C9 How Many Daughters Does the Qiao Family Have?

Half an hour later, the car pulled up at the entrance of the Qiao residence. Qiao An stepped out, while Huo Feng retrieved a wheelchair from the trunk. Huo Chengzhou strode over and seated himself in the wheelchair with a regal air.

He straightened his clothes and lifted his chin slightly. "Go knock on the door."

Huo Feng was unsure of Huo Chengzhou's intentions. He sensed that this visit wasn't to break off the engagement, as it had been agreed upon by the family patriarch.

So, what was his purpose?

After the doorbell chimed several times, a maid came to open the door. She paused upon seeing Qiao An, then greeted her, "Miss Qiao."

Qiao An gave a nod. "Mr. Huo has arrived as well. Please inform them."

The maid's eyes briefly rested on Huo Chengzhou in his wheelchair, seemingly overwhelmed by his commanding presence. She quickly bowed her head. "Of course, Mr. Huo, please come in."

Once the three were ushered inside, the maid quickly went to announce their arrival. By the time Qiao An and her companions reached the doorway, Qiao Minghui and Zhou Yun were already there to greet them.

"Young Master Huo," Qiao Minghui said with a beaming smile. "Your presence graces our home. This is my wife, Zhou Yun. I believe this is our first meeting."

Zhou Yun's prideful demeanor melted into a warm smile. "Young Master Huo."

Huo Chengzhou surveyed them both, his expression remaining one of detached nobility. "Hmm."

Qiao Minghui and Zhou Yun inevitably glanced at Qiao An's face, searching for something noteworthy but found her expression as indifferent as ever, as if she regarded no one.

The thought that they might have already obtained a marriage certificate seemed premature.

What unexpected event could have occurred?

Regardless, the priority was to welcome their guest. Qiao Minghui's face radiated warmth as he directed the servants to prepare tea, while Zhou Yun instructed them to fetch the finest pastries and fruit.

Huo Chengzhou remained silent, his features set in an unchanging mask of aristocratic aloofness.

As the tea arrived, Qiao Minghui inquired with a humble expression, "Did my daughter do something wrong? Has she upset Young Master Huo in any way?"

Throughout the entire conversation, Qiao An maintained a calm demeanor while listening to Qiao Minghui and Zhou Yun engage enthusiastically with Huo Chengzhou. She was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, realizing that their warmth was never directed towards her.

Huo Chengzhou's index finger rhythmically tapped on the armrest of his wheelchair. He glanced over and noticed Qiao An still standing behind him, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Why are you standing? Isn't this your home? Please, have a seat."

Caught off guard, Qiao An hesitated. "There's no need, Mr. Huo. We should focus on the matter at hand."

Noticing a shift to a colder tone on Huo Chengzhou's face, Zhou Yun quickly rose and reached for Qiao An, saying, "Look at you, acting like a child. There's no need for formalities in your own home. Come, sit down."

As Zhou Yun attempted to guide her, Qiao An instinctively pulled away, her face etched with wariness.

Zhou Yun's hand grasped at air, her face flushing with embarrassment. "This child..."

Huo Chengzhou commanded in a firm tone, "Come and sit."

After a moment of silence, Qiao An circled around Huo Chengzhou and found a seat on the sofa beside him.

Her action seemed to amuse Huo Chengzhou; the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, yet his gaze grew more intense. Could it be that he was the one she trusted most in this house?

With a tap of his fingers on the armrest, Huo Chengzhou spoke with a refined voice, "My visit isn't for anything in particular. I simply wanted to ask if you intend to arrange for Qiao An to marry me."

"Absolutely," Qiao Minghui responded promptly. "Qiao An is temporarily blind, but her corneal surgery is already scheduled. We're confident she'll regain her sight soon."

Huo Chengzhou nodded, his expression unreadable. "How many daughters does the Qiao family have?"

Exchanging a glance, Zhou Yun and Qiao Minghui were quick to reply, "Two. There's also the younger daughter, Qiao Xue, but she's currently in a relationship with Moo Haoyan, the second young master of the Moo family, so..."

The unspoken message was clear as day.

Huo Chengzhou's eyebrows lifted subtly. "Have her come down and take a look."