With a low cough, he rarely took the time to explain a bit more, "I haven't driven this car for too long, I'll have someone clean out the clutter properly."
Qiao Zhaoyue looked at his Rolls-Royce with the starlight headliner that he had driven continuously for two months without a change.
Fu Yuxiu realized that the more he spoke, the more mistakes he made, and it seemed even more like he was inadvertently revealing his secrets.
Qiao Zhaoyue hummed in acknowledgment, not saying anything further. After checking to ensure they weren't expired, she stuck a heating pad on her lower abdomen.
After sticking it on, she had a delayed realization.
How did Fu Yuxiu seem to know she needed a heating pad for her period?
"How has your aunt been doing recently?"
His words snapped her wandering thoughts back to reality.
Fu Yuxiu was somewhat aware of her situation, Qiao Zhaoyue had an aunt in Nancheng who had been hospitalized for a long time, with monthly medical bills costing seven to eight thousand.
To say that they were just barely sustaining her life with the money wasn't an exaggeration.
"She will have surgery after the New Year. The doctor said that if she recovers well, she could recuperate at home in the future." Qiao Zhaoyue slowly clenched her fingers, "Mr. Fu, I will pay back the money I owe you, slowly."
"No need," was Fu Yuxiu's response, the same as always.
Bitterness spread at the bottom of Qiao Zhaoyue's heart. Sometimes she thought, if only her aunt hadn't fallen ill during her high school days.
She begged everyone in the Qiao Family, but not a single person was willing to lend her the money.
It's worth noting that Qiao Wan's monthly allowance alone was five hundred thousand, yet curing her aunt's illness would have required only three hundred thousand.
Three hundred thousand was undoubtedly an astronomical figure for the teenage Qiao Zhaoyue.
When the Qiao Family refused to lend her money, she naively believed some rumors and went to a club to sell liquor, where she was harassed.
In the dimly lit room, she was dressed in a maid's outfit, trying to dodge the hands of a corpulent ruffian who wanted to grab her. She awkwardly tried to avoid him, but she was still cornered, surrounded by people who were laughing at her, none willing to step in and help.
Amidst the mockery, Qiao Zhaoyue's heart sank to the bottom, and she slowly reached for the small knife in her pocket—the last means of self-defense she had left for herself.
But thinking of her aunt waiting in the hospital for a lifesaving operation, Qiao Zhaoyue closed her eyes in agony. The knife felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in her hand, and she was unable to draw it out no matter what.
Until—
The harasser howled in pain, kicked hard from behind, and fell to the ground clutching his back. When he saw Fu Yuxiu standing behind him, his face transformed from menace to sycophancy, "Fu, Fu Yuxiu."
Leaning against the wall, Fu Yuxiu lit a cigarette and exhaled a single word amidst the swirling smoke, "Leave."
His expression cool, he turned his gaze to Qiao Zhaoyue, effortlessly pried open her hand, and knocked the tightly gripped knife aside, "Minors shouldn't play with dangerous objects."
Then he put the cigarette out, "I'll have someone take you to the hospital."
It was only then that Qiao Zhaoyue realized her hand had been cut at some point.
Watching Fu Yuxiu's retreating figure, she grabbed his sleeve like she was clutching a lifeline.
The panic hadn't yet faded from the girl's face, "Second brother, can you lend me some money?"
When Qiao Zhaoyue said this, she was unsure of herself.
Indeed, she might have crossed paths with Fu Yuxiu before, but the two of them weren't close enough for him to lend her such a large sum of money for no reason.
But she really had no other option.
Fu Yuxiu looked downwards.
Her slender fingers, gripping his sleeve tightly, twisted the soft fabric into intricate wrinkles.
Qiao Zhaoyue had a hard life in the Qiao Family, which was evident from her thin frame.
"Second brother, I'll do anything you ask, as long as you are willing to lend me the money," Qiao Zhaoyue blurted out desperately.
Her eyes were red-rimmed, her nose also red, and when Fu Yuxiu saw the tears in her eyes, his first thought was that she looked as pitiful as a frightened rabbit.
His Adam's apple bobbed, a strange heat in his belly, "How much do you need?"
"Three... Three hundred thousand."
Fu Yuxiu did not ask her what she needed the money for. Girls of this age often took the wrong path for the sake of wanting something. Although good student Qiao Zhaoyue did not seem like someone who would end up in that situation.
He casually pulled out a card from his pocket, glanced at it, and handed it to her, "There's a million in it, the pin is six zeros, no need to pay it back."
"It must be repaid," the heavy burden on her was lifted, and Qiao Zhaoyue was so overjoyed she hardly knew what to do, "Big brother, I will return this money to you, no matter what I have to do."
"Little minor," Fu Yuxiu chuckled. At that time, he was far from the distant and indifferent person he would become years later, extending his hand to flick her on the forehead, "Just study hard. You don't need to do anything else. If there's a problem, come to your big brother, and I'll solve it for you."
Her heart pounded fiercely. From that moment on, Qiao Zhaoyue found herself falling in love with this man.
Memories quickly shifted back to reality.
"How did it turn out like this?" Qiao Zhaoyue murmured to herself, puzzled.
But the past had already seeped deep into her bones.
Forget it, what's done is done, let's just go with the flow.
Having come to terms with it, Qiao Zhaoyue naturally wouldn't feel aggrieved anymore. She immediately sat beside Fu Yuxiu, "Didn't you say we were going back to the old house? Let's go."
As soon as the words fell, Qiao Zhaoyue sensed an inquisitive gaze upon her face.
Without thinking, she knew it must be Fu Yuxiu looking at her.
Qiao Zhaoyue didn't respond but just quietly watched out the window, lost in her own thoughts.
"Everybody is there, you better be ready, don't embarrass me later on."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Zhaoyue turned her head and stared at the man she had loved for so long, then after quite some time, squeezed out a smile.
"I think President Fu is worrying too much. I'll naturally take care of what I need to do. Instead, it's you, President Fu... Don't say the wrong thing later and cause me unnecessary trouble."
Qiao Zhaoyue's voice was very calm, as if devoid of any emotions.
Yet, Fu Yuxiu sharply caught a fleeting look of disappointment in the depths of her eyes.
A surge of anger inexplicably welled up in his heart.
He stood up abruptly and strode towards the door.
Qiao Zhaoyue was stunned, but she quickly regained her composure. She was already used to Fu Yuxiu's attitude towards her, wasn't she?
Before Qiao Zhaoyue could act, the car was already parked at the old house's entrance.
Qiao Zhaoyue got out of the car and followed Fu Yuxiu into the house at a leisurely pace.
Today's atmosphere seemed exceptionally lively.
As soon as she stepped into the living room, Qiao Zhaoyue heard a burst of laughter and conversation.
Looking up, she saw several elders and some young people gathered around the sofa, engaged in enthusiastic chatter.
And the person who captured Qiao Zhaoyue's attention without a doubt was the woman who was talking and laughing vivaciously with everyone.
The woman was dressed in a red dress, her black hair casually draped over her shoulders, her fair and delicate face framed with a slight upturned smile, her eyebrows exuding confidence. She looked noble and elegant, yet spirited and lively.
She was Fu Mingzhu, the only daughter of the Fu Family's second branch.
Fu Mingzhu usually clung to Fu Yuxiu, her brother, and naturally, she showed no friendly expressions to Qiao Zhaoyue.
Especially when she noticed Qiao Zhaoyue's clothes and shoes were much inferior to her own, Fu Mingzhu felt even more disdainful.