“Alright.” Qiao Qiao suddenly blinked and smiled. “Let’s not look so gloomy anymore, let’s cheer up. At least we just enjoyed some wonderful things. Xiao Wu, I told you, I won’t compete with Yan Di for you… A woman like me isn’t suited to be someone else’s wife. But I won’t leave you either, I can be your lover…” She whispered in my ear, then suddenly bit me. “I forgot to tell you… I only realized today that doing it with a man and doing it with a woman really feel so different…”
She seemed to be trying to seduce me again: "You're not my first time, but you are my first man."
Seeing that I still looked serious, Qiaoqiao gently squeezed my hand: "Okay, Xiao Wu, well, let's just treat what we just did as a friendly match... Also, I think it's really unfair to Yan Di, so why don't you put in more effort tonight and eat her up?"
I finally chuckled, but after laughing, I glanced at Qiaoqiao.
Oh, Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao. Even though you're forcing a smile, knowing you as I do, do you think I can't see the hint of disappointment hidden deep in your eyes?
The air was thick with a mixture of affection, awkwardness, and a touch of melancholy. In that atmosphere, we gently embraced and sat there for a long time.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I immediately sat up, and Qiaoqiao jumped off my lap, glancing at the time with some confusion: "It's probably Yan Di coming back."
We both saw a hint of complexity in each other's eyes. Qiaoqiao quickly pulled me back: "Don't tell her, don't be impulsive. Don't tell her now, let's have more time, maybe we can come up with a good solution."
I sighed inwardly. What good solution could we possibly come up with? This was nothing more than the two of us running away from each other.
I forced a smile at her, then walked to the door and glanced at her through the electronic security camera...
However, after just one glance, my expression immediately changed. I rubbed my eyes hard to make sure I wasn't seeing things...
In the footage, right outside our villa, stands a middle-aged man of medium build. Even from the overhead angle of the surveillance camera, his facial features are still clearly defined, and he is quite handsome. He wears a dark suit, his hands behind his back, exuding a rather carefree and detached air.
Two henchmen followed behind him.
I recognized the middle-aged man's face, then turned around and looked at Qiaoqiao sitting on the sofa. I swallowed hard and said, "Qiaoqiao, you'd better come and take a look. This person... seems to be... um. I've only seen him once, and I'm worried that I might be mistaken."
"Well, isn't Yan Di back?" Qiao Qiao shrugged, seemingly relieved. She walked over, but didn't notice that my expression was even more awkward and unpleasant.
Sure enough, Qiaoqiao came to my side, glanced at the monitoring camera, and her expression changed! Seeing Qiaoqiao's expression, I finally confirmed my suspicions. I smiled wryly and said, "This person... seems to be your father, right?"
"OH!! Shit!!" Qiao Qiao screamed, and then she darted away from me like a rabbit, hiding all the way up the stairs.
I was deeply shocked. I tried to speak calmly through the intercom, asking the person outside to wait a moment. Then I opened the door and saw the middle-aged man say a few words to his assistant. He then walked in alone.
Half a minute later, I opened the door and saw the guest standing outside.
That's right, this time I could see it even more clearly than from the surveillance camera—a handsome, mature face. The crow's feet at the corners of his eyes held a wise glint, his forehead was full, and his lips curved into a half-smile. He exuded a subtle, commanding presence… It was none other than Qiao Qiao's father, whom I had met briefly back in China!
Seeing my surprised expression, Qiaoqiao's father remained calm, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Oh, Chen Yang, we meet again."
It was only then that I realized what was happening, and I quickly stepped aside: "Mr. Qiao... um, hello. Please come in."
Seeing my nervous and surprised expression, Qiaoqiao's father smiled slightly and walked in from beside me.
As for me, my mind was a complete mess!
Well, first of all, I was definitely surprised by Qiaoqiao's father's sudden arrival... What was he doing here? And more than that... I felt a bit guilty! That's normal. Any man who has just "touched" someone's daughter and then immediately meets her father would be nervous!
Qiaoqiao's father spoke in a deep, steady voice. He walked in, glanced at me, and said, "You must be very surprised by my sudden visit."
I quickly smiled apologetically and invited him in to sit down.
Qiaoqiao's father didn't say much. He came in, glanced around, and sat down on the sofa. Then he looked at me sitting opposite him and said, "Do you know why I'm here?"
"I..." I was momentarily speechless. To be honest, I hadn't quite recovered yet. I quickly stood up to cover it up, hurriedly brought over a cup of tea, then sat down again and handed over the cigarettes on the table.
“No, thank you, I’ve quit for many years.” Qiaoqiao’s father slowly shook his head, then smiled slightly: “It’s a very nice place, I mean your house.”
"Um... thank you," I mumbled in response.
"Where's Qiaoqiao? She's upstairs, isn't she?" Qiaoqiao's father smiled slightly, as composed as could be. He even picked up his teacup and took a small sip. "She must have been so frightened by my sudden appearance here that she hid upstairs."
"This..." I hesitated, unsure how to answer... I wanted to deny it, but what was Qiaoqiao's father's status? He'd come all this way; he must have thoroughly investigated the situation and confirmed that Qiaoqiao was with me before he came.
“I know my own daughter.” Qiaoqiao’s father was very calm. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to see Qiaoqiao. Instead, he looked at me meaningfully: “Chen Yang… well, Chen Yang, this should be our second meeting. I remember we met once at the airport in China. At that time, you were still Qiaoqiao’s good friend.”
A wave of anxiety washed over me… What did he mean by “back then” being Qiaoqiao’s good friend? Did Qiaoqiao’s father already know that I was no longer Qiaoqiao’s friend “now”?
“Sigh.” Qiaoqiao’s father waved his hand, quite frankly, without any pretense or politeness. “Qiaoqiao ran away after refusing a marriage arrangement I made for her, which caused a huge fight with my family. I searched for her for a long time without success. I even sent people to Europe—Milan, Paris, Antwerp, Prague—all the places Qiaoqiao used to love to travel to. Later, I sent people to North Africa, to Cairo, Egypt, but still no news.” He smiled bitterly. “I only recently received news that she’s in Canada. I originally thought she wouldn’t come to Canada no matter where she went. Because the marriage she refused was with Li Wenjing… well, you should know Li Wenjing, right? I thought Li Wenjing was in Canada, so no matter how much Qiaoqiao ran away, she wouldn’t hide there. But I was wrong.”
I didn't say anything.
Qiaoqiao's father squinted at me for a moment, then said, "Qiaoqiao came here because of you, didn't she?"
"Cough, cough..." I coughed a few times, not knowing how to answer.
“Look, I’m a terrible father.” Qiaoqiao’s father looked at me and sighed, “My daughter ran away, and I can’t find her anywhere. Just a couple of days ago, when I was on the phone with that young man Li Wenjing, I accidentally found out that Qiaoqiao had actually met him in Las Vegas. And I also found out that she’s been with you recently.”
He tapped his hand lightly on the table twice, looked at me meaningfully, and said, "Chen Yang, well, I originally thought you were just a friend of Qiao Qiao's. I never expected you to actually come to Canada. Moreover, before I came, I even did some research... What surprised me was that you're not an ordinary person here."
"You're too kind," I finally managed to mumble.
“It’s not just politeness, absolutely not just politeness.” He smiled calmly, but I felt there was a sharp glint in his eyes as he looked at me and said, “The creator of Vancouver’s underground order right now, hey! Young man, you’re much more capable than I thought.”
After saying that, he stood up and looked around: "This house is nice, you just bought it, right... Hmm, the environment is really nice."
He then chuckled and said, "Hmm, Qiaoqiao must have hidden upstairs just now, right?"
I could only nod... They even checked my identity before coming to my door, so they must have been absolutely certain before they came! It would be unwise for me to deny it any further.
He casually pointed to the corridor and door leading to the back of the house in the hall: "Hmm, that's the sea, right? Is there a yard in the back? Come on, take me on a tour, you don't mind, do you?"
How could I possibly refuse? I could only quickly stand up and lead him out the back door.
Behind us was the swimming pool. But as soon as I stepped out, Qiaoqiao's father stopped behind me. He didn't seem interested in looking around; he simply grabbed my arm, patted me, and pointed upwards, gesturing for me to look up...
On the second-floor windowsill, Qiaoqiao had already climbed out, gripping the railing outside the house with both hands, and was slowly and carefully inching her way down...
"You see, I know my own daughter well." Qiaoqiao's father smiled with narrowed eyes and said loudly, "Qiaoqiao, come down, I see you."
I saw Qiaoqiao inching along with her bottom sticking out, and when she heard her father's shout, she trembled. I was startled, afraid she would fall, so I ran over and caught her.
Helpless, Qiaoqiao glanced down at me, then leaped into my arms and got down.
At this moment, she was completely devoid of the witch-like demeanor she once possessed. Dejected and sullen, like a plucked peacock, her eyes darted around quickly. Then, she forced a smile, ran to her father's side, and, with a charmingly naive expression, clung to his arm: "Wow! Dad, you're amazing! I knew you'd find me! Sure enough, I can't escape your grasp no matter where I run! You're incredible!"
Qiaoqiao's father remained unperturbed, simply smiling and saying, "Stand still."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Qiao trembled and quickly let go of his hand, standing up straight, though still feeling somewhat aggrieved: "You were inside, how did you know I would climb out the window and escape?"
"Hey!" Qiaoqiao's father chuckled. "First, I know you're here with Chen Yang. Second, I know you like living in a house facing the sea. Third, I just checked, this house only has one staircase. Fourth... I know my precious daughter wants to run away as soon as she sees her father. Fifth... Haven't you jumped out of the window enough times?"
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Ninety-Eight: Adultery Exposed...
There were parasols and a few beach chairs by the pool, so I quickly invited Qiaoqiao's father to sit down. Qiaoqiao obediently sat down next to him.
"Is Qiaoqiao living with you now?" The first thing Qiaoqiao's father said as he sat down made my heart skip a beat.
Of course I understood what he meant! But before I could speak, Qiaoqiao blurted out, "Dad, it's not what you think! I'm taking refuge with Chen Yang! Yeah, the three of us live together: me, Chen Yang, and Chen Yang's girlfriend! His girlfriend and I are good friends..."
Qiaoqiao's father's expression softened slightly: "Hmm, it's that little girl named Yan Di, isn't it? Hmph, you're good to be honest. I made sure I knew everything before I came. If you dared to live alone with another man behind our backs, do you think I'd still be sitting here calmly talking to you like this?!"
He turned to look at me: "Chen Yang, I'm Qiao Qiao's father. Although we're not close, I don't like beating around the bush. Now, tell me, are the three of you living together? And is the other girl your girlfriend?"
"Um...yes." I nodded, but my neck felt a little stiff.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Qiaoqiao's father's eyes...
Wait, disappointment?
"Did I see that right?" A hint of disappointment flashed across his eyes. But he quickly recovered, smiled, and said, "In that case, I have nothing to worry about."
He casually unbuttoned his suit jacket, leaned back in his chair, and wore a relaxed smile. It was as if he wasn't there to abduct his daughter, but rather to visit a friend.
"Chen Yang, I heard you're doing quite well in Vancouver... Hmm. How's business?"
"Not bad," I replied cautiously.
A smile appeared on Qiaoqiao's father's lips: "Business at sea is always very profitable. If there's an opportunity, we might be able to cooperate. You're Qiaoqiao's friend, so don't be so formal. Just call me Uncle Qiao."
"Yes, Uncle Joe."
Don't blame me for being so pathetic right now... it's just that... he's Qiaoqiao's father! I just slept with his daughter, and deep down, he's practically my father-in-law. How could I not be polite?
"Young man, to have built such a successful business at such a young age, you are truly remarkable." Qiaoqiao's father said with admiration, "It's a pity that when we met in China, I didn't realize you were such an outstanding young man. Alas, what a missed opportunity."
"You flatter me..."
We chatted idly, and Qiaoqiao kept giving me meaningful glances, but her father was watching me closely the whole time. How was I supposed to respond to her?
Qiaoqiao kicked me twice from below, but I didn't dare to respond.
Actually, I realized it. Qiaoqiao's father was trying to get information out of me about the relationship between Qiaoqiao and me!
I understand him completely... After all, his daughter had been living with a man for so long, and even though they claimed it was just a friendship, parents are always worried. They need to find out more details.
Moreover, Qiaoqiao's father was very skillful in asking questions. He would always start by asking me a few business-related questions, as if we were having a casual chat, and then he would intersperse them with a personal topic, such as, "Why isn't your girlfriend home?" "How is the relationship between Qiaoqiao and your girlfriend?" "This house was just bought, right? The environment is nice. Did your girlfriend choose the location or did Qiaoqiao choose it?"
These questions may seem simple, but each one actually contains profound hidden meanings!
I answered each one carefully.
It's not that I'm cowardly or afraid to admit it... I'm not the kind of person who's afraid to take responsibility. But Qiaoqiao just said I have another girlfriend. If I tell Qiaoqiao's father now that Qiaoqiao and I have a relationship... wouldn't I be asking for trouble?
Qiaoqiao's father was finally relieved; I could see that his eyes had completely calmed down.
We took a short break while looking at the scenery. I caught my breath and exchanged a few glances with Qiaoqiao. She seemed anxious, as if to say, "How do I get away?"
I shrugged and shook my head to indicate that I didn't know either.
Qiaoqiao's father's gaze was still fixed on the distant sea. Our backyard has a superb location, facing the sea directly. Beyond the railing below is a grove of palm trees, and fifty meters down is the beach and the ocean.
The view is expansive; in a word... awesome!
Just then, when Qiaoqiao's father turned his gaze back and swept it across the swimming pool... he suddenly froze! A deep look of confusion immediately appeared in his eyes, and then he looked up at us.
Because, on the edge of the swimming pool, there was a palm-sized, thin, yellow piece of cloth...
Damn it, those were bikini bottoms!! I ripped them off Qiaoqiao during our passionate encounter and just tossed them aside...
Qiaoqiao's father's expression was already quite unpleasant... Qiaoqiao and I quickly exchanged glances, and we both saw the tension in each other's eyes. I quickly stood up, walked to the edge of the pool, grabbed the swimming trunks, and stuffed them into my pocket, laughing loudly, "Hahahaha, sorry, Uncle Qiao, this... belongs to my girlfriend."
“Oh, you young people… I really don’t understand. Why would you just throw your swimsuit here like that?” Jojo’s father frowned.
"Ahem!! This..." I tried to remain calm and said loudly, "This... um..."
I initially thought it might have fallen in while doing laundry... but damn it, who does laundry in a swimming pool? Please, a mansion like this has a laundry room!!
Hanging clothes to dry?
Have you ever seen people hanging clothes out to dry on the balconies of luxurious villas like they do in ordinary homes?
These villas, even if they have balconies, are mainly for viewing the scenery, not for drying clothes...