Forced a Marriage

When Huo Xiaoran and Qiao An returned to the Heavenly Imperial Garden, they saw Huo Zhou sitting in his family courtyard as leisurely as if he was sitting in his own courtyard. He brewed a pot of tea and was drinking the tea leisurely.

Huo Xiaoran said to the guard coldly, “If he comes again in the future, he’s not allowed to enter the house.”

When Huo Zhou heard Huo Xiaoran’s voice, he looked up and protested, “Xiaoran, do you have to be so heartless to me?”

Xiao Ran and Qiao An walked over and sat around the stone table.

Xiao Ran poured Qiao An a glass of water and handed it to her as he said to Huo Zhou, “You don’t know how lucky you are. Your mother planned your marriage because she cared about you and was afraid that you would die alone for the rest of your life. However, you hid in my house and wasted her efforts.”

Huo Zhou said impatiently, “Xiaoran, why have you become as naggy as my mother?”

Qiao An said, “Because Brother Xiaoran is very concerned about you. He’s afraid that you’ll die without children when you’re old and lie in a hospital bed regretting your willful decision when you were young.”

Huo Zhou lowered his head. “Can we come back to Earth?”

Then, he noticed Qiao An’s red eyes and quickly changed the topic. “An’an, have you cried?”

Qiao An lowered her head awkwardly. Didn’t she survive everything on her own? However, when Huo Xiaoran decided to enter the lion’s den and take the risk, she was even more panicked and helpless than when she had fallen into the hands of the outlaws.

Huo Zhou examined Huo Xiaoran and lectured him, “Xiaoran, did you bully Qiao An? How much effort did you put into wooing Qiao An? Now that you have her, why don’t you cherish her? Tell me, how did you make her sad?”

Only then did Xiao Ran seriously examine Qiao An’s eyes. Seeing that her eyes were bloodshot, he knew that the panic and fear in her heart were far stronger than she showed.

Huo Xiaoran gently stroked Qiao An’s head with pity and love, but he couldn’t say anything to comfort her.

In the end, he said stiffly to Huo Zhou, “Zhou Zhou, if anything happens to me in the future, I’ll leave my Angel Group to you. Please help me take care of An’an and the children.”

All the tea in Huo Zhou’s hand spilled. He jumped up in shock and shouted at Huo Xiaoran, “Why are you saying such dejected words? Are you going to become a monk?”

“Let me tell you, Huo Xiaoran, I will never raise children for you. You have to protect them yourself.”

Huo Xiaoran was silent.

Huo Zhou realized that the situation was a little serious and got anxious. “Aiya, what are you hiding from me?”

Huo Xiaoran was silent.

But Qiao An was on the verge of breaking down. Unable to bear the grief, she stood up and ran into the house.

Huo Xiaoran’s eyes instantly turned red.

Huo Zhou looked at Qiao An’s back and then at the red-eyed Huo Xiaoran. He suddenly grabbed Huo Xiaoran’s hand excitedly. “You cheated?”

Huo Xiaoran shook off his hand…

Huo Zhou refused to give up. “Huo Xiaoran, you have to make things clear today. You two are so in love. Why did you quarrel today?”

“We didn’t quarrel.” Huo Xiaoran looked in Qiao An’s direction worriedly.

Huo Zhou still wanted to get to the bottom of it.

But at this moment, his mother came. With a long broom in her hand, she roared like a lion, “Huo Zhou, damn you, come out.”

Huo Zhou got up and quickly hid behind Xiao Ran.

“Mom, why are you here?”

Huo Zhou’s mother was furious. “It wasn’t easy for me to help you choose a gentle and virtuous wife, but you hide outside every day and don’t go home. If you don’t see her, how can you nurture your relationship with her?”

Huo Zhou said, “I’m not marrying her. You can marry her if you want.”

“If I were a man, would it be your turn?”

Huo Zhou smiled crookedly. “Yes, on the first day you brought her back, you would have slept with her. Just because you like her doesn’t mean I should too.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

Huo Zhou said, “I don’t like tomboys.”

When Qiao An heard her aunt and Zhou Zhou arguing, she quickly wiped her tears and ran out to stop the fight. Huo Xiaoran immediately ran to her and held her hand with heartache. “An’an, if you really can’t accept me doing that, I won’t go. Don’t cry, okay?”

His heart ached when he saw Qiao An cry.

Qiao An smiled at him with red eyes. “Brother Xiaoran, believe me, I’m stronger than you think.”

Then she leaned her head gently into his arms.

Huo Xiaoran hugged her tightly. “Yes, An’an, I believe you.”

Huo Zhou secretly observed Huo Xiaoran and Qiao An as he ran. He was surprised to see that the couple had a good relationship.

Since they hadn’t quarreled, why was Qiao An crying?

Why did Huo Xiaoran entrust him?

Could it be that Huo Xiaoran had a terminal illness?

When Huo Zhou thought of this, his entire body immediately felt uncomfortable.

“Xiaoran, are you terminally ill?” Huo Zhou blurted out.

Huo Xiaoran and Qiao An were stunned.

Huo Zhou’s mother was dumbfounded. Then, she was furious. “You bastard, what nonsense are you talking about? How can you curse your cousin with such words?”

Huo Zhou couldn’t explain it to his mother, so he could only start another round of chasing.

In the end, Qiao An pulled Zhou Zhou’s mother back. Qiao An called out softly, “Aunt.”

Huo Zhou’s mother liked girls very much and immediately felt her heart melt. She stopped chasing Huo Zhou and looked at Qiao An amiably.

“An’an, what’s wrong?”

“Aunt, Zhou Zhou isn’t willing to go home. You don’t have to chase him home. Just bring Sisi over and treat this place as your home. We’ll have a meal at my house this afternoon. How about that?” Qiao An whispered an idea to her aunt.

Huo Zhou’s mother immediately beamed. She praised Qiao An, “Aiyo, my An’an is the best. An’an, your intelligence is indeed worthy of its reputation.”

With that, Huo Zhou’s mother left with the broom.

Huo Zhou felt that something was wrong. He asked Qiao An, “An’an, what bad idea did you give my mother? Why didn’t she return with anything? This isn’t her style.”

Qiao An said, “Cousin, my family hired a new Sichuan chef with superb culinary skills. Stay for lunch today.”

Huo Zhou couldn’t ask for more. “Okay.”

Qiao An gave Huo Xiaoran a look, and Huo Xiaoran made an OK gesture at her.

Qiao An walked towards the kitchen.

Huo Xiaoran said to Huo Zhou, “Go to my study. I want to talk to you about work.”

Huo Zhou looked guarded. “What is your wife thinking?”

Huo Xiaoran said, “My An’an is so kind and upright. What else can she do?”

Huo Zhou recalled his previous misunderstandings about Qiao An. After knowing Qiao An’s heroic deeds of enduring humiliation, he also changed his attitude toward Qiao An; he came to have unprecedented respect for her.

Now that he was facing Qiao An again, he felt that this little woman was too smart and difficult to deal with.