At this moment, Changsun Qinghe, who was working at the Xingbu Bureau, also received a call from her father.
"Hello, Dad."
"Qinghe, I have big news for you. The boy from a sixth-tier family you were betrothed to when you were three years old has been found," Changsun Qinghe's father said in shock.
"Ah," Changsun Qinghe was stunned for a moment.
"That person is in Jinzhou City, where you work."
"Dad, how did you know? Who told you?"
"A friend told me. The Qiao family saw the news from Jiangnan Province, and based on his looks, they thought he resembled you. That's how they found him."
"Heh, I didn't expect them to find him themselves," Changsun Qinghe gave a bitter smile. She had known for a while but hadn't intended to reveal it.
"What do you mean? Could it be you already knew?"
"Yes, I found out some time ago, but I didn't tell anyone."
"Why are you so foolish? You should have reported it to the Qiao family immediately. After all, you are still engaged to him."
"Dad, it's been 20 years, and he has a girlfriend now. I don't want to break them up. Alright, I have something to do, I'm hanging up." Changsun Qinghe hung up the phone, but her expression was complex. She had thought no one knew, but now that they had actively found him, what would happen between her and Zhou Hong? Zhou Hong would eventually find out that she was his former fiancée.
At this moment, Zhou Hong returned to the Qiao family.
When Zhou Hong entered the living room, he saw Qiao Wanli sitting alone.
"Grandpa? How are you?" Qiao Xiaoyu rushed up nervously.
Zhou Hong immediately scanned the living room. No one else was there. He asked with confusion, "Grandpa, weren't you being held hostage? Where are they?"
"Yes, Grandpa, why are you sitting alone in the living room?" Qiao Xiaoyu also looked puzzled.
"They're gone," Qiao Wanli said with a look of dejection.
"Gone? Didn't they threaten me on the phone just now, saying they'd kill you if I didn't come back? How did they leave as soon as we arrived?" Zhou Hong was bewildered.
"Just now, before you returned, those two received a call, probably from the patriarch of the Qiao family in Kyoto. The patriarch said on the phone that if they dared to harm you, they would be expelled from the family. Seeing that their plan was exposed, those two left."
"Damn it, lucky for them they ran fast," Zhou Hong said, furious.
"They thought the family didn't know and planned to deal with you quietly, but they didn't expect the Qiao family to find out. The patriarch himself called, so they wouldn't dare to touch you anymore. Zhou Hong, if I'm not mistaken, the Qiao family in Kyoto will soon send someone to find you, and you'll be returning to the family soon. Congratulations, you're finally returning to your biological parents."
"Alright, Grandpa, I don't want to go back. Xiaoyu and I are very happy here. What's the point of going back? This kind of big family seems full of scheming and infighting. What's the point of going back?"
"Heh, Zhou Hong, you and Xiaoyu are from the same clan. It was fine when you didn't know, but now that you do, you can't be together anymore," Qiao Wanli said with pain in his eyes.
"Impossible!" Zhou Hong refused resolutely.
Qiao Xiaoyu, however, said nothing, standing aside and silently shedding tears.
The most painful thing in the world is for lovers to become siblings.
"Zhou Hong, I feel just as sad as you do, but fate is playing tricks on us, fate is playing tricks!"
"Grandpa, as long as we're not biological siblings, it's fine. Besides, how many times have Xiaoyu and I slept together? Now you're saying we can't be together. Isn't this just burying our heads in the sand?"
"Zhou Hong, I understand these principles. Although you and Xiaoyu are of the same clan, in terms of blood relation, you are already beyond three generations. If you were to have children, it wouldn't have a significant impact, and the chance of the children being intellectually disabled would be very small. However, people would laugh their heads off! The Qiao family in Kyoto is a sixth-tier family that has been passed down for over 900 years. How can they allow such a thing to happen?"
"Don't worry, I don't care what family it is. If anyone dares to stop me, I'll destroy them," Zhou Hong said, furious.
"Nonsense, how can you say such rebellious words? Women are like clothes; if you lose one, there are others. But family is your root. If a person abandons their roots, what's the difference between them and a beast?" Qiao Wanli reprimanded him.
"In short, Xiaoyu will always be my wife. Siblings, my ass."
"Zhou Hong, calm down. Are you going to defy the family? Besides, this is a good thing for you."
"How is it a good thing?" Zhou Hong snorted.
"With your current talent, Xiaoyu is no longer worthy of you. Now that you've become siblings, I don't care how many times you slept together before; forget all of it from today onwards," Qiao Wanli said in a commanding tone.
Qiao Xiaoyu, standing aside, was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Zhou Hong, filled with anger, quickly went up and hugged Qiao Xiaoyu.
However, Qiao Xiaoyu cried and gently pushed Zhou Hong away.
"Xiaoyu, stop fooling around." Zhou Hong's heart grew cold when he saw Qiao Xiaoyu push him away.
Although Zhou Hong hadn't liked Qiao Xiaoyu much initially, just wanting to make a living, after spending so much time together, Zhou Hong had gradually grown accustomed to her presence. Now, making them siblings was something Zhou Hong absolutely could not accept.
"Zhou Hong, forget me. You truly deserve someone better, and I would only hold you back. The Qiao family in Kyoto will never allow two people from the same clan to be together," Qiao Xiaoyu said, crying, though her heart was in agony.
"Don't talk to me about the Qiao family in Kyoto. What do I care? Did I say I was going back? I don't care." Zhou Hong was incredibly angry. He had initially decided to acknowledge his biological mother since she had found him. But now, Zhou Hong had to reconsider, unless they agreed not to interfere with his relationship with Qiao Xiaoyu.
"Zhou Hong, how can I ruin your reputation for my own selfish reasons and make you break ties with your biological parents and family? This is utter rebellion. So, forget our past, sob sob sob!" Qiao Xiaoyu cried and rushed back to her room, locking the door.
"Damn it!" Zhou Hong roared. He wasn't afraid of the Qiao family's obstruction; what he feared most was Qiao Xiaoyu and her family not standing with him.
If Qiao Xiaoyu could steadfastly stand with him, Zhou Hong could guarantee that he wouldn't care about any family; he could be with whomever he wanted. So what if they were of the same clan? He'd kill anyone who dared to mock them.
However, if Qiao Xiaoyu and her parents did not share Zhou Hong's views, he would be isolated and powerless.