Rebirth: The Courtyard Bride Is Cool and Radiant

Chapter 525: Chapter 525 Cousin, how did you hide here?

Originally, she had wanted to tell her son, ”Take good care of your wife.” But she was afraid of scaring Yunyi. The Huo Family wasn’t one to fuss over social standing, and she, for one, was thoroughly pleased with Yunyi as her daughter-in-law. Not only was the young woman beautiful, but her personality also clicked perfectly with Jiang Jingya’s. Moreover, she carried herself with confidence and grace. For her son to find such a wife was truly a stroke of incredible luck. Now, Jiang Jingya was itching to take Yunyi out and show her off, letting those gossips see just how outstanding her daughter-in-law was. Jiang Jingya not only loved beauty but was also a connoisseur of appearances; in short, she adored all things beautiful. She knew the malicious gossip circulating in the residential compound originated from the Pan Family. However, without proof, she couldn’t very well confront them directly. After discussing the matter with her son over the phone, he had advised her not to waste time arguing with them, as it was pointless. Once her son brought Yunyi home, those people would eat their words. She had been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time.

While the Huo Family was filled with joy, the Qin Family was thrown into chaos.

The reason was simple: Qin Lijuan had been transferred to prison that day.

Old Master Qin had never imagined it. Before the Qin Family could even formally disassociate themselves from Qin Lijuan, her own husband, Wu Shengjun, had preemptively announced their separation in the newspapers.

Now, the Qin family members were gathered at Old Master Qin’s residence. The eldest son, Qin Hongling, looking at Old Master Qin who remained silent, asked, ”Dad, what are you really thinking?”

Wu Lijuan, the eldest daughter-in-law, now detested Qin Lijuan more than ever. Initially, Wu Lijuan had reasoned that although Qin Lijuan was an adopted daughter of the Qin Family, she was already married off. Besides, everyone knew she was merely adopted by the Qin Family. However, that day, several younger family members had called back one after another. They reported that their jobs had been affected, to varying degrees, by Qin Lijuan’s conviction. Hearing this, Wu Lijuan could no longer remain composed.

Old Master Qin had initially worried that formally severing ties with Qin Lijuan would cause others to look down on their family even more. But now, it was clear that *not* severing ties was untenable; it merely gave outsiders ammunition to attack them. ”Since this has impacted the family members’ careers, I’m afraid we must sever this connection, whether we want to or not. Eldest son, you handle the arrangements,” he finally declared.

Qin Jiangchao, sitting in a corner, glared resentfully at his cousin Qin Jianghui. He could never have fathomed that their grandfather would actually agree to Qin Jianghui’s request to break off the engagement with Yunyi. A bitter taste filled his mouth. If Qin Jianghui was so unwilling, why hadn’t Grandfather chosen one of the other grandsons? He had suppressed his own feelings, not wanting to interfere with their engagement, and had deliberately gone to work far away in Hai City. He only learned they had already broken off the engagement upon his return. The moment he rushed back to Beijing, he was stunned to discover Yunyi had already been sent to the countryside. Just as he finally managed to find her address in the countryside and was preparing to go after her, fate intervened. He received an urgent call from his workplace, summoning him back immediately to participate in the development of a critical project. With no other choice, he had packed his bags and returned to Hai City. Once he finally completed the project, he didn’t even return to Beijing first; he immediately bought a train ticket to Ji Province. But he hadn’t anticipated it—they truly weren’t fated to be. When he found her, he learned that Yunyi already had a fiancé. He didn’t even remember how he’d made it back to Beijing. Any chance with Yunyi was now completely gone.

Hao Xiurong, Qin Jiangchao’s mother, noticed her eldest son’s unusual demeanor and nudged him. ”Jiangchao, what’s wrong?”

Startled by his mother’s nudge, Jiangchao collected himself. ”Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine, just lost in thought.”

With that, he stood up and left the room.

Leaning against the courtyard wall, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, drew one, lit it, and looked up at the sky.

Just then, Qin Jianghui’s voice reached him, ”Cousin, why are you hiding out here?”

Jiangchao’s expression darkened. ”Why did you go back on your word and break off the engagement with the Chu Family?”