Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him
Chapter 343 The Bet Exposed

Chapter 343: Chapter 343 The Bet Exposed

Huo Sijiao suspected the bet had been exposed and hesitated whether to confess.

But Huo Xingzhou was too clever; he sensed the trickery in her breath. His voice was especially commanding, "Tell the truth, no lying. Explain every detail clearly."

Huo Sijiao dryly said, "Eating dinner, what is there to say? Should I tell you what dishes your sister-in-law ate?"

"Huo Sijiao, don’t play tricks. You know I have the capability to find out everything; I just don’t want to waste time."

Huo Sijiao stuck out her tongue.

She hesitated to make a condition, "If I tell you, you can’t inform sister-in-law."

She didn’t want to be the traitor!

"Speak."

"We went to Baroque Restaurant to eat, and encountered Xiang Mingzhu and Young Master Zhong on a date. Young Master Zhong left early, and I provoked Xiang Mingzhu, starting a conflict. Sister-in-law bet with her to defend me."

Speaking of it, Huo Sijiao felt somewhat guilty.

"I didn’t know how formidable Xiang Mingzhu had become; had I known, I wouldn’t have provoked her. I was just enraged because she was stirring up trouble with Ye Zhimeng behind the scenes and bullying sister-in-law. Sister-in-law said she went to Haicheng to participate in the first round of selections just to make things difficult for her."

How could there be such despicable people.

Huo Sijiao, who hated evil as if it were her enemy, couldn’t tolerate a speck of sand in her eyes.

Huo Xingzhou asked indifferently, "What was the bet about?"

"It concerned the ranking in the initial selection of the acupuncture conference. Xiang Mingzhu said if her ranking was higher than sister-in-law’s, then sister-in-law must publicly admit Cheng Acupuncture is inferior to the Lu Family, and vice versa."

This was a bet on the honor of their school.

Qiao Xi was serious.

"Hmm."

Huo Xingzhou responded indifferently.

"Brother, I think Xiang Mingzhu definitely came prepared, who knows what tricks she might pull from behind. Sister-in-law won’t really lose this time, will she?" Huo Sijiao felt despondent.

If she lost, sister-in-law would be ruined.

"Don’t you like to go to the temple for peace charms? You could also get one for Qiao Xi."

"Brother, at a time like this, you still have the mood to joke!"

Huo Sijiao was truly worried.

Huo Xingzhou slowly spoke, "Qiao Xi wouldn’t do things she isn’t sure about, and besides, Haicheng is the territory of the Liu Family and Huo Family. If the people from the Imperial Capital dared to pull any tricks on your sister-in-law in Haicheng, I, Huo Xingzhou, wouldn’t need to exist."

He believed Qiao Xi had also considered this point.

Hearing him say this, Huo Sijiao felt much relieved.

She suddenly remembered something and said, "Today when sister-in-law and I were returning, I noticed she was very depressed. At first, I thought it was because of Xiang Mingzhu’s bet, but then I saw sister-in-law searching for news about Young Master Zhong from the Imperial Capital."

She didn’t know why sister-in-law was so interested in Young Master Zhong.

"I guess sister-in-law felt uneasy seeing Xiang Mingzhu and Young Master Zhong dining together. If Young Master Zhong sides with Xiang Mingzhu, that would be problematic!"

Young Master Zhong of the Imperial Capital was also well-known to Huo Sijiao.

Huo Xingzhou frowned slightly, "I understand."

It was known that Young Master Zhong, being cared for by Lu Yingxue due to his illness, had a marriage arrangement with the two families. Since Xiang Mingzhu was Lu Yingxue’s cousin, it made sense if Young Master Zhong actually helped her.

That Young Master Zhong, his stance was quite vague.

Huo Xingzhou’s eyes narrowed with a trace of gloom, but no matter how vague, it didn’t seem like he would side with the Huo family.

"Brother, sister-in-law’s birthday is also coming up. How do you plan to celebrate? Mom hopes we can hold a big celebration, our second branch of the Huo Family hasn’t had much festivity in a long time, and it would also formally introduce sister-in-law to relatives and friends. She got married to you without a wedding, which has already wronged her."

Huo Sijiao actually wanted to ask when they would hold a wedding ceremony, to make up for the past regrets.

"Brother, think about it. You don’t need to bother, mom and I can handle the entire banquet, and this time we definitely won’t go to Yunding Grand Hotel."

That place is unlucky.

I heard its stock price has been frozen for a while now, and the owner is anxious to sell off.

Business people always value luck; without a naive purchaser, there is no deal.

"Um, I understand."

Huo Xingzhou neither agreed nor refused.

He hung up the phone and stood in the corridor for a while before entering the study.

He was well aware that this bet was just the beginning, a siege and snipe by the Lu Family against the Cheng Family’s Plum Blossom Nine Needles.

...

Late at night.

The bet indeed leaked.

It was posted on traditional Chinese medicine forums and online, sparking widespread debate.

The person who made the bet public claimed it was Qiao Xi who initiated the provocation, recklessly challenging Xiang Mingzhu!

Xiang Mingzhu, having no choice, accepted her challenge!

This made those who saw the news frown, and they took an instant dislike to Qiao Xi. How could there be such an arrogant junior in the Chinese medicine community who dared to challenge the Lu Family!

Even Cheng Han wasn’t so high-profile back in his days!

Moreover, after the disappearance of Cheng Han for over twenty years, Lu Bannong had firmly established his dominance in the field of Chinese medicine, with the remaining influence scattered among various families.

If one wanted to get along in this circle, it was best to be on good terms with Lu Bannong, or at least not to be on bad terms.

Twenty years ago, Cheng Han had lost to Lu Bannong at the acupuncture trial, which had marked the decline of the Cheng Acupuncture Technique. Over these twenty years, Lu Bannong’s connections had become complex and interwoven, and his medical skills had greatly improved.

They all thought Cheng Han was old, and a mere apprentice couldn’t stir up any trouble.

As for Lu Bannong, he was just over fifty years old, and his next generation, featuring Lu Yingxue, was already remarkable. Many of his disciples were talented and diligent children, the future belonging to Lu Family’s "Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles."

Experts in the forums discussed at length.

"Cheng Han’s apprentice is just twenty-two years old, right? I’ve seen her cases in Haicheng, and none of them are particularly outstanding. Even the vegetative state case in the Liu Family is said to be a medical miracle; probably just a fluke."

"Arrogant and ignorant! Too arrogant! How could Cheng Han accept such an apprentice!"

"Since she dared to issue a challenge, she must have some skills! Don’t underestimate this Qiao Xi."

"Could she possibly be a match for Lu Yingxue? Xiang Mingzhu alone is tough enough. Cheng Han has only one apprentice, while Lu Bannong has dozens, three of whom are direct disciples. Those three are all well-known young figures in the Imperial Capital."

"Now Cheng Acupuncture Technique is doomed! To hear the heir of Cheng Acupuncture Technique admit they are inferior to the Lu Family’s Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles would also be an experience of a lifetime!"

"Cheng Acupuncture Technique simply doesn’t compare to the Lu Family! Cheng Han only panders to ordinary people to gather fame! What do those ordinary people know about mysterious acupuncture techniques!"

Cheng Han was indeed popular among ordinary folk, while Lu Bannong was better at networking with the powerful!

Inside the forum, everyone felt that Qiao Xi, single-handed and brash, was too rigid and likely to break.

They weren’t optimistic about her.

Traditional Chinese Medicine requires calm; recklessness is frowned upon!

Such a temperament is not suitable for Chinese acupuncture.

The discussion about this matter didn’t cease even late into the night, and Qiao Xi knew nothing about it.

...

The next morning.

Qiao Xi opened her drowsy eyes, her stomach pain was gone, only a heavy feeling remained.

Huo Xingzhou had left.

After a quick wash, she went downstairs. Aunt Qian had prepared a nutritious breakfast and looked at her with affection.

"Young Madam, please have some breakfast first..." Aunt Qian glanced at her, hesitant to speak.

Aunt Qian was keen on keeping up with fashion, lately she had taken to surfing the internet like the younger people.

She particularly followed the news about the Huo Family and had seen the online debate the previous night, unsure whether to mention it to Qiao Xi.

Qiao Xi noticed her unusual behavior and asked, "Aunt Qian, do you have something to tell me?"