Forbidden Game: Ruthless CEO, Please Set Me Free
Chapter 44 He Came (3)

Chapter 44: Chapter 44 He Came (3)

Standing outside the door, Qiao Mo took stock of the scene.

Old Mrs. Qiao’s newly rented place was an outdated apartment building. It seemed to have aged, worlds apart from the vibrant and luxurious Qiao family villa. The brown-red walls had faded somewhat, washed out by the rain over time, causing much of the paint to peel off.

After climbing three flights of stairs, the group finally entered what was called the new home.

Qiao Mo surveyed the surroundings. The house was around a hundred and thirty square meters, plenty for an ordinary family. Yet, considering the Qiao family’s size, it was excessively cramped.

Uncle Qiao Deshan’s family of four, Song Yuqin and Qiao Yin, Old Mrs. Qiao, and the still-out Mr. Qiao, not to mention herself and her hospitalized brother Qiao Xuan.

Counting just those who needed a place to stay, there were already eight people.

"How can we live here! Mom! Can’t you rent a bigger house?" Qiao Deshan frowned deeply, his eyes filled with disgust.

"Yes! This kitchen is so small! And the bathroom... I can hardly believe it!" Auntie chimed in discontentedly, not forgetting to exchange a glance with her son, Qiao Hao.

Qiao Hao immediately chose the largest bedroom: "Grandma! I want this room."

Old Mrs. Qiao had always favored this grandson. After all, before Qiao Xuan was brought home to the Qiao family, Qiao Hao was the only heir. Moreover, having grown up under Old Mrs. Qiao’s care, her love for him didn’t need further explanation.

"Alright, this room will be for Xiao Hao then."

Old Mrs. Qiao spoke gently, scanning the room and choosing a well-lit, albeit small, room for herself. Then she picked out a relatively spacious one for Song Yuqin and Qiao Yin: "Yuqin, our family circumstances aren’t what they used to be. You’ll need to make do with Yinyin for now."

"Mom! Where am I supposed to stay?" Qiao Deshan opened his mouth again, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

Old Mrs. Qiao showed a troubled expression, while Qiao Mo remained silent, standing aside.

She understood that for Old Mrs. Qiao, neither palm nor back was more precious than the other. She adored her youngest son Qiao Deshan and grandson Qiao Hao the most. But she also knew that, now that the Qiao family was struggling financially, much of the support came from Song Yuqin’s family. Thus, they couldn’t afford to shortchange her daughter-in-law and Qiao Yin.

After some disputes, whether willing or not, everyone was settled in.

Qiao Mo stood at the door of the storage room, gazing at the cramped and closed space.

The room appeared to be about five or six square meters, with only a single bed inside; there was no room for anything else.

The room lacked windows, relying solely on a low-wattage bulb hanging from the ceiling for light. Yet the dim yellowish glow only accentuated the moss and spider webs in the corners.

With her eyes downcast, Qiao Mo placed her suitcase at the bedside without a word.

In this household, everyone had bargaining chips to secure their place. She, however, had neither background nor support, nor any significant value.

Old Mrs. Qiao’s arrangement was nothing abnormal.

Qiao Mo remained silent, organizing her things while contemplating renting a place once she finished dealing with Xiao Xuan’s illness.

Sadly though, she feared she might not fulfill Qiao Dehou’s wishes.

Returning to the villa after a day of turmoil, it was already seven in the evening. Qiao Mo went straight to her room for a shower, hesitated for a moment, and then turned on her phone.

But after powering it on, she waited a full ten minutes, yet no messages or calls came in.