1970s: My childhood sweetheart ran away, and I turned around and married the wildest chief.

When Xu Hui saw her, she glanced at Qiao Yuanhe and said, "Yulan is here! I'm doing well at the factory. You're so young, you should focus on your studies and not waste time coming to see us."

Yao Yulan's face stiffened. "Auntie, I had some things to take care of at home, so I came back for a visit. I happened to hear that Brother Yuanhe was back, so I came to see him."

Xu Hui entered the house, and Qiao Yanshuo had already prepared the meal. The family began to eat. Yao Yulan refused to leave, and it wasn't appropriate to be too harsh on her, since she was just a young girl and the factory director's daughter. It wouldn't be good to say anything too harsh.

Yao Yulan ate at the Qiao family's house. After the meal, she offered to wash the dishes, but Qiao Yanshuo would never let a guest wash the dishes, so he quickly took over himself.

"No need, I can't let you wash the dishes. You sit down, I'll do it."

Since Qiao Yanshuo had already said that, Yao Yulan didn't insist and sat on the sofa watching TV.

She wanted to talk to Qiao Yuanhe, but he was clearly avoiding her and went to his room. As a young woman, she couldn't very well follow him. However, Xu Hui was about to go to work, and if she didn't go to him soon, she would have even less of a chance once Xu Hui left and the father and son were at home.

He could only say to Xu Hui, "Auntie, I'll go talk to Brother Yuanhe."

With that, she got up and went to Qiao Yuanhe's room.

Xu Hui quickly called out, "Yuanhe, come out for a moment, Yulan has something to say to you."

Yao Yulan paused, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Qiao Yuanhe had already heard Yao Yulan's footsteps and hurried out. He certainly wouldn't stay alone with Yao Yulan in the room.

As soon as Qiao Yuanhe came out, Xu Hui said, "You two should talk things out face to face. Don't waste the girl's time. Yulan is still in college and doesn't have much time to waste with you."

Qiao Yuanhe's brows furrowed with impatience. "Comrade Yao Yulan, I have made myself very clear. Please do not come again. I will not marry you."

Yao Yulan was very unwilling. "I want to talk to you alone, Yuanhe. We've only just met and haven't known each other for very long. You don't know me. Once you do, you'll definitely like me."

"I won't!"

"Why are you so sure you won't? I have a college degree, my father is the manager of a textile factory, my mother works at the Women's Federation, and all my siblings have jobs. My family has no burdens. If I marry you, I can go with you to the military. My family is in the city. We are a good match. What's wrong with that?"

Qiao Yuanhe's patience was running out. He felt that the woman in front of him couldn't understand human language. "Not all couples who are well-matched should get married. I don't like you, so why do you insist on marrying someone who doesn't like you? Aren't you worried that I won't treat you well after marriage? Aren't you worried that I'll fall in love with someone else after marriage? You said yourself that you have no family burdens and you are such a good catch, so why do you insist on marrying me?"

Yao Yulan's tears fell in tears of grievance.

Why?

Of course it's because you're in a good position.

Where are people who are good-looking, highly educated, and from good families so easy to find?

Especially since she's so outstanding at work, if she could marry Qiao Yuanhe, her whole family would benefit, and among the girls in the family, she would be the one who married the best.

If Qiao Yuanhe could stay in the army for a few more years, even if she eventually leaves the military, it would be a very good job. Not only would she have money, but she would also likely have power, and her status might even be higher than her father's.

How could she not want to marry such an outstanding man?

"I like you. I fell in love with you after our blind date, and my feelings for you have only grown stronger. I can't let you go."

Qiao Yuanhe said coldly, "I've met you a few times, and I don't think we have any deep feelings for each other. Go back and study hard, and you'll forget about me soon."

"I don't want to!"

"Go back!" Qiao Yuanhe's voice was icy cold, clearly his patience had run out.

Tears streamed down Yao Yulan's face. Seeing Qiao Yuanhe's cold expression and Xu Hui's silence, she couldn't stay any longer and turned to run away.

Qiao Yuanhe said from behind, "Wipe your tears. Don't run out crying like that. People who don't know better will think we've bullied you! And don't come here again, so you won't leave crying next time and make us the subject of gossip among the neighbors."

Yao Yulan: "..."

Xu Hui spoke up at this moment, "Why are you talking so harshly? How can you talk to a girl like that?"

She quickly comforted Yao Yulan, "Yulan! Don't take it to heart. That brat doesn't know how lucky he is. Don't cry, Auntie will see you off!"

Yao Yulan also had her pride. Being humiliated by this family, she got angry and her voice turned cold. "No need, I can walk by myself."

She wiped away her tears and ran straight out.

After everyone left, Xu Hui sat down, and Qiao Yanshuo also came out of the kitchen.

"She's gone? She won't come back next time, will she?"

Xu Hui shrugged. "Who knows?"

She glanced at Qiao Yuanhe and said, "Hey, how did things get like this? This girl is already very outstanding. Even if you don't like her, you don't have to be this hateful, do you? Judging from your tone, if I were Yao Yulan, I would want to slap you twice."

Qiao Yuanhe said angrily, "Mom, I've already made myself very clear, more than once, and she still acts like this. How can I be nice to her? She finally got into university, and she doesn't know how to cherish it at all. She's always running home instead of doing anything productive. Doesn't her family care? Don't they think I'm wasting their daughter's youth and ruining her studies?"

Xu Hui: "..."

She really didn't know that.

"You really didn't like any of them? What kind do you like then? Or, what exactly is it about this one that you don't like?"

"As I said before, she has too many hidden agendas, and I don't like her."

Xu Hui and Qiao Yanshuo exchanged a glance. "What do you mean by having too many ulterior motives?"

Qiao Yuanhe explained to his parents, "I suspect that she is just superficial and likes to take shortcuts. She is only after our family's conditions. My grandfather wanted to build a factory in Beichuan. I guess her family found out about that."

"Getting into university isn't something sacred to her. She goes to university just to get a prestigious degree and a decent job so she can marry someone better in the future. Now that she's met someone better like me, it doesn't matter to her whether she goes to university or not."

Xu Hui: "..."

Qiao Yanshuo: "..."

Their son had served in the military, and his observational skills were definitely superior to theirs, so Xu Hui and Qiao Yanshuo trusted him.

Xu Hui spoke up fairly, "Actually, being able to quickly find someone with great qualities and pursue them with a clear goal is a skill in itself. At least this girl is quite smart. What she said may be unpleasant, but in reality, girls like this usually do very well. Her using her degree to enhance her resume is just not noble, but many people do it. She has good qualities but wants to marry someone even more outstanding. She may not have noble aspirations, but you can't say she's stupid."

"A girl with such clear goals will probably do well in the future. She's much better than those girls who lose their minds when they're in love. She's very decisive and can analyze the pros and cons very well. A girl like that would be very suitable to be the mistress of a large family."

"If your sister were in that situation, she would pursue you too."

Qiao Yuanhe: "Wanwan might indeed do that, but she would never give up her studies. She would only study harder to get better grades and then use my identity to get a better job, climbing up the ladder by stepping on me, instead of giving up her competitiveness and running back to chase after a man."

Xu Hui: "..."

Qiao Yanshuo: "..."

That's true, their daughter really does have that kind of personality.

Since her son had said so, Xu Hui wouldn't force him, especially since she didn't really like Yao Yulan.

She does have a good eye, but it's also true that she has too many hidden agendas. No family would like a daughter-in-law like that from the start.

"Alright, if you don't like her, then don't contact her anymore. I think this girl still hasn't given up. You should go back to the army. Your dad and I are in good health, we're still young, and we don't need you. You should stay in the army from now on. If she's really only after our family's wealth, I'm afraid she might do something drastic that could affect you!"

"Go back to your unit and don't come here again. Don't give her a chance."

Qiao Yuanhe nodded. "I understand."

Qiao Yuanhe was very protective of his reputation, so he didn't delay at all, packed his things and immediately returned to his unit.

As soon as Yao Yulan returned home, tears streamed down her face. Her mother, seeing her like this, frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Were you kicked out?"

Yao Yulan bit her lip. "Mom, he doesn't like me. No matter what I say, it's no use. He even kicked me out today. I... I can't take it anymore."

Mrs. Yao frowned and said sternly, "I know the Qiao family. Even if they don't like you, they won't say anything vulgar to you. Why can't you stand it? That family is rich and powerful. They used to be a prominent family with businesses all over Beijing and Shanghai. If you can marry into them, you'll turn your life around immediately, understand? Which wealthy family's daughter-in-law doesn't have to suffer some grievances? If you want to enjoy their benefits, you naturally have to give something in return."

"Useless thing, I've created such good conditions for you, and you can't even seduce a single man."

Yao Yulan: "..."

She lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Yao's mother was clearly a very strict person. Her hair was neatly combed, and her face was cold, even a bit harsh.

"Come and sit down."

Yao Yulan sat down on the sofa opposite her.

Mrs. Yao poured herself a cup of tea. "The Xu family had already investigated Beichuan City before, but they felt that the policy environment in the south was better, so they gave up Beichuan and went to the south to invest and set up a factory first. The old couple used to be very low-key in Beichuan, but now they can take out so much foreign exchange to invest and set up a factory. This shows the strength of their family."

"Actually, I would prefer to marry you into the Xu family. The descendants of the Xu family would definitely be better able to inherit the Xu family's wealth. Unfortunately, I can't contact anyone from the Xu family. Their eldest son is in Shanghai, and their children are also in Shanghai. I can't find out much information. Maybe they're already married."

"Qiao Yuanhe is also good. He's safer in terms of status, his future power won't be bad, and he's about the same age. If you miss this opportunity, where will you find someone with such good conditions later?"

Yao Yulan knew that she also wanted it, but Qiao Yuanhe wouldn't give her the chance!

"I understand, I like Qiao Yuanhe too, but he just won't give me a chance, what can I do! I gave up a good university and came back for him, and yet he blames me for not finishing my studies properly and for not appreciating it. It's easy for him to say that when he's not in my shoes."

Yao's mother immediately laughed. "The fact that he thinks that way shows that his family background is good enough, that he's out of touch with reality. Ordinary families study hard just to find a good job to support themselves, right? Girls naturally want to marry into a good family too. Now that your good husband's family is right in front of you, who would give up their husband's family to go back to studying? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

Yao Yulan wholeheartedly agreed.

"But what can I do now? He just doesn't like me. He doesn't want to spend even a little time with me and he's avoiding me."

Yao's mother didn't take it to heart. "Men are all the same! It's easy for a woman to pursue a man. As long as you keep chasing him and pestering him, it's impossible for him not to be moved. You're so beautiful, how could he not feel anything at all?"

Yao's mother gave Yao Yulan a meaningful look. "Yulan, you must remember that you have to be ruthless and willing to go all out at crucial moments. Don't be timid and hesitant, or you'll never achieve great things. As long as you get Qiao Yuanhe to marry you, it doesn't matter if you use some tricks."

"Once you successfully marry into the family, you will be the young mistress of the Qiao family, and the Xu family will be your maternal grandfather's family. In the future, when the Xu family becomes wealthy, they will definitely send their money to this outstanding grandson. At that time, it will all be yours."

As Yao Yulan imagined that future, her eyes gradually hardened.

Capital

Qiao Wanqing bought some health supplements and went to the university town to visit her grandparents. This time she was lucky; both her grandparents were home.

Grandpa Qiao is a researcher and also a tutor at Huaqing University. He now lives in a two-story building that Huaqing University allocated to him.

When Qiao Wanqing arrived, her grandmother was watering the flowers in the garden.

Grandma was overjoyed to see Qiao Wanqing. "Oh, Wanwan, come here and let Grandma see you. It's been so long since I've seen you."

Qiao Wanqing put her things down and called out with a smile, "Grandma, where's Grandpa?"

"You rarely get a break, so you went out to play chess with your old friends. Come in quickly, where are the kids? You didn't bring any of them!"

Grandma Qiao's eyes were full of regret.

Qiao Wanqing smiled and said, "Are you free this weekend? I've made plans to get together with my uncle and the others. If you're free too, we can arrange the meeting place here, and I'll bring the kids over."

Grandma Qiao clapped her hands. "Great! Your grandpa's free this weekend. He's been too busy lately, so he can finally rest for a while. Let's invite them all over for a meal together this weekend. Oh, and where's Xiao Lu?"

Qiao Wanqing's face was a little gloomy. "He went to work. We arrived one afternoon and left before dawn the next day. It's been several days now and he hasn't come back. He told me that the army has given him a heavy mission. For the next period of time, he will be lucky to be able to come back once or twice a month. If he gets busy, he may not be able to come home for two or three months."