Plunder-Chapter 311: Words Can Be Feared

On the same night, Qiao En received a call from Cheng Lu.

"Young Madam, can you come out for a bit? I need to talk to you about something."

Qiao En hesitated, "What’s the matter?"

"I can’t really say over the phone—it’s not convenient. I’m just across the road from Chu Garden; it won’t take too much of your time."

Cheng Lu insisted on speaking after meeting in person.

"Alright, just give me a moment to change, and I’ll be right out."

A quarter of an hour later, Qiao En left Chu Garden.

Across the street, Cheng Lu was already waiting there.

The man who once exuded confidence was now looking downcast and disheartened.

As soon as they met, he didn’t beat around the bush and handed a leather bag to Qiao En.

"Madam, could you please give these to Youyou tomorrow?"

Qiao En took it, opened the bag to have a look.

Five property deeds, all in the name of Lin Youyou.

Plus several bank cards.

"What is this?"

Qiao En asked, feigning confusion.

Cheng Lu hung his head, like a frostbitten eggplant.

"I... I just want Youyou to be happy. I’m sorry,I can’t give her that happiness."

Cheng Lu stuttered out the words, the despair clear in his voice as he struggled to speak.

Qiao En put the items back into the bag and handed it back to Cheng Lu, "If you want to desert, be brave enough to make it clear to Youyou yourself. As a woman, she has been waiting for you for eight months with a baby on the way. Cheng Lu, if you have any conscience at all, you shouldn’t be breaking up with her at this time, and certainly not in this manner."

"Young Madam, I have no choice. I’ve been to jail, and that’s an unchangeable fact. I can’t just ruin Youyou. She’s an only child, her parents have only her, I can’t fight her parents for her; it would make things difficult for her. Isn’t it said that love should be about making the other person happy? As long as she’s happy, that’s enough for me."

Qiao En couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, "Cheng Lu, where did you hear such twisted logic? What is this nonsense about fulfillment being love? Do you think Youyou wants to be ’fulfilled’? She wants you to be as firm and committed as she is. If you can’t even do that, why did you pursue her in the first place?"

With Qiao En’s rebuke, Cheng Lu was left speechless.

He sighed repeatedly, "But I can’t just make her choose between me and her parents, can I?"

Qiao En stuffed the leather bag back into Cheng Lu’s hands and folded her arms, "If you truly don’t want to put her in a difficult position, then work hard to make her parents accept you."

The word "acceptance" sounds easy to say, but Cheng Lu knew it was extremely difficult in reality.

"That’s impossible, her parents will never accept me."

Mrs. Jia’s disdainful visage reappeared in Cheng Lu’s mind.

"Sincerity moves the heart of stone; if you don’t try, how can you say it’s impossible?"

Qiao En retorted.

This time, Cheng Lu was lost for words.

"Do you have time now? If there’s enough time, take me to meet her parents," Qiao En offered.

"Take you there?"

Cheng Lu was shocked.

Qiao En gave him a blank look, "Why? As a former colleague of yours, don’t I have the right to speak on your behalf?"

"Yes, yes, of course, you do," Cheng Lu agreed, yet hesitated again right before setting off, "Wouldn’t it be wrong to do this without letting Youyou know?"

"Let’s go, stop dithering, thinking without action is futile."

Cheng Lu started the car and headed straight for Lin Youyou’s parents’ home.

When they arrived, it was already late, but fortunately, Mrs. Jia was still awake.

Through a door, Qiao En could hear Mrs. Jia’s scolding voice from inside the house.

"Lin Youyou, I’m warning you, you must break up with that jailbird right now! What if you’re having his child? Can’t the Lin Family provide for it? Let me tell you, if you marry a man like that, you’ll have enough miserable days ahead."

Mrs. Jia’s voice was piercingly strong and filtered through the door, reaching Qiao En’s ears in full.

At this, Cheng Lu heaved another heavy sigh.

Qiao En saw the worry in his eyes and smiled slightly, "What are you hesitating for? Knock on the door."

"Should we really knock?"

Cheng Lu asked.

Qiao En gave him a glance, and when Cheng Lu didn’t knock, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door "bang bang bang."

"Who is it? Who comes knocking at this late hour?"

Mrs. Jia’s voice came closer from a distance. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

With a creak, the door opened.

Mrs. Jia instantly saw Qiao En and also saw Cheng Lu standing beside her.

Upon seeing Cheng Lu, she became furious and violently attempted to close the door, but Qiao En quickly squeezed halfway through.

"Auntie, please calm down, let’s sit down and talk."

You can’t hit a smiling face.

"Who are you?"

Mrs. Jia asked grumpily.

"I am a former colleague of Assistant Cheng and also a friend of Youyou."

Qiao En introduced herself.

Mrs. Jia snorted coldly, "Since you’re a colleague, you’d better advise that person to stay away from my daughter. My daughter is still young, she’s just turned twenty-three, and she will never marry someone who has been in prison."

Qiao En nodded in agreement, "You’re absolutely right. May I come in for a glass of water? I am also Youyou’s friend."

Mrs. Jia looked at Qiao En distrustfully once more, but this time, she let Qiao En in.

She did not let Cheng Lu in, and as soon as Qiao En entered, Mrs. Jia slammed the door shut with a "bang."

The house was old, and the furnishings were quite simple, but one could see that Mrs. Jia was a person who valued cleanliness.

"Auntie, I truly understand how you feel. What parent doesn’t cherish their children? Everything you’ve done is for Youyou’s sake. Youyou is lucky to have a mother like you."

Qiao En tried to start off by agreeing with Mrs. Jia.

"Isn’t that the truth? She doesn’t appreciate what is good for her. She’s young now and doesn’t understand, but she’ll regret it when she gets older."

Mrs. Jia was very emotional.

Qiao En took her arm and walked towards the sofa area, "You’re right, she isn’t mature enough right now."

Whatever Mrs. Jia said, Qiao En affirmed.

"Aren’t you Youyou’s friend? Then you help persuade Youyou. She’s still young, there are plenty of opportunities. The child can be looked after by her father and me. She can’t be with a man who has been in prison, a man who has committed a crime."

"Do you know what crime he committed?"

Qiao En asked softly.

Mrs. Jia frowned, "What’s there to say about a crime?"

Mrs. Jia was not interested in hearing, but Qiao En wanted to speak, and she narrated the whole story of how Cheng Lu was framed and convicted.

"If it hadn’t been for us, Cheng Lu would never have been set up, nor would have ended up in prison. His feelings for Youyou are true, please rest assured. He is a very responsible man and he will take good care of Youyou and the two children."

Qiao En spoke on behalf of Cheng Lu.

"I can see that he is a good person, but he has been in prison after all. You should know, Youyou’s father and I are both from a teaching background, and what we value most is reputation."

"Shouldn’t what you value most be Youyou’s happiness? She is your daughter. Shouldn’t you wish to see her meet a good man and lead a happy life? You are forcing her to break up with Cheng Lu now, but have you thought about it? Is she willing?"

Mrs. Jia suddenly fell silent.

Lin Youyou would certainly not agree to break up.

But for them to accept a man who had been in prison as their son-in-law was something they could not do.

Qiao En continued, "In the end, you are being very selfish parents, valuing your own reputation immensely but disregarding your daughter’s happiness. Even though she has made her choice, you do not respect it at all."

"Today, I saw Youyou, and she was crying very sadly. Auntie, a mother’s heart is linked to her daughter’s. Do you really want to see Youyou depressed every day?"

Mrs. Jia shook her head, "The fear of others’ opinions is terrible. Are you saying you want Youyou to be the subject of gossip for the rest of her life?"

Before Qiao En could speak, Mrs. Jia suddenly stood up.

"Stop talking, go back. I know Youyou’s temper. She will be fine after being headstrong for a while. A short pain is better than a long one. You young people always advocate for cutting losses in time, right? My making them break up is just that, cutting our losses."

Mrs. Jia was very stubborn, and Qiao En realized that she couldn’t persuade her at all.

So she decided to reveal the real truth of the matter.