Chapter 1808: Be My Sister

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Alright, since Miss Qiao is so upfront, then I’ll be frank too. I did accept this necklace, but it was given to me by someone as collateral. How can I give it to you so easily? You have to give me something to exchange for it, otherwise it’ll be a huge loss for me,” Brother Lei said.

Qiao Mei took out a bottle of dark green medicinal wine from her pocket and said, “Given how resourceful Brother Lei is, you must definitely know about the legendary effects of my family’s ‘divine medicine’. I hear that you have congenital heart disease. This can treat your illness and let you live to a ripe old age,”

Brother Lei narrowed his eyes and looked at Qiao Mei. He had long wanted to buy a few bottles of the Xia family’s “divine medicine”, but this thing was rare and even the black market did not have much supply. The Xia family had given all the medicinal wine to retired veterans from the army, so it was impossible for people like him to get their hands on it.

“Hahaha! Miss Qiao, you really come prepared. It’s really rare to see a woman like you. Aren’t you afraid that I’ll go back on my word after taking the medicine and detain you here to blackmail the Xia family into giving me money in exchange for you?” Brother Lei questioned.

“Brother Lei, you’re such a joker. If I disappear or something happens to me, do you think my family will let you off? It’s better for Brother Lei to be magnanimous and let me go. Harmony is the bearer of wealth. Isn’t it better for us to each take what we need? It’s not good to end up with a lose-lose situation,” Qiao Mei said with a smile.

“l only do business with friends. Are you saying you want to be my friend? How do we do that? Not everyone can be my friend,” Brother Lei said. “I’ll treat your illness so that you won’t have to worry about your health. You can then focus fully on your business in the future. 1 don’t want much in return. All I want is to exchange medicinal wine for that necklace. What do you think, Brother Lei?” Qiao Mei asked.

Brother Lei shook his head and chuckled before saying, “That’s not enough. If you can guarantee that the police and your backers won’t cause trouble for us after this, then I’ll be more willing to be your friend.”

For people in his line of work, why would they care about their lives when there might not be a tomorrow? They all lived their lives on the edge. Every penny they earned was simply a penny in their pocket. They would much prefer to have support from someone in the military, rather than being able to live to a ripe old age.

“Brother Lei, as long as you don’t do anything overboard, 1 believe that they won’t come looking for you. You have operated your business here for so many years, so why would you need my help? If you feel that one bottle is not enough, I can give you another bottle. You must have heard that this “divine medicine” is able to revive a dying person. If you are ever in danger, drinking one bottle can save your life.” After saying that, Qiao Mei took out a bottle of golden medicinal wine from her pocket and placed it on the table.

After thinking for a moment, Brother Lei asked his attendant to go to the safe to retrieve the necklace and the other items which Li Hua’s husband had given them.

“These are the things you want. I like your temperament and character. Miss Qiao, why don’t you consider becoming my sister? I can give you all these as a token of my sincerity,” Brother Lei said with a smile.

If Qiao Mei was married to an ordinary man, he would definitely force that man to divorce Qiao Mei and then get hold of her. Regardless of whether she had children or not, he would do it most willingly. It was really rare to see such a smart and bold woman.

However, Qiao Mei had the backing of the Xia family and even the support of other prominent families. He could not have any improper thoughts, but he did not want to lose touch with her. Making her his sister was his best option.

“Brother Lei, you’re really flattering me. I’m just an ordinary woman and I can’t help you with much. I only know how to take care of children and cook. How can I be your sister? Brother Lei, you should go and look for someone else.” Qiao Mei rejected him politely.

The Xia family was a very respectable and decent family. Even if one family member needed a favor from another, they were not allowed to “use the back door”. Moreover, this underground gambling den run by Brother Lei was an illegal business. It would not sit well with the Xia family if she acknowledged the owner of an underground gambling den as her brother. Even before the Xia family could react, Qiao Qiang might have already given her a good beating!

“l won’t ask you to do anything. I won’t tell you anything about what I do here. I just want you to be my sister. I’m an orphan and don’t have any relatives. I just like your temperament very much. How about it? Do you want to give it some thought?” Brother Lei asked..