complex situations wasn't something Zhou Jin'an had taught her.

It came naturally to her, as after all, in the workplace, one had to be as adaptable as a catfish.

Tailor your words to your audience, and protecting oneself is the ultimate rule.

"Secretary Qiao, I'm glad I came to you today. Fortunately, it was you I asked, or I'd still be brooding over it!"

An Kexin broke into a smile, tears no longer in her eyes.

"Miss An, you flatter me; I merely spoke the truth. It's my honor to be of help to you."

An Kexin stood up and walked towards the door, but as she reached the hallway, she stopped.

Her gaze fell upon a pair of men's slippers.

Size 42, dark blue.

They were the same pair Zhou Jin'an always wore.

Qiao En, while packing things up, had forgotten to put these slippers into a bag.

Two women, two pairs of eyes, both fixed on that pair of slippers.

"Did Secretary Qiao get a boyfriend?" An Kexin asked, feigning curiosity.

"No, my brother is attending college nearby and occasionally comes here for a meal,"

Qiao En lied calmly.

"Oh——"

An Kexin's voice trailed off, followed by a chuckle, "Look at me, thinking too much. But really, Secretary Qiao should find a boyfriend."

"Secretary Qiao, what kind of man do you like? I can keep an eye out for you."

An Kexin still hadn't taken her eyes off the slippers, her suspicions lingering.

Qiao En replied with a naive smile, "As long as he's a good man, I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern, Miss An."

"It's no bother. Secretary Qiao helps take care of my brother and eases my worries. I promise to find you a good man of virtue for you."

Qiao En did not believe her, but she thanked her sincerely.

Only then did An Kexin open the door and leave.

As soon as she left, Qiao En immediately grabbed the slippers and stuffed them into a bag.

There could be no further entanglement between her and Zhou Jin'an.

Playing with fire is self-immolation.

She wasn't cut out for it.

After hailing a taxi, Qiao En, carrying two bags of belongings, went to Chu Garden.

This was Zhou Jin'an's private villa, designed in the style of Suzhou gardens. Qiao En had been here just once before.

She handed the items over to the butler and sent a message to Zhou Jin'an.

He did not reply.

Breaking up is a matter of being quick, decisive, and ruthless.

It's better for both parties.

Qiao En severed the messy ties with a swift cut.

Leaving Chu Garden, Qiao En impulsively decided to return to the Qiao Family's home.

Mrs. Zhou had already arranged for her study abroad, and she was to depart in a week.

Qiao En bought some fruit and went upstairs. Mr. Qiao was sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Mrs. Qiao was busy in the kitchen.

Seeing Qiao En return, the elderly couple immediately came over to greet her.

"En, you've gotten thinner again. No matter how busy you are with work, you must eat well," said Mr. Qiao, holding Qiao En's hand and asking after her warmly.

He was recovering well, looking ruddy and sounding strong.

Qiao En laughed, "Dad, where have I lost weight? I had a company physical recently and I'm five pounds heavier than last year!"

"A little extra weight looks good," Mr. Qiao said with a kindly smile.

Soon, Mrs. Qiao had prepared a full table of dishes.

The three sat down around the dining table, chatting and laughing as if times had reverted to before Mr. Qiao had fallen ill.

Three years—it seemed like everything had changed, yet nothing had at all.

For Qiao En, as long as her family was here and her loved ones were well, everything she did was worth it.

"En, you should come home more often for meals. I'll make you something delicious," Mrs. Qiao said, indulgently placing a piece of fried fish on Qiao En's plate.

"Mom,"

Qiao En called out and started nibbling on the fried fish without looking up.

"I'm going abroad next week, so I won't be able to come back for a while."

The news sent shockwaves through Mr. and Mrs. Qiao.

Mr. Qiao asked, "Abroad? You're doing fine at work, why would you go abroad?"

Mrs. Qiao also inquired, "En, have you encountered some trouble? Don't keep it to yourself, talk to mom."

She wanted to tell them, but she couldn't.

"Mom, Dad, the reason is that my performance at work has been so outstanding that the company is rewarding me with a fully-covered opportunity to study abroad. Isn't it something to be happy about?"

She lied again.

The closest people are the easiest to deceive.

Mr. and Mrs. Qiao were convinced indeed.

"A good thing, really a good thing. Our En is the most successful one," they remarked.

That night, Qiao En stayed at her parents' home until late.

They talked a great deal, as if foreseeing that such times would be hard to come by in the future.

When Qiao En returned to her apartment, it was nearly dawn.

Shower, then sleep.

The bedroom light was broken, so she fumbled into bed in the dark.

But she was scooped into an embrace by a large hand.