Plunder-Chapter 244 Exchange

When Qiao En received a call from Lin Youyou, she was at work.

The phone rang, displaying an unfamiliar number.

Qiao En answered, and all Lin Youyou did was introduce her workplace.

"Secretary Qiao, this is Lin Youyou from Nanchen’s secretarial office."

Qiao En couldn’t remember at the moment and replied in surprise, "I’m sorry, but I’ve been out of the job for a long time. Is there something you need?"

"I need to meet you. There’s something very important I have to tell you."

Qiao En felt skeptical and glanced at her watch.

"When?"

"Now."

Lin Youyou seemed very urgent.

Qiao En was cautious, "I’m afraid I can’t right now, how about after work!"

"My flight is at five-fifteen in the afternoon, Secretary Qiao, I won’t take up much of your time."

Lin Youyou was insistent.

Qiao En was a decisive person and she quickly made up her mind.

"Okay, I’ll send you my location. Come find me."

Fifteen minutes later, Qiao En met Lin Youyou at the coffee shop downstairs from her office.

Seeing her, Qiao En was taken aback.

She hadn’t expected that the woman before her was the one Cheng Lu had a date with that day.

"Secretary Qiao, sorry to bother you like this."

Lin Youyou looked very gentle, and her voice was soft as well.

"It’s no bother. Just say what you have to say."

Qiao En pushed the coffee she had ordered across to Lin Youyou, who thanked her and took a small sip.

"What I have to tell you is about Ding Hao, Secretary Qiao. Would you mind?"

Qiao En felt a jolt in her heart, her fingers tensing slightly.

She shook her head.

"To others, I’m Ding Hao’s girlfriend, but only I know why he pursued me."

Lin Youyou had just started speaking when Qiao En interrupted her.

"Aren’t you Cheng Lu’s girlfriend? How come you’re Ding Hao’s girlfriend?"

That day, she had clearly seen Cheng Lu and Lin Youyou together.

Lin Youyou slowly lifted her eyelids, and looked at Qiao En with eyes like water, "It’s complicated, but let me explain slowly."

"I’m not Assistant Cheng’s girlfriend. The time you saw us, he had something to tell me in private." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

That day in the mall, Lin Youyou had seen Qiao En.

Qiao En suddenly understood, but felt that the mist had thickened.

If she was Ding Hao’s girlfriend, then why would Cheng Lu have something to tell her privately... could it be...

Qiao En was quick-witted and immediately guessed what it might be.

As their eyes met, Lin Youyou nodded.

"That’s right, you guessed correctly. The reason I agreed to be Ding Hao’s girlfriend was because Director Zhou requested it. It’s widely rumored in Nanchen that I’ve been secretly in love with Director Zhou and everyone thinks I somewhat resemble you, Secretary Qiao. Coincidentally, Ding Hao met me and then he pursued me crazily."

"So your accepting Ding Hao’s pursuit has something to do with Director Zhou?"

Qiao En’s mind was racing.

At this moment, she took a serious look at Lin Youyou, indeed, there were some similarities to herself.

"You’re right, this matter is related to Director Zhou. He promised me that as long as I helped him uncover the truth about your mishap, he would grant me a wish."

"Did you manage to do it?"

Qiao En asked again.

Lin Youyou nodded, "Yes."

"Then your visit before leaving, what’s it for?"

"Secretary Qiao, I know I shouldn’t have bothered you, but I still wanted to see you before I left. You are really lucky not to have chosen to be with Ding Hao. He is a devil, he took away your first child, and he wanted to harm the child in your womb."

Qiao En instinctively placed her hand on her lower abdomen, and her heart grew apprehensive.

"You have to be very careful. Although he is now facing legal action, I still feel like he will not stop."

"But you are very fortunate now. Director Zhou only has eyes for you. I believe he will definitely protect you. Secretary Qiao, I really envy you. Besides asking you to be careful, I wanted to tell you that I did once secretly love Director Zhou, but I have no other improper thoughts towards him. My decision to leave is also my own, so please don’t misunderstand him."

Lin Youyou’s eyes were shimmering, and Qiao En suddenly felt warmth in her heart.

"Thank you, Youyou."

She placed her hand on the back of Lin Youyou’s hand.

Lin Youyou’s hand was ice cold.

"I should be going now."

She withdrew her hand, stood up, and was ready to leave.

Qiao En walked her out of the coffee shop.

"I also thank you on behalf of Jin’an, for once liking him. In the future, whatever you need, we will do our utmost to help you."

Qiao En gave her promise.

Lin Youyou nodded, she waved to Qiao En, hailed a cab at the roadside, and quickly left.

After she left, Qiao En sat alone in the coffee shop for a good while.

Her heart was warm yet wistful.

The warmth came from Director Zhou Jin’an’s silent efforts behind the scenes.

The wistfulness was because Lin Youyou’s deep feelings for Zhou Jin’an went unrequited.

In this world, it’s difficult to have the best of both worlds, and that’s true for everyone.

After work, Zhou Jin’an came to pick up Qiao En and take her home.

"Lin Youyou came to see me."

Qiao En initiated the conversation.

Zhou Jin’an looked at her suspiciously, "What did she say?"

"She told me everything. Thank you, Jin’an, thank you for everything you’ve done for me."

She took the initiative to move closer and wrap her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest.

Zhou Jin’an’s warm hand embraced Qiao En’s shoulder, "Silly girl, why are you thanking me? Doing these things is what I should do."

"She likes you."

Qiao En said in a choked voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin’an’s expression remained unchanged, "The person I like is you."

"Do you know?"

Qiao En asked curiously.

"It’s not important, and I don’t care."

Zhou Jin’an had always been chaste and honorable, which Qiao En believed.

"You must treat her well."

"Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll have Cheng Lu take care of this."

Zhou Jin’an took Qiao En’s hand.

Suddenly she said, "I want to see Ding Hao."

Zhou Jin’an’s brows immediately knitted into a frown, "Let’s not go."

He was very concerned; Qiao En was pregnant, and he feared that Ding Hao would say something extreme that could upset her.

"Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself. There are some things I need to ask him in person."

Zhou Jin’an thought for a while, "I’ll accompany you."

He made a partial compromise.

Qiao En nodded, "Okay."

Everything was arranged on Director Huang’s end, and the Maybach headed straight for the detention center.

However, just outside the visitation room, Qiao En stopped Zhou Jin’an.

"I want to see him alone."

Zhou Jin’an was still somewhat uneasy, "I’d better accompany you."

"Really, there’s no need, he can’t hurt me."

Qiao En insisted, and Zhou Jin’an had no choice but to agree.

In the visiting room, Qiao En sat down at the table.

After about five minutes, Ding Hao appeared wearing a yellow vest with a shaved head.

Seeing Qiao En, a smile formed at the corner of his mouth, "En’en, you’ve come to see me, I’m so happy."

This version of Ding Hao very much resembled the man Qiao En had first met.

It seemed as if time had changed many things, people’s hearts included.

"I came to hear from you personally why you did it."

The truth had been buried for so long, it seemed to matter less and less; Qiao En had gradually accepted reality, yet the truth still surfaced.

"Huh, why do you need to ask?"

"Of course I do."

Qiao En emphasized.

Ding Hao leaned back in his chair, a cynical look returning to his face.

"It’s simple. That child isn’t mine."

"But what does it have to do with you?"

"How can it not be related?" Ding Hao retorted, "I, Ding Hao, got married only to find that the child in the belly is someone else’s. Have you ever thought about how I feel?"

"We had a sham marriage, have you forgotten?" Qiao En kindly reminded him.

"I took it seriously." Ding Hao suddenly blurted this out.

The air suddenly grew tense.

Ding Hao let out a cold laugh, "I hadn’t planned on doing that, but it’s your own fault for being insatiably greedy. I treated you so well, I even didn’t mind the green hat you put on me, and yet you still planned to run away. Qiao En, do I really look like a fool to you?"

Qiao En took a sharp breath, she never imagined that Ding Hao would know about her escape plan.

"I tried everything to keep you by my side, but you were intent on running away; there was no way. If I can’t have you, I naturally won’t let anyone else have you."

Therefore, he decided to "go big or go home," considering silencing her forever.

"What else do you plan to do to my child?"

Qiao En restrained her emotions and questioned aggressively.

Ding Hao laughed, his laughter growing more sinister.

"Guess?"

He refused to speak.

Qiao En stood up; without saying a word, she walked straight towards the door.

"Ding Hao, surely you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your own flesh and blood, right?"

At this question, the smile froze on Ding Hao’s face.

"What did you say?"

"What I said; you understand better than anyone. Lin Youyou is carrying your child, isn’t she?"

Ding Hao’s face turned pale.

"This has nothing to do with her; don’t mess around."

"I can refrain, on one condition—you stop."