I Got Rich in Period Fiction
Chapter 464

Chapter 464: Chapter 464

Qiao Qingyu followed his gaze and saw Mr. Zhao’s ex-wife, Huang Ling. She instantly realized that there must be something fishy about that ring.

At that moment, though Huang Ling’s complexion was unsightly, she couldn’t make a scene at such an event—it would be embarrassing for everyone involved.

She nodded at Qiao Qingyu and then turned to leave.

Qiao Qingyu found an opportunity to talk to her and that’s when she learned that the ring belonged to the woman’s late mother.

It wasn’t like they were superstitious, but this was simply too ominous. Mr. Zhao’s mother-in-law really had a knack for being annoying and irksome.

Nowadays, wedding ceremonies were very straightforward, and since there were no restaurants around to host a banquet, everyone simply ate peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pieces of candy in Mr. Zhao’s courtyard to celebrate.

The base was always busy, no matter the time. When most of the guests had left, Qiao Qingyu quietly took Li Bo aside to tell him about the situation.

Li Bo quickly took out the gold ring, and at that moment, Mr. Zhao also came in, his face awkward. Li Bo smiled, handed the gold ring to Mr. Zhao, and said softly, "Give the gold ring back to Sister Huang, it holds sentimental value for her."

Without saying anything else, Mr. Zhao’s face turned red.

Fortunately, given his age, he had thick skin. He said, "When my bonus comes next month, I’ll buy you a gold ring."

Li Bo curled the corners of his lips slightly, bowing his head.

From the angle Qiao Qingyu was looking, Li Bo’s lips were also pursed.

You really couldn’t tell whether he was happy or angry.

It had to be said, Li Bo was now more mature and realistic than Liu Hong and the others.

And he was also more stable.

Mr. Zhao turned and walked away. Liu Hong had also become much more composed. She patted Li Bo on the shoulder, knowing all too well the buzzing gossip that Xichuan, especially the area where Li Bo’s family used to live, was known for.

But things were good now; whether it was work or life, it had nothing to do with Xichuan anymore.

Though Mr. Zhao was older, he was still an engineer with a position. It was just that his home life was disheartening. She sighed and said, "In this world, nothing is perfect. Liu Min and I were sent to the Agricultural Bureau for training, and our families had pulled strings for us. At work, everything was smooth sailing, but they treat us like decorations, not expecting us to do anything. What’s the point of our internship then? Is it just so they can stamp their official seal?"

Li Bo said, "That’s why I suggested you two shouldn’t work in an office. We studied agricultural technology, and it’s only in the fields that we can fully utilize our expertise."

Liu Min chimed in hastily, "Exactly, that’s the point. Despite my major, if Professor Feng hadn’t set up the experimental fields at our university, and if we didn’t do internships, we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the crops in the field and the ones in the pictures. Couldn’t we initially not even tell wheat from grass?"

Qiao Qingyu asked with a smile, "So, can you tell them apart now?"

"Of course, I can spot the difference between wheat and grass at a glance."

"You’ve made progress..."

With a few laughs, they had dispelled the awkwardness from earlier.

Granny Zhao’s sister-in-law unexpectedly wheeled the old lady into the room. Frowning, Old Lady Zhao said, "You’re deliberately trying to disgrace me. I generously gave you the gold ring, so why did you give it back to that wench?"

The room suddenly fell silent, and several people turned to look at Granny Zhao, who was seated in the wheelchair.

Occasional voices could still be heard outside, and Mr. Zhao and his brother were also busy returning the stools borrowed from neighbors to their respective homes.

Li Bo’s face changed. Although Liu Hong had a sharp tongue, she knew this was Li Bo’s mother-in-law and couldn’t confront her as she used to.

But before she could speak, Qiao Qingyu stepped forward and looked at Granny Zhao, "Granny Zhao, you seem to have recovered quite well."

Upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, Old Lady Zhao’s eyes visibly shrank, and she leaned back slightly.

She certainly knew about the nasty things Tian Li, that wench, had done, which had almost affected her son.

Her own illness was also thanks to Tian Li, but then again, if Huang Ling hadn’t insisted on divorcing her son, none of these troubles would have happened.

"...I’m recovering alright; it’s just that I can’t walk."

"Granny Zhao, there really aren’t any outsiders here today. I could say I’m pretty much your neighbor; we don’t live far from each other. You’ve eaten plenty of vegetables from my garden, and I’m well aware of your family’s issues. To be honest, Mr. Zhao is truly a filial son. No matter how difficult you make things for him, he has never once complained about you."

Old Lady Zhao’s expression improved, hearing her son praised always delighted her, "That’s my son; it’s natural for him to be filial towards me."

"Right, you know your son is filial, so you must also wish for him to live a good life."

"Nonsense. I am his mother; of course, I want him to live well."

"Well, since you want him to live well, what was today’s business with the gold ring?"

Granny Zhao’s gaze flickered, but she remained silent.

Qiao Qingyu continued, "Old Lady, things shouldn’t be done this way. If word of this gets out, everyone at the base could drown you with their spit. That was the keepsake of your former daughter-in-law’s late mother. Holding onto it like this, what were you intending to do? Isn’t this act a bit unethical?"

"...I...I..." Old Lady Zhao found herself at a loss for words because the situation was indeed just as described. The gold ring had already been returned by her son, but she had not expected Huang Ling to boldly attend the wedding, or anticipated that Huang Ling would notice from such a distance.

Qiao Qingyu then spoke to Mr. Zhao’s sister-in-law, "Please wheel the old lady back to her room and rest. The gold ring has found its rightful owner, and Old Lady, your health will soon improve."

The old lady was stunned as she looked at Qingyu, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean nothing special; I just hope you can rest and take care of your health..." Qiao Qingyu then grew impatient, not looking at Granny Zhao but addressing Li Bo instead, "Director Zhou said you could take a week off for your wedding leave; get some rest at home."

"Qingyu, please thank Director Zhou for me."

"Sure, I’ll pass on the message." Qiao Qingyu shifted her tone and said with a smile, "We’ll be neighbors from now on, sharing a dormitory at school and living in the same courtyard. Feel free to come by and hang out whenever you’re free..."

Li Bo gratefully looked at Qiao Qingyu, realizing only now the extent of Qiao Qingyu’s status and influence within the base courtyard.

Despite her young age, and regardless of her husband’s youth, these two held significant sway within the base.

By saying this, Qiao Qingyu was implicitly letting others know that she had her eye on Li Bo as well, making it clear not just to the onlookers but also to Old Lady Zhao.