From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

Qiao Yuanjiang saw Tang Jingwei’s call and had no intention of answering, just let the phone ring. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, but that nephew of his simply refused to give him any face. He had already reported Qiao Rulong to the old man, but it seemed to have had no effect.

After a while the phone stopped ringing, and soon the message alert sounded. Qiao Yuanjiang picked up the phone; it was a text from Tang Jingwei. Out of curiosity, Qiao Yuanjiang opened it. It only had a time and place, nothing extra.

When Qiao Yuanjiang saw that message, his expression changed abruptly. After hesitating for quite a while, he still picked up the phone and called back.

This time it was Tang Jingwei’s turn not to pick up. Qiao Yuanjiang could no longer sit still; he paced back and forth in the study like an ant on a hot pan.

Flustered, Qiao Yuanjiang sent Tang Jingwei a message—What do you mean?

Tang Jingwei replied with a single line—You know what you should do!

After listening to Wang Jiancheng recount what had happened, Qiao Rulong’s expression hardly changed. He took a sip of mineral water and said, "Jiancheng, it’s not like you don’t know Ye Qingya and I are already divorced, right?"

Wang Jiancheng said, "But they’re saying it’s because you threatened Ye Qingya."

Qiao Rulong said, "Because of me? Jiancheng, are you so nervous about Ye Qingya that your brain’s gone foggy?"

Wang Jiancheng stared at Qiao Rulong in astonishment.

The look Qiao Rulong gave him carried obvious contempt. In fact, Qiao Rulong had long known that Wang Jiancheng had thoughts about Ye Qingya. Back then Ye Qingya was his wife, so even if Wang Jiancheng had ideas, he could only bury them in his heart. Now it was different—this guy had started openly pursuing Ye Qingya. Though Qiao Rulong was divorced from her, Wang Jiancheng’s behavior still annoyed him quite a bit.

Wang Jiancheng said, "Brother Rulong, we’re all friends. You two may be divorced, but you’re still friends, right? Aren’t you worried at all..."

"Not worried. I’m not worried in the slightest. You worry, Xu Chunliang worries—she has so many people worrying about her, it’s not my turn as the ex-husband to play the attentive one."

Wang Jiancheng’s face flushed; Qiao Rulong saw everything crystal clear.

Qiao Rulong said, "Those two dolls don’t necessarily represent me and her. Anyone with a normal mind wouldn’t pick Ye Qingya to threaten me through, because it’s useless. I have no relationship with her anymore. Her safety has nothing to do with me."

Wang Jiancheng couldn’t help saying, "Brother Rulong, you were husband and wife after all."

Qiao Rulong said, "Jiancheng, you came all the way here just to tell me that Ye Qingya got dragged in because of some actions of mine, hoping I won’t be too tough on certain things, that I’ll let them off the hook, right?"

Wang Jiancheng said, "A cornered dog will jump over the wall."

Qiao Rulong smiled faintly. "If you think it’s Tang Jingwei and his people, go ahead and call the police and have them checked. If it’s verified, he’s just digging his own grave."

Wang Jiancheng said, "About the Changxing Hospital incident, is it that..."

Qiao Rulong cut him off without ceremony. "Changxing Hospital has nothing to do with me. Jishi Medical doesn’t have any of my shares. You seem to hold ten percent. Oh right, was one of those dolls supposed to be you?"

Wang Jiancheng was a bit angry. "Brother Rulong, you were the one who suggested I invest back then."

Qiao Rulong said, "As long as it’s a legitimate business and the returns are guaranteed, I’m not screwing you over. We’ve cooperated for so many years—have I ever set you up?"

Wang Jiancheng shook his head. Indeed he hadn’t, and that was one of the reasons he’d always respected Qiao Rulong.

Qiao Rulong said, "Jiancheng, you shouldn’t have come to me. My relationship with Ye Qingya now isn’t as close as yours. From the day we divorced, I no longer had any obligation to protect her."

Wang Jiancheng nodded. "Looks like I really did come to the wrong place." Deep down he felt a bit disappointed in Qiao Rulong. How could a person be so utterly heartless? The divorce back then had been because of Qiao Rulong—he’d kept a woman outside, which was why Ye Qingya had resolutely severed their marriage. Didn’t Qiao Rulong feel any sense of guilt?

Qiao Rulong did feel some guilt toward Ye Qingya, but precisely because of that, he couldn’t show any concern for her. Whoever was behind the threats against Ye Qingya had only one fundamental reason: they believed he cared about his ex-wife’s safety. The more indifferent he behaved, the more the black hand behind the scenes would think Ye Qingya wasn’t important to him, and she would lose her value.

By habitual logic, the biggest suspicion in this matter would fall on Tang Jingwei. But Qiao Rulong had done some homework on him; Tang Jingwei shouldn’t have that kind of nerve. Targeting Ye Qingya looked clever on the surface, but in fact it was very stupid.

Qiao Rulong thought of someone and decided to go personally to verify.

After the large-scale "Spring Thunder Operation," He Dong Group had been badly hurt, and to this day Pan Weidong still hadn’t returned from overseas.

But with the operation now over, everything was slowly returning to normal.

He Dong’s boss, Pan Tianhua, was leisurely swinging his club on the golf course. After a beautiful shot, he saw a car driving toward him, with Qiao Rulong inside.

Pan Tianhua handed his club to his assistant and walked toward the car of his own accord, smiling as he said, "President Qiao, long time no see you out here playing."

Once the car stopped, Qiao Rulong got out. "The doctor says I’m still not suited for strenuous exercise at the moment."

Pan Tianhua nodded and studied the healthy color in Qiao Rulong’s face, judging that his physical condition had recovered quite well. Pan Tianhua was genuinely happy for him.

Qiao Rulong pointed into the distance. "Let’s walk over there."

Pan Tianhua took off his gloves and tossed them to his assistant, then accompanied Qiao Rulong toward the front.

Qi Shuang was Pan Tianhua’s illegitimate daughter. Although Pan Tianhua had raised her to adulthood, he had never acknowledged this daughter, of course also out of consideration for his family. But Pan Tianhua had never imagined his daughter would end up connected with Qiao Rulong.

At the beginning, Pan Tianhua hadn’t wanted his daughter to become someone else’s mistress either, but once his daughter set her mind firmly on Qiao Rulong, he could only accept it.

He knew Qiao Rulong’s background; precisely because of that, he was extremely cautious, avoiding contact with Qiao Rulong whenever it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

He didn’t even show his face later when his daughter gave Qiao Rulong a child, only silently arranging everything behind the scenes. He understood his own status all too well: even if Qiao Rulong were unmarried, with his identity, there was no way his daughter could marry into the Qiao Family. Though he sometimes felt aggrieved on his daughter’s behalf, as long as she was willing, he had no grounds to object.

The sudden Spring Thunder campaign at the beginning of the year caught Pan Tianhua completely off guard. The impact this time was already beyond what he could handle. His daughter saw all this and turned to Qiao Rulong for help; it was Qiao Rulong stepping in that allowed father and son to weather that storm smoothly.

Pan Tianhua had never expected that not long after that incident, Qiao Rulong would suffer such a serious accident. Fortunately, he pulled through: the heart transplant surgery succeeded, and the crisis in his career was safely passed. Toward this de facto son-in-law, Pan Tianhua felt both concern and dread.

Qiao Rulong said, "I went to Xiangjiang last week and saw the new place you bought for Xiaoshuang."

Pan Tianhua smiled, eyes crinkling. "I owe her too much. I’m willing to spend some money on her." He hadn’t given his daughter enough fatherly love and could only try to make up for it with money.

Qiao Rulong said, "You shouldn’t have let Weidong get involved in Jishi Group."

Pan Tianhua explained, "I invested thirty percent, and that thirty percent is split evenly between the two of them."

Qiao Rulong said, "Xiaoshuang is very good at investments. I’ve never worried about her judgment, so I never interfere..." He paused, then added, "And I don’t want others interfering either."

Pan Tianhua said, "I didn’t interfere."

His reason for investing in Jishi also stemmed from this Spring Thunder campaign; he had started to feel a sense of crisis. No wonder Ji Buyao had suddenly chosen to disappear. After he vanished, the entire Blue Star Group underwent a comprehensive transformation.

Taking advantage of Blue Star’s transformation, Pan Tianhua picked up quite a few properties at low prices, but looking back now he realized he’d jumped right into the hole Ji Buyao had dug in advance.

Nightclub business made easy money, but it also carried huge risks; one false step and everything could be wiped out.

Having recognized the danger, Pan Tianhua decided to attempt a transformation. After talking with his daughter, Qi Shuang suggested he invest part of his money in Jishi.

Pan Tianhua hoped his son Pan Weidong would, like his daughter, do legitimate business. Now his son was also in Xiangjiang—had he meddled in Jishi’s affairs?

Qiao Rulong said, "Weidong’s way of doing business is still stuck in the past. If this continues, it’s very dangerous. Xiaoshuang has already talked to me about your situation. I think you all need to change your thinking."

Pan Tianhua nodded. In the Orchid Sect he feared no one, but when it came to this son-in-law, he genuinely did.

Qiao Rulong said, "This world is not short of investment opportunities, but investment has its rules. Today someone went to intimidate my ex-wife, and the police have already been alerted."

Pan Tianhua froze. Could this have something to do with his son? If he did that, it would be unbelievably stupid.

Qiao Rulong said, "Maybe someone thinks Tang Tianyi isn’t dying fast enough. Maybe they think their methods are brilliant. But anyone with eyes can see it’s just gilding the lily and making it worse."

Pan Tianhua muttered in a low voice, "I’ll keep him on a tight leash and make sure he doesn’t meddle in Xiaoshuang’s affairs again."

Qiao Rulong was satisfied with Pan Tianhua’s attitude. He let out a soft sigh. "I miss George."

Pan Tianhua pressed his lips together, feeling the same way. Thinking of his adorable grandson, his whole heart melted.

Qiao Yuanjiang made a special trip to Capital City, delivering all the materials he had gathered into his father’s hands.

Elder Qiao read through the materials carefully, then fixed his piercing gaze on Qiao Yuanjiang. "Where did you get these materials?"

Qiao Yuanjiang said, "I’ve known Tang Jingwei for a long time. He wanted me to plead with Rulong on his behalf, but Rulong wouldn’t give me the time of day. I’d originally planned to stay out of it, but then Tang Jingwei sent me these materials. I felt it was serious, so I decided to come in person."

Elder Qiao said, "You came all the way back to Capital City from Nanjiang; looks like you and Tang Jingwei go back a ways."

Qiao Yuanjiang said, "We’ve known each other for decades. He only has one son, and he keeps feeling that if I can help, I should."

Elder Qiao said, "On the surface, every item in these materials seems to be related to Rulong, but in fact they’re all hearsay without any solid proof. Rulong’s emotional entanglements are long since over. You can’t claim this investment has something to do with Rulong just because of that, can you? You need to produce real evidence."

He tossed the materials onto his desk and said coolly, "These materials won’t scare Rulong." His deep-set eyes locked onto Qiao Yuanjiang’s. In a low voice he asked, "Why are you so nervous?"