Hidden identities of the AI Heiress
Chapter 592 - Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Resolving the Knot (1)

Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Resolving the Knot (1) Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Resolving the Knot (1) Lu Shiran followed behind him and, not paying attention for a moment, his nose crashed into the man’s back.

Rubbing his nose, he accused, “What are you doing? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Lu Zhanxing quickly covered his mouth and whispered fiercely, “Shut up.”

With his mouth covered, Lu Shiran could only mumble in protest, his eyes accusing Lu Zhanxing of his aggressive behavior.

Lu Zhanxing ignored Lu Shiran because he was eavesdropping around the corner of the wall.

“I thought her family was so formidable, but they are nothing but a bunch of upstarts. Did you see how obsequious they were just now? Hmph, it’s embarrassing.”

The moment Lu Zhanxing heard this, his brows instantly furrowed deeply.

He recognized the speaker as the youngest grandson of the Qiao Family matriarch, fifteen-year-old Qiao Chu, who had been the one to treat them with such disrespect.

He squinted his eyes, realizing that not all members of the Qiao Family welcomed them. But what did it matter? Even if they weren’t welcomed, it couldn’t change the fact that they were Qiao Yun’s family.

Unlike Lu Zhanxing’s composure, upon hearing this, Lu Shiran exploded with anger and rolled up his sleeves, ready to confront them. “Who are you calling upstarts?”

Although the Lu Family might not have the cultural heritage of the Qiao Family, they were still a renowned family for centuries–were these people blind?

Fortunately, Lu Zhanxing promptly grabbed him, “Don’t rush. Listen some more, don’t you find it interesting?”

Meeting Lu Zhanxing’s seemingly amused gaze, Lu Shiran felt a chill in his heart.

He felt that this second cousin of his might actually be angry.

Lu Zhanxing indeed felt slightly irritated,

He suspected they were treating his sister poorly, otherwise, why would they show such disrespect knowing they were her family? Didn’t they consider how it would put his sister in a difficult position?

He also wondered if his sister had ever been bullied by these people during her time with the Qiao Family.

In the end, Lu Shiran restrained himself from bursting out. He wanted to hear what else these people would say about them.

“No matter how embarrassing, she’s still their kin, the blood-related kind. How can we compete with that? Now that she’s found her relatives, of course, they won’t need us anymore.”

These words suggested that Qiao Yun was an ingrate.

And the speaker was Qiao Chu’s own older brother, Qiao Yang, who was also a high school senior, just like Qiao Yun.

Qiao Chu kicked a tree beside him, dissatisfied, “Without the Qiao Family, where would she have gotten her achievements? Reaping the benefits from our Qiao Family and then supporting those upstarts, why should she!”

“That’s enough, you’re going too far.”

A calm male voice interjected. It was the eldest grandson of the Qiao Family matriarch, Qiao Shen, who was already in college.

“How am I going too far?” Qiao Chu retorted sarcastically, “I haven’t said anything wrong. These upstarts are so good to her, maybe even trying to use her to take advantage from our Qiao Family. Would they still be this nice to her if she weren’t a Qiao?”

Qiao Yang chimed in, “Exactly, she’ll definitely regret it. I’m just waiting to see her regret.”

“Unfortunately for you, my sister will certainly not regret it.”

As the three of them were talking, a sudden voice startled them. They turned and saw Lu Zhanxing, one hand in his pocket, looking at them with a smirk.

Yet that smirk looked anything but well-intentioned.

Lu Shiran snickered, “Today, I’ve really gained new insights. Even the Qiao Family talks behind people’s backs.”

On hearing this, the three of them appeared uncomfortable. Criticizing others behind their backs, and being overheard by the subjects themselves, was a nightmare scenario.

“Unless I’m mistaken,” Lu Zhanxing smiled, “it was my sister who led the Qiao Family to greater heights, not the other way around. No wonder she doesn’t care about you; you truly aren’t worth her concern.”

Qiao Chu was immediately annoyed by these words, his neck stiffening as he retorted, “How do you know she doesn’t care about us? You’re not her. And what did I say wrong? If our Qiao Family hadn’t taken her in, she might’ve died long ago.”

“Now she’s found her family members and runs back to them? Isn’t that just being an ingrate? The Qiao Family’s years of nurturing her were a complete waste.”

Lu Zhanxing frowned, clearly dissatisfied with what was said.

You can badmouth us, but you should never misunderstand my sister.

What’s wrong with her wanting to be with her family?

Lu Shiran retorted, “It’s still better than staying at the Qiao Family, where she was marginalized.”

The three young masters of the Qiao Family, each one’s expression turned ugly upon hearing this.

Qiao Shen, being the oldest, advised, “Sorry, my two younger brothers are immature and speak without restraint. Don’t take it to heart. I apologize on their behalf.”

Though he offered an apology, there was not a hint of remorse on his face.

Clearly, he too believed that the Lu Family had ulterior motives, wanting to cozy up to the Qiao Family through Qiao Yun.

“Why should we apologize!” Qiao Chu blurted out without choosing his words carefully, “It’s better to be marginalized at the Qiao Family than to be used by your Lu Family.”

Lu Zhanxing was puzzled, which eye of his had seen Qiaoqiao being used by them?

If it weren’t for the inappropriateness of the day and not wanting to put his sister in a difficult position, he really would have liked to kick this brat and shut him up.

At that moment, a cool and indifferent voice sounded.

“They are my family, they won’t use me.”

Qiao Yun walked over, her face devoid of emotion, and placed herself right in front of Lu Zhanxing and Lu Shiran, in a protective stance.

With Qiao Yun shielding them, Lu Zhanxing and Lu Shiran felt immensely pleased with themselves.

The bodies of the Qiao Family trio stiffened, their faces turning even redder with anger.

How did Qiao Yun get here?

Qiao Yun had originally been helping them in the kitchen but was sent out to rest, and then she came out to look for Lu Zhanxing and Lu Shiran when she couldn’t find them.

And that’s when she overheard this conversation.

These younger relatives had always been intimidated by her and were quite disrespectful towards her.

When she had just arrived at the Qiao Family, they would intentionally hide the toys their grandfather bought for her. She wasn’t interested in toys, so she didn’t mind.

They also liked to scare her by saying that they would throw her away if she didn’t listen to them. Qiao Yun, after all, was psychologically much older than them and couldn’t be bothered with such childish antics.

But the less she cared, the more they acted out.

Eventually, their grandfather found out and scolded them, and only then did things quiet down around her.

Of course, once she made her mark in scientific research and became the revered Professor Qiao, these people would walk a wide berth around her and didn’t dare provoke her.

In the Qiao Family, there were only a few who earned her respect; as long as the rest didn’t bother her, she didn’t care about them at all.

But now they were bullying her brother, which was unacceptable.

As a sister, she had to protect her brother.

“Sis, they were badmouthing us, calling our family upstarts,” Lu Zhanxing shamelessly tattled, yet his eyes were full of distress for Qiao Yun.

Qiao Yun’s cold demeanor might also relate to her childhood living environment, right?

Thinking about his little sister being alienated, all alone, silent and keeping to herself every day.

Damn, that’s just too pitiful.

If it weren’t for the Qiao Family elders, he would have already taken action and fought them.